#bradsimpson

It's not an unknown fact for the Vamps team that Brad and I dated in my high school years. Even tho his career was taking off at that moment, we knew how to manage our relationship and we knew how to make the most of it. We decided to end our relationship in my first year of uni, when i was 19, the lack of interaction being too much for both of us. No more birthday show ups, no more show ups in important moments of each other's lives. He missed my graduation, i missed their biggest festival they played because of exams. It's safe to say we knew we were the right people at the wrong time, which broke both of our hearts to admit, but it was for the better.

But in life there are no coincidences. After i finished college, i met with the impediment of not knowing what path to take in life, i had no idea what job i wanted, i had no idea what was right for me anymore. I kept talking to Kirstie even after Brad and I parter ways, thing that helped me keep in touch with the band also and i couldn't be happier to see that we worked on our misunderstandings. Later the same year i finished college, Joe offered me a job as a PR assistant, as he didn't want to make the job public and he knew i could handle the boys in the best way.

It's been 5 years and I've upgraded from assistant to manager, but I'm glad i don't get crashed by the boys doing stupid stuff that goes out to the fans. Well maybe once or twice a month, but nothing outrageous.

"Hey", Brad smiles at me as he enters my office

"Hey", i lay back on my desk chair and look at his sleepy face

"Did you sleep in here last night?", he laughs as he checks the clock on my desk. It's barely 8 in the morning

"No, smart pants, i got in here earlier because i needed to get a report done for Joe. I can't work on reports on the road because i get sick", i close my laptop and pick up my documents, Brad helping with placing the chair close to my desk

"I know", he offers me a quick smile before yawning. "I didn't know why i couldn't pick you up from your home. When Joe told me you're here, i almost told him to give you days off just because", he motions to his head and mimics and explosion. I laugh at his words and i push the exit door with my shoulder.

"You didn't have to pick me up, i could drive myself to the airport.", i sigh when i drop everything in the backseat of the car, almost bumping into Brad as he comes by my side to help me with my stuff.

"No, put it like this please, at the first sudden break, this goes to shit", he rambles as he keeps repositioning my laptop and my bag in a way to keep them in place.

"But if you put them like this, if you hit the breaks all of a sudden, by backpack is going to get the laptop to shit", i roll my eyes as i reposition my things as well, but Brad's hands take mine away. It's the first time i realise how close we are, our shoulders and arms touching each other, our faces mere centimeters apart. His hands hold mine for a little while, as we take in each other's features. His dark chocolate eyes trace my face, piercing through my own and making me hold my breath. I watch his mouth slightly smiling, causing me to blush and smile back. His pink lips make me reminisce on the old days, a quick memory of us on a date coming to my mind.

We were on the rooftop of a skyscraper right outside of London, where the light pollution isn't as big as in other parts of the city. We were cuddled up, I was resting my head on his chest, while his arms were wrapped around me. As the night went on, the meteor shower we were waiting for finally took place. Tired and pretty cold, we both got up and watched millions of rocks light up small portions of the sky. I wasn't paying attention to Brad at all anymore, but he cupped my face and kissed me hard, like I'd runaway if he backed away. The kiss grew to be a passionate one, leaving us breathless and needy for more.

"I want this kind of show when i propose to you", he said, surprised by his own words

"What if it takes another 50 years?", i laugh, never looking away from his eyes, that were more sparkling than any falling star or meteor shower.

"That, i did not think through. Are they so rare?", we both bursted out laughing and continued to watch the sky light up every now and then.

His smirk grows wider as my stare is still on his lips.

"Thinking about something naughty?", Brad tries to joke, but he clears his throat right after. I just nod and take my hands away.

I take a deep breath, careful not to show any more emotion than the one i definitely did. "If i tell you what i was thinking about, you wouldn't be able to drive straight", i wink at him and take a seat in the passenger seat.

"Uh", he stops in his tracks and can't say anything else, so he just shakes his head laughing and getting behind the wheel.

The drive to the airport is silent and i can't ignore the past few months of me working with The Vamps, especially with Brad. 5 years ago, when i started, it was so easy to be around him, but i also blame it on the fact that i was so focused on my job and pleasing everyone, that i was basically unapproachable. Joe took me to the side and told me that I'm slowly becoming an workaholic and that i should also take some free time, have fun with the band while I'm at it.

I slowly grew out of my fear of Brad and i not getting along, but he was the one to actually show and help me that our past will not define our friendship then or in the foreseeable future. However, the past few weeks had been different. When i get to the studio with the boys, I'm welcomed by a cup of my favourite coffee and a curly head that's all smiley and in a good mood, only to miss out on a few days of accompanying them and Tris, James or Con to say how Brad was a menace because he didn't agree on anything with them. Being the overthinker that i am, i started to ask myself why he would act like that, only because I'm not there.

Slowly, Brad's gestures towards me made the usual butterflies that i feel in the pit of my stomach every time i see him go even wilder, which wasn't exactly what i wanted. If it didn't work out the first time, it doesn't work the second time either, right?

"Ready for Norway?", James asks as he pulls me in a hug.

"I'm always ready for travelling", i smile as wide as possible, my excitement making everyone laugh. "And i love Norway a lot, i missed visiting it", i look towards Brad who winks at me.

"Oh, you've been there before?", Kirstie's excited tone of voice leaves a bittersweet taste in my soul as i can't match her excitement on this one.

"We went there for our 3 year anniversary. After our european tour.", Brad answers before i get the chance and i look down at my Nikes

"As you can see it's been ages since my last visit so I'm definitely looking forward to getting there", i try to make light of the situation, an unsettling feeling fixing in my chest. Why am i affected by something that happened 8 years prior to this moment? Wasn't i ok with the situation?

***

The cold air hits us as we get out of the airport. Strong wind almost lifts us off the ground as we're trying to find our 2 cars to get us to the small cottage we rented.

"This is definitely not how i remember it", i say as i grab onto the hood on my head for dear life. I earn a few laughs from Tristan and Kirstie and i almost trip over my own luggage when the wind pushes it my way.

After a 40 minute drive, we get to our cottage and unpack for the week. Festivals and vacations are an amazing deal,especially when you actually love the people you work with.

As I'm also taking the wheel and replace both Joe and Evie, i talk through with The Vamps the plans for the festival, the hour when they'll start playing and additional meetings i worked on with the Norwegian press.

"Sounds lovely, great job", Con congratulates me and we fist bump as i put the paper with the information aside. "Anyone hungry?", i ask as i check the time to see it's close to 5PM. We all get to cooking, each of us having a certain assignment. As i run out of things to do for the first course, i end up deciding to bake cupcakes so i wouldn't just stare at everyone else doing something.

"Can you make my faves?", Brad's voice comes from behind me, one of his hands resting on my hip as i measure the flour. I feel my heart drop to the floor at his request, but nod and give him a smile. He rushes to the fridge to give me 2 bananas and a bowl of strawberries and i put them away for later.

As we're waiting for the cupcakes to bake, we end up finishing our food and we starts playing games.

"Ok ok, my turn", Tris almost yells to be heard through the wave of laughter. "I once left the store without paying for my stuff. I broke into my neighbour's property to get my ball from their yard. One of my ex's dad almost beat me up because he caught me with his daughter"

"Ohhh this is tough!", Kirstie hits the table lightly with her palms. "I honestly believe they're all true"

"Everything he said can be done by him", i agree with her and Tris rolls his eyes at us.

"Well thank you", he sarcastically says and we laugh at him

"We've known him for a lifetime and i still have second thoughts on this", James rubs his chin.

"Ok, i got it i got it", i say and look Tris in the eyes. "You got beat up, BECAUSE", i put a lot of emphasis on the word because everyone gets loud and laughs. "If you were dating her at that point in life where you were stealing from damn shops, her dad found out and grounded her. So i could only see you climbing up through her window like a lil Romeo and Juliet type of moment", i take a moment to let everyone calm down from my little story and i carry on. "AND, the next day when you were mad you got beat up by her dad, you went out to play football and your ball ended up on your neighbour's property. So all of them are true, you cheated Tris! You needed a lie", i pinch him slightly as he throws his head back laughing.

"What? They're true?", Brad laughs as Tris nods at the chaotic stories.

"But I'm not done because if all of those are true, I'm gonna say that the neighbour you trespassed into the garden was your girlfriend. And you snuck in there because if you would've knocked on the door or called, you'd get jn trouble again.", i finish my story and take a sip of my beer

"I hate you", he jokes as he throws a napkin in my face. I get interrupted by the oven bipping. I go over to the kitchen to get the cupcakes out. I feel Brad's gaze linger as i disappear behind the wall.

"Don't you have a picture or something to stare at? You're getting creepy", Con jokes and Brad flips him off.

"Shut up", a light pink creeps on his cheekbones.

"What's up with you lately?"

"What do you mean?", Brad shifts in his chair

"The sudden urges to follow y/n around, the request of her to make the cupcakes your favourite kind and i saw your hand on her hip.", Con eats a chip.

"And don't forget about his behaviour when she's not around. All moody and shit", James pops a grape in his mouth.

Brad sighs and shakes his head, looking at nothing on the table. "I'm fucked, that's what's going on. I feel like i messed everything up years ago when we broke up. I know i could've done better and could've saved our relationship but i didn't, because i was selfish at some point. I was too tired and i lied to her that i can't make it to her graduation because we were in another city. Initially, i wanted to surprise her and i didn't tell her we're gonna get back earlier. But when we actually did, i couldn't find the will in me to get up early again and leave. She shrugged everything off and didn't mind that i wasn't there, i think she lied, but it made me feel better. Then our schedule didn't match at all but i never told her to come with us at different shows. She offered to take online classes for a semester, i told her not to bother. She found out about these things after we broke up, it's safe to say she didn't speak to me a while.", he scoffs as he continues, everyone listening closely." And we're getting just fine now but i see the smile on her face every time she shows up to work and i know it's because we all maks her happy because she's here with her friends, but i can't say I'm not selfish, again, and i don't wish for that smile to be, at least once, just for me, because she feels the same as i do about her. "

"And what exactly do you feel?", James raises an eyebrow, almost a mischievous smile creeping in.

"I want her back. I want to try again with her, this is what second chances are for, right? To make things better and to prove that I'll turn the wrongs into rights. Even in her college years, it was so hard to see her hanging out with all these people, but i pushed whatever feeling away because i couldn't take her back and treat her the same way as before. To make things worse, lately i get all these flashbacks from when we were together and if i don't act soon, the memories will end up wrecking me.", he taps nervously on the table as everyone's silent after his confession.

"Ok, they're ready and delicious, but they're hot so be careful. Especially you, Tris.", i say as i come back with two plates full of cupcakes.

"What's that supposed to mean?", a fake hurt squeal comes from him

"Because you want to devour whatever is in front of you", we laugh and he agrees.

"I would've had a very naughty answer for you but i can't do this to someone at the table", he laughs and looks at Brad, who's nervously rubbing his chin.

"Oh by all means, i wanna know what you're capable of. Alice asked me about you, i wanna see if you're worthy of her time", i rest one hand on my hip and watch his eyes sparkle with interest.

"I would've said that if i wanted to devour everything that's in front of me, my dessert would've been you, not the cupcakes", be shoots me an innocent smile as i laugh and blush at his statement. We all laugh and i take a seat back next to Connor.

"You're a dead man", Brad says smiling and we giggle a little more before digging into our sweets.

***

Hours later I'm left alone with Brad in the big living room. I stretch myself when i get up off the couch and i yawn.

"No, don't go", Brad whispers as sleepy as me, as he grabs my hand and pulls me in front of him, looking up in my eyes.

"It's late, Bradley, let's go to sleep", i offer to pull him off the couch but he stays put. Instead, he pulls a bit more by my arms and i end up sitting on his lap, my legs on his side, as my hand are glued to his chest. I take in his scent and i close my eyes to take in the moment and the feeling of him.

"Can i sleep with you? Please? It's been so long since", he brushes his nose on mine and i hold my breath because of how intimate this moment is. "I miss you. And this", he puts a hand over my hands, "isn't enough for me. I miss your touches that are more than just mistakes because we want to grab the same thing, i miss your smiles that are just for me, not for everyone else in the room", he stops, cupping my cheek with his hand, making me look into his eyes. His thumb brushes over my lips, lingering on the bottom one and tracing its shape slowly. "And these lips, y/n you don't understand how desperate I am without them"

With no mind of my own, i press my lips on his, taking him by surprise, almost pulling away at my sudden action. He kisses me back, holding me by the back of my neck, while one of hands runs through his curls. He traces my lip with his tongue and i part my lips to let his tongue slide in. We bite on our lips, suck and taste each other and he helps me change positions to straddle him, his hands not going lower than the small of my back, earning a soft, annoyed moan. He chuckles at my reaction and pulls away. He kisses me one more time and i climb down from him. Confused, he raises a brow.

"Bradley, this won't work."

"It will, because I'm 100% ready to start again with you. The break up was mostly my fault, but i can assure you that my feelings for you weren't temporary. And I'm sure i wasn't supposed to feel this way in case my feelings were long gone", he confesses and i rub my forehead

"What are you feeling?"

"Love. I feel like i love you still, like we never broke up and like we are mature enough to face the reality. I never got over you and i don't know if it's because you work for us, but I'm sure i wouldn't had been able to move on from you ever. Give me one more chance to prove to you how much you mean to me. We don't have to do everything right just yet, but we're right now, in this moment and if i lose you, I'm afraid I'll never get you back. I can't let you slip away. ", his handa cup my face again and i cup his, brushing by thumbs over his cheekbones.