Bradga Short Stories

Fireworks

New Years Eve 2019

Bradley had been very tense the whole day. Every time someone mentioned the fireworks that evening he'd just smile awkwardly and fake all of his enthusiasm.

Bradley and I met a few months ago and instantly got along. I was working at my fathers restaurant that evening and he was hiding from a mop of women, trying to stalk and take pictures of and with him. When he asked to hide in the back room of the small family business my parents owned I, of course, said yes. He seemed stressed out and had told me that this had been the first time something like that had happened to him. Usually his fans were very respectful and reserved (or at least tried to be) but this time it was different. He didn't expect this many people there and also didn't bring security because nothing had happened so far.

He had made some phone calls, so someone would get him back home safely and killed the waiting time at the restaurant, snacking on some food I had offered him.

He wasn't someone I had been particularly interested in. I'd never been a fan. To be honest, I had missed the entire Bradley Cooper hype. The second I met him though, it all changed. The thing with Bradley was, that when you looked at him, it was like staring into a lighthouse. You just knew, he'd keep you safe somehow. It was weird, I had never felt like this around another person, none of my friends or ex lovers. It was a strange and different kind of feeling and as soon as I felt it, I wanted more.

And even now, that we became somewhat friends, I couldn't really find any remarkable flaws on him. He was always polite, always handsome, always present and there for me when I needed him.

I didn't know too much about him or his past, but I knew that he was close to his family. They were inseparable and they loved him as much as he loved them. I often found myself wishing I was that close to my own family.

"It's almost firework time!!" Mitch, one of Bradley's friends yelled from over the table, clinking his glass with someone else's.

To be fair, I hated fireworks. I didn't see the point of shooting loud bombs into the air for the sole pleasure of seeing sparkles up in the sky. It was loud, it smelled weird and wasn't good for the environment. It was also scary for pets. Totally unnecessary. Poor pets.

I looked over at Bradley who excused himself from the table to walk out onto the restaurants balcony. I waited a few minutes but followed him when he didn't come back.

When I opened the doors to the balcony and stepped out I could hear the voices getting muffled and quiet as soon as the large doors shut behind me. It was a bit chilly that night and I saw the goosebumps appear on my skin. I hugged myself and gently rubbed my skin to keep myself warmer. I looked around to find Bradley who leaned against the side of the building, his head low and his arms also crossed in front of his chest.

"You okay?" I asked him when I pressed my back against the wall next to him myself, nudging his side a bit.

He seemed startled and looked up at me, shrugging his shoulders. I had never seen him this upset and spaced out before. He stared out into the night sky, before looking back at me, as if he wanted to say something but before he could get a word out we were interrupted by the loud sounds of fireworks exploding in the sky right in front of us.

I looked at them for a split second and then I looked at Bradley, right when his hands shot up to cover his ears. He seemed stiff and looked down at the floor, his pointer fingers both pressing into his ears to cover the sounds of the fireworks completely. I saw him shaking and without a second thought opened a door, right next to us. I grabbed him by his arm and pushed both of us inside, drowning the sounds from outside out by closing the door.