Ever Since

Bradley

"Two times in a row, Underwood" Andrew says way too excited. "I'm fucking happy you're here"

"No problem, man" I say flatly while trying to understand where Indie is dragging Loren to. I keep a close eye on the Dennis kid hovering around and when Loren gives me the okay, I want to tell her to wait but get bombarded by guys coming to me.

"Take a picture with us" one of them says and sticks the camera in my face, hitting my nose.

"Watch it!" I warn and watch how nervous they get the second I did. "Don't fucking come at me like that"

"Sorry..." he slurs.

I grab the phone from his palm and snap the picture, where I look more than pissed off even when I try not to be and hand him his phone back.

Fucking idiots...

"I think you need a drink" Andrew says smiling breaking the awkward conversation and I follow him along with a few of his friends to his house.

"Where are we going?" I say impatiently. Last thing I want is to leave Loren here by herself with an already drunk Indie, Jade who is impulsive and fucking squeaky clean Dennis. But I do feel like I need a drink right now mostly because of the upcoming nerves I've been having about my dad possibly showing up at any given time.

Drink. Now.

"You're a special guest, vip" Andrew says while we go up the stairs leading to this backyard. "I'll get you some good shit, not what I put out there"

We enter the house where Andrew's younger sister, Julia, is with her friends. We have some brief history and the second she seems me, I pull my hoodie down lower and try my best to avoid conversation.

Shit! Please don't talk to me, please don't fucking talk to me!

"Bradley?" Julia says and but I keep walking with the guys to the kitchen. "Bradley!"

"Shut up, Julia!" Andrew snaps while taking out a fine bottle from one of the top cabinets. "For fucks sake, go back to Ireland!"

I hear her walking over as I stand with my hands crossed against my black hoodie with the guys waiting for Andrew to hand us the drinks.

"Why do I feel like you don't remember me?" Julia says standing by me with her friends by her. Two out of the five definitely know who I am.

"What's up, Julia?" I ask flatly and the guys laugh.

"Bradley has a girlfriend now, so don't even try" Andrew says and I nod at him for the comment.

"Bradley Underwood? You?" She says shocked. "You have a girlfriend? Never thought I'd see the day... a shame really"

"What's a shame is that you're still the same" I say and I take a tequila shot off the counter with the guys and throw it back.

"Bye, little sister!" Andrew yells and shoos her out.

When she finally leaves, we have a good laugh. It takes moments like this to remind me how lucky I am. Don't know what I ever saw in her.

"I think she's been with every one of my friends" Andrew says and I know that's definitely true but don't confirm it to him.

I take down some more shots and then grab a beer listening to the guys talk about girls they're with. I'm lost in my head, laughing on queue while thinking about what's going on outside. Loren is a clever girl but she can sometimes be naive to guys wanting her but disguising it as "being friendly". I know how guys work and a guy that says he's just friends is a damn liar in my book.