Chapter Seven
"You hungry?" Brady said as he opened the door for me. I watched him for a second before pulling myself into the truck. He shut the door behind me with a soft smile and rounded the front of the truck before hoping in the other side.
"Um, I don't know…"
"I'll take that as a yes," he said, turning the key. "You've gotta be cold, here."
He unzipped his hoodie before pulling it off and holding it out for me. I stared at him for a minute before shaking my head. He raised an eyebrow.
"Take it, seriously."
"I'm not cold."
"Liar," he laughed, setting it down on my lap. The hoodie was super warm, like it had just come out of the dryer. I frowned down at it before sighing, putting it on, and zipping it up. "What kind of food do you like?"
"Anything," I muttered. He smiled and nodded, speeding off into the cramped traffic. He was quiet, which I had a feeling wasn't normal for him. He tapped his fingers against his steering wheel to the beat of the soft music playing from his stereo. Was that jazz?
I couldn't help but stare at him. He was so strange. He was a large man, probably the tallest one I had ever met, but he was so soft. His smile was gentle, as were his eyes. His voice was a deep hum, soothing in a way, but something in it sounded happy and calm. Even when talking about dark topics, such as suicide.
He was so opposite to me that it honestly freaked me out. Yes, I was calm, but my calm came from a place of depression and apathy. Brady's seemed to come from tranquility.
"What?" he said, breaking me from my thoughts. I had been staring at him too long. I felt a stir in my stomach, like a faint twist of embarrassment, but I ignored it.
"Nothing," I said, my voice emotionless as I turned my eyes to the road. He laughed softly under his breath and I saw him shrug out of the corner of my eye. "Why were you in Forks?"
I am not sure what compelled me to speak. I never started conversations with anyone anymore, I didn't want to talk to anyone. I especially didn't want to form bonds with anyone, but I was honestly curious about him.
"Uh…" he trailed off, making my gaze turn to him. His eyebrows were knitted together and his gaze seemed distant. I could see the debate in his mind, he was conflicted over the topic. Before I could open my mouth to speak though, he started again. "I had to take my mom to the hospital."
I didn't feel emotions much, nothing except anger, or at least they weren't very strong. But it felt as if a hand had closed around my throat at his words. I tore my eyes away from him, setting my jaw.
"Well I-"
"Don't say your sorry," Brady said, his voice sounding gentle but strong. I looked at him again and he shrugged again. "It happens all the time, I am not phased by it."
"You aren't?"
I was genuinely curious. How could he not be phased? It was his mother. I would give anything-.
Stop it.
"No, she did it to herself."
I raised an eyebrow. This was the first time his voice had not sounded soft. It was cold, harsh. Almost like annoyance or frustration. He looked away from the road to me and he didn't smile this time, he just looked for a moment before turning back at the road.
"Why were you in Forks?" he said after a long, silent pause. I snorted humorlessly.
"Therapy session."
"Oh, for the suicide thing?" he asked bluntly, making eye contact again. I couldn't help it, I felt myself smile. It was small, more of a shocked smile than anything. It felt weird on my facial muscles.
"Yes, that among other things, I guess," I laughed slightly. I felt a tug in my chest. I hadn't remembered the last time I laughed without sarcasm.
"Guessing it didn't go well?" he chuckled, turning off the highway into La Push.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yeah, a little."
I rolled my eyes, huffing out a laugh as I looked out the window. It wasn't raining as bad here, but it definitely had poured before we showed up. The dirt road was so watered down I could see the mud slinging onto the side of Brady's truck and a few branches had fallen into the road from the trees.
"Just idiots thinking their mind games can help a person want to live," I sighed after moment.
"You don't seem to hide the fact that you want to die, aren't you scared of them hospitalizing you?"
I turned my gaze to Brady again, a sarcastic smirk pulling at my lips.
"I just got out."
He hummed, nodding slightly. As I looked away once again I could feel his eyes on me. He pulled his truck into the parking lot of a diner. It was a wooden building, it looked like it was barely standing. I tried to keep myself from making a face, I definitely didn't want to be surrounded by chattering people right now.
I reached to unbuckle myself, but I felt a hand lay over mine. My eyes snapped to Brady, he smiled at me.
"Stay here. We are gonna eat at the beach. You like the water, don't you?"
I stared at him for a moment. I felt something in chest crack and suddenly it was hard to breathe. I nodded slowly at him and he smiled a large goofy smile.
"I'll be right back! You like fries right?"
He jumped out of the truck and I watched as he jogged through the rain to the creaky diner door. I sat in silence for a moment, feeling a swell in my chest.
Stop it, Sydney. No friends, nothing. They all end up dead.
I shook my head, feeling tears sting my eyes. I blinked rapidly, rubbing at my face. I had no idea what I was doing. I should have just let him take me home so that I could get the job done tonight. I was only prolonging the inevitable.
I looked around, realizing I was only a ten minute walk from my house. I could jump out of this truck, walk to the cliff, and be dead within the hour. My hand moved to unbuckle my seatbelt, but it was as if Brady's hand overlapped mine again.
"Stay here."
I felt the hands around my throat once again. He had told me to wait, he would be back any moment. I didn't want to hurt him by leaving.
The conflict swirled in my head, pounding at my brain. I wasn't supposed to make friends. No one needs to get hurt when I die, no one needs to be stuck in the middle of that.
Especially not Brady.
My seatbelt clicked as I unbuckled it, but before I could open the truck door the diner door swung open. Brady looked up to the sky, realizing with a smile that the rain had stopped. He pulled himself in the truck, slamming the door behind himself, and placing the bag of food in my lap. He smiled at me.
"Ready to go?"
A/N: I really loved writing this chapter for some reason, it reminded me of a few conversations with an old friend. I am so glad we are diving into Brady's character a little more now. Everyone writes him differently, but I really love the Brady I have created in my head.
Hope you guys enjoyed!
-k
