Page 23 of This is Me

“I still think it’d be a wasted opportunity if you don’t at least try,” my mum said knowingly, and Bradly nodded before glancing over at me, as if he was reliving the conversation we’d had that morning.

“Look on the bright side. You may not even get into the show,” I chipped in, shooting a smile at Bradly, who gave a slight smile back.

“Peter!” My dad gave me what I could only describe as a ‘what-the-fuck look’.

“What?” I questioned, still smiling at Bradly. “If he goes to the audition and fails, he can at least say that he tried.”

“And if he gets it?” My mother inquired.

“Alright, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I joked, causing Blaire and Bradly to laugh, and my parents to scold me.

“Be supportive, Peter,” my father gave me a stern look, though I could see a smile playing on his lips.

“I was supportive this morning, you all just missed it,” I defended.

“Actually, Pete, I wanted to talk to you for a second,” Bradly asked suddenly, taking a few steps away from our parent's car.

“Uh, sure?” I raised my eyebrows at him and moved toward him.

“Just be quick. People will be arriving at the house soon, and Pete needs to get there.”

“We have to wait for the dumbasses, anyway,” Blaire said with a shrug.

“We’ll be quick,” I said, and Bradly guided me a little further away from the two cars.

“So, uh, what you said this morning…” Brad started, trailing off, and I glanced back toward Blaire and my parents who were in idle conversation.

“I said not to mention that,” I said, turning back toward Bradly, who smiled.

“You mentioned it just then, so I thought it’d be okay.”

“Ugh, whatever. What about it?” I asked, slowly swaying on the spot. Why was it so cold? It wasn’t even winter anymore.

“I just… do you really think I should go for it?” Bradly’s eyes looked as though they were pleading.

Pleading for an answer, and I could tell Bradly needed that answer more urgently than he let on. Not because of a deadline, but because he didn’t want to feel the uncertainty anymore.

I understood that more than anyone.

“Look, Brad. The way I see it is, you don’t have anything to lose. If you don’t get it, nothing changes. Yeah, you might be bummed out by it, but you’ll move on. You’re a big boy. You’ll get over it. But if you get it…” I trailed off, not so much because I didn’t know what to say, but because I liked the drama that came with it. Before I could finish what I was saying, however, Bradly finished it for me.

“I’ll be pursuing my dream.”

“I mean… that wasn’t what I was going to say, but basically, yeah.”

We both stood in silence for a moment before Bradly gave me a small smile and nodded.

“Alright, thanks, Pete. We don’t speak of this again?”

“Never.” I nodded and turned away from him.

“Don’t do anything stupid tonight.”

“I’m not an idiot like you. I’ll be fine.” I gave Brad one more smile as he shook his head.

“Have fun.”

“Thanks, Brad.”

With a small nod, Bradly walked back to our parent's car and slipped into the back seat. With a few waves, my family drove away and rounded the corner, and Brad’s words echoed in my mind.

“God, I hope I don’t do anything stupid.”