String of Fate

Chapter Thirty Two

After brining me the blankets, I tucked them around him as best as I could since he continued to have his arm wrapped around me. Still, I managed to tuck him in so he was mostly covered. Then, I tried getting up, but he kept his arm wrapped around me tightly and he was stronger than he looked.

I tried to get comfy beside him and reached over to start stroking his hair just because I could. I decided that I was going to try and wait until he fell asleep a bit before sneaking up to bed by myself. Sadly, I didn't get to that and I somehow ended up falling asleep on the settee alongside him, his arm still wrapped tightly around me.

The next morning, I had woken up to see the drunk guy sitting on the floor in front of me, watching the TV that was on to a breakfast show. I blinked and looked at him, it taking a moment for me to realise who it was. I was getting used to seeing his hair from either the top or the back. I giggled a little and he turned around to look at me. He looked really apologetic. "I'm sorry for making you bring me to your home. Your mother explained everything that had happened to me. I'm really sorry! I really shouldn't have drunk last night."

"Don't worry about it. I usually bring home waifs and strays." I joked, stretching on the settee as best as I could. Then, I sat up and pushed my hair out of my face. I felt like I looked like a mess. Lucky, the oldest dog that I had ever brought home, bounded into the room and gave the guy a lick on the cheek. He started fussing my dog. "Well, I guess I should finally get on with some introductions. I'm Rosie. I guess I can't call you 'guy', so, do you want to tell me your name?"

"I'm Bradley." He replied, fussing Lucky as the dog sat down and allowed for Bradley to fuss him. Lucky's tail was wagging a lot, too. The old guy loved attention. Bradley laughed at him. "I'm still really sorry about last night. I went out drinking for the first time and got way too drunk. I ended up losing all my friends, too. I don't even know where I'd be if you hadn't found me."

"Probably still sitting under that lamp post, feeling really cold and really sorry for yourself with a really bad headache?" I suggested. He laughed, giving me a big smile. I moved so I was sitting on the settee in a more natural manner and expected him to move to sit next to me. He didn't move because he was too busy fussing Lucky. Then, my stomach rumbled. Time for breakfast. "See, the introductions weren't too difficult. Now, let's get you some breakfast and some tablets to see if we can fix that hangover of yours."

"Thank you." He answered. The two of us got up and I lead the way to the kitchen.

My mother was already in the kitchen, making a full breakfast. She was always good at these breakfasts and it would be a good thing to use to full Bradley's stomach. Bradley seemed to enjoy the food and I don't think that I had ever seen anyone eat so fast.

I woke on the day of my sixteenth birthday with the memories from that time acting as a dream, probably so I would remember it again. It was something that a higher power seemed to want to make me remember all the time. I didn't even know why. It must just be something that I would have to live with for the future.

Lucky got up from his bed in the corner of my room and bounded across to me, making Maisie a little upset that she had been left alone. I was a little surprised that the two of them hadn't slept on my bed since they sometimes did that. I patted my oldest dogs head. "It's funny how I'm dreaming about that event now, isn't it, Lucky?"

Before my dog could reply, Nakomi, my middle aged cat, cried in response. She was curled on the bottom of my bed and she stretched out. I laughed. So that explained why the dogs weren't sleeping on the bed. "When did you get there, you little sneaker? You weren't there when I went to bed."

She just gave a little meow in reply. Then, I heard my mum call for me from downstairs, saying that there was someone at the door for me. That was strange since I wasn't expecting anyone today. It was a weekend as well, so, I wasn't being picked up to walk to school with.

I climbed out of my bed and headed down to the front door, pushing my hair out of my face as I walked. I didn't really recognize the guy standing in the doorway but my mum obviously did because she was friendly with him. I guess that I should be friendly with him, too. "Um, good morning."

"Hi, Rosie. You've changed quite a bit and it's only been two years since I've seen you." He said to me, smiling at me. Then he seemed to notice that I was confused because I still didn't recognise him. "You don't recognize me, do you?"

"Would you be hurt if I said that I didn't recognize you? I'm really sorry." I answered honestly. Lucky came and sat next to me, allowing me to pat his head. Then, I looked at the guy again, remembering my dream from the night before. "Wait! Bradley? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

"This." He replied, holding his left hand up to me. I noticed the red string on his finger. I was happy to see him again, and I was happy to see the string. I smiled when I realised that he was my destined one. Then he pulled me to him and kissed me. "Happy birthday, Rosie. I love you."

"I love you, too, Bradley."