by Shay Collins
Chapter 3
I managed to get the words off of my car before my parents saw them. My sister would be home that week from college and I didn’t want to give her any more fuel to use to hate Brad with. I kept that incident to myself.
At school that Monday, I saw Brad in the hallway. He was standing at his locker, engaged in what looked like a deep conversation with Megan. She was twirling a lock of her long honey blonde hair, gazing at him with those eyes.
What were they talking about?
I stopped at my locker to grab my math book, still keeping my eyes on Brad and Megan.
“So, you’re going to come by after school?” she asked, tracing his arm with her index finger.
“Yeah, I can’t wait.”
Megan blushed.
“Me either. I’ve been looking forward to this day forever.”
I was furious. Why was he going over to her house?
I slammed my locker shut and made my way over to them.
Brad turned to look at me.
“Hey babe,” he greeted with a sly grin.
Megan turned to look at me, frowning.
“I’ll see you later, Brad,” she said, still focusing her eyes on me.
Brad waved.
I placed my hands on my hips.
“What was that all about, Brad?”
“Nothing. Why didn’t you return any of my calls or texts over the weekend?”
I shook my head.
“You already know why, Brad. Did you forget that you have the side of my face stuck to the back of your hand?”
He laughed.
“I didn’t hit you that hard, Jen. Stop exaggerating.”
“So, are you going to sleep with Megan to get back at me for not talking to you?”
Brad frowned.
“Are you accusing me of cheating?”
“I’m asking you a question. Do you have an answer?”
At that moment, I watched as Brad made sure that no one was looking at us, then he turned to face me. He grabbed me by my neck.
His hands were so tight, I thought he was going to kill me right there.
“Yeah, I’m going to sleep with Megan, and the whole while I’ll be thinking of you,” he replied nastily, his death grip still tightening on my neck.
“ Don’t ever question me!”
I stared into his eyes.
Those beautiful grey eyes I once loved to look into looked so evil to me right now.
“Let me go, Brad,” I cried just as his grip tightened on my neck.
He squeezed a little harder.
“I will kill you, Jennifer. Do you know that? I will kill you!” He said, just before he loosened his grip.
Then, like nothing had happened at all, he brushed down the front of his polo shirt and smiled.
“I’ll call you on my way back from Megan’s. And you had better answer your fucking phone!”
I couldn’t do anything but stand there, watching as he marched off down the hall with so much authority.
I knew that people saw what he had just done.
But no one cared.
He was Brad.
Bradley Jennings.
So what if he killed me?
Later on that day, I waited for my cell phone to ring while I struggled to do my English Composition homework. English had always been my strongest subject, but today it seemed so hard to get my homework done.
All I had to do was write a three page personal narrative.
My mind was on Brad and being sure not to miss his call.
Finally, at seven thirty, my phone rang.
I glanced at the caller id. It wasn’t Brad. It was my sister Jamie.
I reluctantly answered.
“Hey sis,” I said, trying to sound upbeat.
Jamie was not buying it.
“What’s wrong? You sound sad?”
“Nothing. Just waiting for Brad to call.”
I heard her grunt. She could not stand Brad. He just was not her favorite person.
“Why are you sitting around waiting for that jerk to call? There’s just something about him I don’t like Jen.”
I shook my head.
“I know, sis. But I love him. He’s a great guy for me.”
“I was calling to tell you that I won’t be coming this week after all. I got invited to this networking session for premed students. It’s only offered once a year and I didn’t want to miss it. I hope you can understand.”
I sighed. It was supposed to sound like I was sad, but actually, I was a bit relieved.
“That’s fine. Are you going to tell mom and dad or do you want me to tell them?”
“I’ll send them texts,” she paused for a moment, then said, “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
“I’m sure Jamie. Listen, have fun at your event. I’ll see you.”
“Okay. Call me if you need to talk.”
The truth was I did want to talk. But I was afraid that if I said the wrong thing, Jamie would get upset and tell my parents and then they would forbid me to see Brad.
I loved Brad.
No matter how much he hurt me, I knew he didn’t mean it.
Brad loved me too, right?
I had fallen asleep. It was about four in the morning when my phone rang.
It was Brad.
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
He sounded so sweet. So innocent.
“Yes, I was asleep. You’ve been over at Megan’s all this time?”
There was a slight pause.
“No, I left her place hours ago. I just had to go some place to clear my head.”
I didn’t know if I should have been happy or sad, or angry. I guess I was just too happy to finally hear his voice.
“Listen, Jennifer, I love you with all of my heart. I would never do anything to hurt you. I went over to Megan’s house to get fitted for my tux for the homecoming dance.”
I was relieved. I was so happy that Brad loved me enough not to cheat on me with Megan.
“Brad. I love you, too. I just wish that we could go back to things being the way that they used to be.”
I could tell that I had struck a nerve because the line went silent again.
“Listen, I promise, I will make it up to you. I will never put my hands on you again.”
I believed those words.
Too bad they were all lies.