As the surfer strolled into the room, he didn't even notice the cold
shift in the air. Despite looking straight at the teen, who was
pretending to be busy stretching out the monopoly board on the bedroom
floor, Jay didn't notice the tension his entrance brought to Bradin's
posture.
"Monopoly? Isn't that a bit dull?" He questioned the pair; concerned Derrick would soon be overcome with boredom.
Bradin far from appreciated the intrusion. Taking a short breath, he did his best to rein in his temper. Silently reasoning with himself, he tried to maintain his composure. After all, he had kept his feelings in check for nearly three weeks. What was the point of blowing things in the house now, on his last night there?
Fortunately for him, Derrick spoke up first. "Monopoly's cool."
Shrugging, Jay strolled over and sat down in the desk chair. "Can I be the racecar?"
"No." Derrick told him flatly. "Bradin's the racecar. You can be the horseman."
Taking the piece, Jay gave Bradin a sideways glance. "How about the shoe?"
Fortunately for Bradin, Nikki's timing was perfect. "Derrick's the shoe."
"The thimble?" Jay asked, slightly amused.
Derrick only shrugged, though. "Nikki already called the thimble."
"How about the dog?" Jay questioned.
Ava, however, wasn't hearing it. "Called it already."
"Wheelbarrow?" Jay continued to press.
Carrying a bowl of popcorn, Johnny made his way into the little room. "Dibs."
"And keep your hands off my hat." Susanna demanded, strolling in behind Johnny. "Why are we in here? This room is tiny. Big room? Couches? Ring any bells here?"
Watching them stroll out to the living room one by one, Bradin found himself hanging back slightly. He was pissed as hell. They were throwing him out and no one was acting like anything was wrong.
It was just another normal day. They were playing games. Goofing off.
He really hated them. He hated this house.
He hated them. Their crowded house. Their easy conversations.
The way they somehow still seemed to care.
God, he was going to miss this.
He was going to miss them.
Slipping down to the living room, Bradin quietly slid the screen door open. Dropping his duffel and board onto the porch, he looked back over is shoulder at the silent house. He tried to remind himself that this was a very planned decision.
He was up at sunrise for a reason. There was absolutely no way he wanted to run into anyone on his way out the door.
This was how he wanted it to be. After all, what would he say to them? 'Thanks for letting me crash?' 'Catch you later?'
No, slipping out was definitely better.
He would have the weekend to adjust. Jay wasn't expecting him to come back to work in the shop until Monday.
'Revel in your freedom, mate.' He'd said.
What a stupid way to put it. God, Jay really was an idiot. Only a complete moron would think being stranded in a strange town with no friends, no plans and no place to live was something to 'revel' in.
"Stop it."
Opps, he hadn't meant to say it out loud. He really, really didn't want to wake anyone up. But still, he meant it. He needed to quit feeling sorry for himself.
He was a big boy. He could take care of himself. And Ava was right; he had crossed the line. She couldn't really let him stay after he did the one thing she had said no to. And things could be a lot worse.
He was still on good terms with the family. He already had plans to hang with Johnny on at the pier Sunday afternoon even.
And Ava had told him she would still 'be there' for him. Whatever that means.
Heck, even Jay was going to let him keep working at the shop. He would be able to buy food off what he made there. And if he took advantage and crashed on the beach over the summer, he might even save up enough to be able to afford a place of his own before winter rolled around.
Is there winter in California?
Taking one last look around the house, he finally forced himself to stop stalling. Pulling the door behind him, he slowly made his way down the beach.
He was on his own.
Destination?
Unknown.
"Monopoly? Isn't that a bit dull?" He questioned the pair; concerned Derrick would soon be overcome with boredom.
Bradin far from appreciated the intrusion. Taking a short breath, he did his best to rein in his temper. Silently reasoning with himself, he tried to maintain his composure. After all, he had kept his feelings in check for nearly three weeks. What was the point of blowing things in the house now, on his last night there?
Fortunately for him, Derrick spoke up first. "Monopoly's cool."
Shrugging, Jay strolled over and sat down in the desk chair. "Can I be the racecar?"
"No." Derrick told him flatly. "Bradin's the racecar. You can be the horseman."
Taking the piece, Jay gave Bradin a sideways glance. "How about the shoe?"
Fortunately for Bradin, Nikki's timing was perfect. "Derrick's the shoe."
"The thimble?" Jay asked, slightly amused.
Derrick only shrugged, though. "Nikki already called the thimble."
"How about the dog?" Jay questioned.
Ava, however, wasn't hearing it. "Called it already."
"Wheelbarrow?" Jay continued to press.
Carrying a bowl of popcorn, Johnny made his way into the little room. "Dibs."
"And keep your hands off my hat." Susanna demanded, strolling in behind Johnny. "Why are we in here? This room is tiny. Big room? Couches? Ring any bells here?"
Watching them stroll out to the living room one by one, Bradin found himself hanging back slightly. He was pissed as hell. They were throwing him out and no one was acting like anything was wrong.
It was just another normal day. They were playing games. Goofing off.
He really hated them. He hated this house.
He hated them. Their crowded house. Their easy conversations.
The way they somehow still seemed to care.
God, he was going to miss this.
He was going to miss them.
Slipping down to the living room, Bradin quietly slid the screen door open. Dropping his duffel and board onto the porch, he looked back over is shoulder at the silent house. He tried to remind himself that this was a very planned decision.
He was up at sunrise for a reason. There was absolutely no way he wanted to run into anyone on his way out the door.
This was how he wanted it to be. After all, what would he say to them? 'Thanks for letting me crash?' 'Catch you later?'
No, slipping out was definitely better.
He would have the weekend to adjust. Jay wasn't expecting him to come back to work in the shop until Monday.
'Revel in your freedom, mate.' He'd said.
What a stupid way to put it. God, Jay really was an idiot. Only a complete moron would think being stranded in a strange town with no friends, no plans and no place to live was something to 'revel' in.
"Stop it."
Opps, he hadn't meant to say it out loud. He really, really didn't want to wake anyone up. But still, he meant it. He needed to quit feeling sorry for himself.
He was a big boy. He could take care of himself. And Ava was right; he had crossed the line. She couldn't really let him stay after he did the one thing she had said no to. And things could be a lot worse.
He was still on good terms with the family. He already had plans to hang with Johnny on at the pier Sunday afternoon even.
And Ava had told him she would still 'be there' for him. Whatever that means.
Heck, even Jay was going to let him keep working at the shop. He would be able to buy food off what he made there. And if he took advantage and crashed on the beach over the summer, he might even save up enough to be able to afford a place of his own before winter rolled around.
Is there winter in California?
Taking one last look around the house, he finally forced himself to stop stalling. Pulling the door behind him, he slowly made his way down the beach.
He was on his own.
Destination?
Unknown.