Chapter four -
When we arrived home, Gran was sitting at the table with Seth, but Grandad was nowhere to be seen. I walked over to them, with Bradie staying at the door.
"Alex, why are you all wet?" Gran asked me. I looked down at my clothes, I had completely forgotten about it.
"Oh, um, we were at the beach," I responded, motioning to Bradie standing behind me. I saw Seth stifle a laugh and I glared at him. He was always giving me shit about guys, but the truth was, he didn't like me having a boyfriend.
"Oh," was all she said.
"Gran, where's Grandad?" I asked, looking around and seeing him nowhere.
"That's why I needed you to come home," she said, and panic rose up in my chest.
'Why?" I asked. "What happened?"
"He is at the hospital," Gran said calmly.
"WHAT?" I screeched. "Why? What the fuck is going on?" when Gran wouldn't answer anything, I turned to Seth, my eyes pleading.
"He fell over and broke his arm," he explained, getting up and walking over to me. "But he is fine Alex." he put his arms around me, but I was frozen in shock. I had been playing in the water, laughing and enjoying myself, while my Grandad was in the hospital.
"Why is everybody here?" I asked, pulling back from Seth. "Why isn't everyone at the hospital?" tears were making their way down my face. I was so scared.
"We were worried about you," Gran said, still calm. How was she so calm? Why wasn't she freaking out like me?
"Well lets go then," I said, and Gran got up. Grandad was at the hospital alone all because I was too busy to check my phone. I turned around to see Bradie still standing at the door way. I had completely forgotten about him.
"Alex, I am so sorry," he begun, but I cut him off by placing my finger over his mouth.
"This wasn't your fault, so don't apologise," I said to him. By this time Gran and Seth had left, probably waiting in the car. I got out my phone and texted Seth.
You two go, I will find my own way to the hospital. I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.
I turned back to Bradie. He looked down at me, the concern from before back in his eyes.
"Did they go to the hospital?" he asked me, his voice gentle.
"Yeah, I told Seth I would walk," I told him, this man that I had known for one day, and I trusted completely.
"It's a long walk," he said, brushing my still wet hair from my face.
"I don't really care," I said, shivering from his touch. He noticed.
"You should change out of these wet clothes before you get sick," he said. "And I am driving you to the hospital, no questions asked." I felt a smile on my lips as I agreed, and he left to go change himself. Bradie Webb. Bradie fucking Webb! This could not be happening. Bradie Webb was driving me to the hospital. Crazy!
I went upstairs to change, and came downstairs wearing denim shorts and a purple hoodie. I grabbed my keys and phone, and headed outside to find Bradie waiting for me on the front steps. I smiled when I saw him.
"Took you long enough," he said in a joking tone.
"I'm a girl, it's kind of a rule!" I said, nudging him. We walked to his car, and he held his door open for me.
"Thank you Mr Webb," I said, getting in.
"You're welcome Miss.. Uh," he paused, not knowing my last name.
"Wayland," I said to him. "Well technically it's Bower, but I took my Mum's last name after, well, after everything," I said, putting my head down. I didn't know why it got me so upset.
"Alexandra Wayland, I like that," he said, getting in the driver's seat.
"Thanks," I said, smiling. Bradie Webb just said he liked my name. Was this really happening?
As we drove to the hospital, Bradie told me about his friends, and I told him about mine.
"So, what is it like being famous?" I asked him, and he looked at me. "What?"
"Nothing," he said, putting his hands in the air, but quickly placing them back on the wheel. I just shook my head. "It's no different to not being famous, but people know my name, and I get to do the thing I love most in the world everyday, and I get to do it with hundreds of people watching me."
"Oh, but it's not different at all!" I laughed. And then I looked at him, with serious eyes.
He saw me looking and said "What?"
"Nothing," I said, and when he raised his eyebrows, I added "You just make me happy, you make me laugh and forget." to this he said nothing, he just smiled.
When we arrived at the hospital, I went to the desk and asked for Edward Wayland, and the lady pointed me to the room my Grandad was staying in. I rushed in to find him with Gran and Seth, laughing and playing around.
"Ah, Alex, nice of you to join us!" Grandad laughed when he saw me. I looked down and saw his left arm was in a cast. I ran over to him and knelt down at his side.
"I'm so sorry Grandad," I said to him, taking his right hand in mine.
"Oh don't apologise sweetheart," he said. "Its fine, I'm fine!"
"But I didn't even know you were hurt," I said, tears threatening in my eyes.
"Alex, none of this is your fault, you were having fun with a friend, which is exactly what I have been trying to get you to do since you started staying with us," he said, glancing at Bradie. "Its just a little fracture, and I will be fine. I'm only still in here because the pain pills make me drowsy!" at this I smiled. That was Grandad, always joking.
"As long as you're okay," I said to him.
"I'm fine honey," he said, putting his good hand on the side of my face. "You go have fun." I looked back at Bradie, who smiled at me.
"Are you sure?" I asked Grandad, turning back to him.
"If you don't leave right now, I will call the nurse to kick you out," he smiled.
I smiled back and said "Okay, okay, I'm leaving!" I stood up, and bent over to kiss him on the head.
"Do you guys mind if I catch a ride with you?" Seth asked Bradie, and I knew what he was trying to do. He wanted to make sure Bradie wasn't trying anything on me.
"Sure, it's fine with me," Bradie said, turning to me for an answer.
"Yeah," was all I said, glowering at my brother. He just looked at me with steady eyes. It made me angry that he didn't trust me, but it also felt good to know he was looking out for me.
"Great!" Seth said, and we made our way to the car. The ride home was quiet. I sat in the passenger seat, while Seth was sitting in the back, and Bradie drove.
When we were finally home, Seth practically dragged me inside, so I didn't even get to thank Bradie.
"What the hell?" I exploded as soon as the door was closed behind us.
"What?" he cried, looking at me with "innocence".
"You know exactly what!" I cried back. "You, not letting me be alone with Bradie."
"That was not what I was trying to do," he defended, looking at me. I glared at him, and he added, "Okay, maybe it was what I was trying to do."
"Why?" I asked him, putting my keys and phone on the bench. "Why don't you trust me?"
"Alex," he said, walking over to me. "It's him I don't trust."
"But you don't even know him," I said, turning to face him.
"Yeah but I know his type. Crazy rock star with ten girlfriends," he responded, pure worry in his eyes. He was just trying to look out for me.
"Bradie is different Seth," I told him, and the look on my face must have been genuine, because he loosened up a little bit.
"How do you know that?" he questioned.
"I just.." I paused, not knowing what to say. "I just feel it," I finished with a smile on my face.
"You really like this kid," Seth said, and it wasn't a question. Sometimes he knew what I was feeling better than I did.
"Yeah, I really do."
An hour later, I was lying in bed watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen when my phone buzzed on my bedside table. I rolled over and looked at the screen. It was from Bradie.
Hey I'm sorry if I woke you, but I just wanted you to know that I had a really great today :)
A huge grin instantly spread across my face, I slid the bar at the bottom of the screen and typed in a reply.
No, I'm normally up at 2am o.O haha, but I had a really great time too! Sorry about before though, I didn't really have time to say goodbye, with my brother dragging my ass into the house and all.
I hit send, and snuggled back up under the covers. My eyes eventually closed, and when they opened again, the credits were rolling. I looked down at my phone and saw that I had two messages. I also saw that it was 4.30. I slid the bar at the bottom of the screen to open the messages, and saw one it was sent at 2.17am, an the other at 2.51am. Fuck you sleep.
The first message read
Oh same here haha. No not really, but I couldn't stop thinking about you. That's okay! I would probably do the same thing if I had a sister who was hanging out with me all day, if that makes sense :s haha.
And the second said
Well I am guessing you fell asleep, either that or you don't like me as much as I am hoping you do. I really hope it was the first one.. And I'm babbling.. Over text.. O.o Well anyway.. I hope you see this in the morning.
Goodnight beautiful.. x
He called me beautiful. He said he hoped I liked him. Well I did like him. A LOT!
I fell asleep with my phone in my hand and a smile on my face.
