Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul
To a woman so heartless
How could you be so heartless
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
Neilson pulled into Natalie's driveway and got out of Kyle's jeep, pressing the lock button on the key ring. The headlights flashed as he made his way to the front porch he saw Bradley's car parked in front of him and bounded up the steps.
He rang the doorbell and stood there for a few seconds "Hello!" he yelled, reaching his fist out to knock on the door when it creaked open. He cautiously made his way inside, looking around behind him. "Hello?!" he asked again "Anyone here?" he asked, he stepped further into the foyer, he looked down to see Natalie's jacket discarded on the floor.
He picked up the other jacket and fished into the pocket finding Bradley's phone, missed call notifications lingering on the screen. His stomach dropped when he heard a noise from upstairs and started towards the staircase, he could see the dim light spilling out into the hallway. The staircase seemed to get longer as Neilson ascended, he spotted Natalie's bedroom door partially open.
He crept up to the open door quietly, peeking into the room seeing two bodies tangled up together in her bed. Clothes were thrown all over the floor, He heard Natalie moaning Bradley's name and Bradley's slight grunts and groans. He could feel his heart drop and the wind go out of him as he looked at the scene in front of him, a cold empty feeling began to consume him. The bed frame began to squeak, becoming louder and faster they both cried out in release.
He heard them gasping for air as they both came down from the overpowering feeling of euphoria that consumed them. Bradley let out a low groan, collapsing in exhaustion next to Natalie his chest rose and fell as he tried to regain his breath.
"Wow" Natalie said in surprise, still gasping for air.
"Yeah" Bradley said panting.
A knot formed in Neilson's stomach and his emotions were on the verge of collapsing, tears filled the brim of his eyes. Suddenly the sadness and disbelief turned into rage he flung the door open, startling Bradley and Natalie "Having fun?" he asked angrily.
"What the hell..." Bradley said scrambling to get dressed as fast as he could.
"Neilson" Natalie said surprised "This isn't what it looks like, okay, we can explain.”
"What's to explain? from where I'm standing it looks pretty clear" he said "Guess now I know why you wanted to break up" he said as he stormed out of the room.
"Neilson, wait" Bradley said running after Neilson "Neilson, stop, come on" he said as Neilson flung the front door open and left "No! Neilson wait!" he yelled as Neilson pulled out of the driveway, tires squealing as he took off at top speed.
He began driving feeling flushed and weak, he finally broke down suddenly pulling off to the side road, tears began streaming down his face, he pounded the steering wheel angrily before slumping over the wheel and sobbing violently.
"I got to go find him" Bradley said tying his shoe.
"Where do you think he went?" Natalie asked him as she put her clothes back on.
"I don't know but I have to try" he said racing back downstairs.
"I'm coming with you" she said.
"No you're not" Bradley said to her "In case you haven't noticed we're in a lot of trouble, just stay here" Bradley said picking his jacket up from the floor and flinging the front door open.
She saw him peel out of her driveway and take off at top speed down the street. She looked around in a haze, she then grabbed her keys from her jacket pocket and ran to the garage.
Bradley's headlights shone through the dark night, his foot steadily on the gas pedal as he kept a look out. "Damn it!" he said angrily, finally he spotted Kyle's jeep sitting outside the entrance to the park, he quickly pulled over, stopping the car and turning the ignition off.
He pushed open the heavy iron gate, walking along the path, lit by streetlights. He heard the squeaking of the swings and found Neilson sitting on one, his cheeks red and blotchy, taking a large gulp from a small bottle.
Bradley closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to brace himself for the verbal assault he knew was coming his way.
"Neilson" he said approaching the swing, Neilson looked up at him with watery red eyes, his face stained with tears.
"Wow...you finish quick" he said taking another drink from the bottle in his hand "Oh wait, did I kill the mood? Oh, sorry about that" he said taking another large gulp and grimacing at the taste.
Bradley knelt to his level, holding on to the swing's chain "Neilson, just let me explain, just hear me out alright, please..." Bradley said to him.
“Are you kidding me?!" Neilson asked getting up from the swing.
"I didn't mean for this to happen okay I swear!" Bradley said to him.
"Oh, don't give me that!" Neilson said to him "You knew full well what you were doing...what was this your way of getting back at me for what I said to you earlier?" he asked.
"What? No! Of course not!" Bradley said.
"Oh my god" Neilson said chuckling "I was actually coming to apologize to you" he said. "You weren't picking up your cellphone and you didn't answer my texts so I decided to go find you myself, Kyle told me you went to Charlie's and when I got there Charlie told me that you had gotten into a screaming match with Nat and you both left...what I don't understand however is..." Neilson said laughing. "How does fighting in the parking lot turn into you banging my girlfriend...no wait, excuse me, ex-girlfriend”. "I know I hurt your feelings earlier tonight but did you really have to take it this far?" Neilson asked.
"I didn’t do this to get back at you! It was a mistake, okay? A huge mistake and it will never happen again okay I promise you that” Bradley said to him.
“Oh great, wow, it won't happen again huh? Good to know” Neilson said to him "You know this is so typical of you, Bradley J. has to be the center of attention, always, and you aren't satisfied until everyone else in the room is in love with you."
“That's not true!” Bradley said.
“Yes, it is! It’s who you are” Neilson said to him.
“How can you say that? You know me better than anyone” Bradley asked.
“Yeah, I thought I did, if there was one person I trusted most in this world, the one person I trusted with my life it was you, how could you? How could you do this to me?!" Neilson yelled at him.
Bradley winced as Neilson yelled at him and looked at him with sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry" Bradley said softly.
"No, the only thing that you're sorry about is that you got caught" Neilson said to him angrily.
"Neilson!" they heard Natalie yell as she jogged towards them "What are you doing?" she asked seeing the bottle in his hand.
"What? I'm celebrating, here's to you guys, now that I'm out of the way, you guys can finally screw each other's brains out, cheers!" he said raising the bottle and taking another drink.
"Neilson, I promise you, we didn't mean for this to happen, I know that doesn't mean much coming from me but it's true!" she said to him. "Bradley and I got into an argument at Charlie's and then the next thing I know we're making out in the parking lot...it just...something happened..."
"Yeah something happened! You were banging my best friend!" he yelled at her.
"God Neilson please you have to believe us, we didn't want to hurt you” she said to him sadly.
“Oh you didn't? Well good job, really” he said taking another drink “How could you?” he asked her.
“I'm so sorry okay? I'm sorry” she cried.
"Why him?" he asked sadly "It could've been any other guy, even if I walked in on you and some stranger THAT would've been less painful" he said. "But no... you had to pick the one person...you know how much he means to me, you know that!" Neilson yelled at her.
"I know, I know" she said tearfully.
"But why Bradley J. why him?!" he asked her angrily.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she sobbed.
Tears were streaming down his face, Natalie wiped tears away from her face.
"Know what? I don't want to have anything to do with either of you" Neilson said "Ever again...to hell with you both" he said walking away.
Neilson sat alone in the dark in his room, a picture frame in his hands, tears still trickling down his cheeks. He looked down at the picture of him with Bradley and Natalie, he then pitched it across the room watching it hit the wall and slide down to the floor, shards of broken glass landing on the carpet.
The feeling of betrayal and heartbreak was still flooding his soul as he began to break down in sobs once again.
