Chapter 13: ♤Chapter 7♤

“I crashed it.”

His eyebrows rose and he blinked.

Less than two weeks ago, I got my permit. And yesterday was the first time I sat behind the wheel of a car and experienced driving first hand. Everything up until the last part was cool.

Back to the present. Chris and I were sitting in Burger King. I totally lied to my Mom and told her we were going as a group and while I hated doing it, I needed to vent and he was free until four. I have another three hours.

“Wait you're serious?”

“Yes,” I said incredulously, “Why would I joke about it?” I dipped a chicken nugget in barbeque sauce and stuffed it in my mouth, eating away my miseries.

“Okay, what happened?” He asked, folding his arms and leaning forward.

“It was fine,” I said, still chewing but I couldn't care right now, “Until we got into the school's parking lot where all those yellow posts are and shit. Why are they even there!” I exclaimed, the feeling of guilt creeping up on me again.

I let out a breath, “We were coming out of the parking lot and she said I should turn wide or some shit like that,” I made a face, “And I did, but after that everything was a fucking blur. I don't remember what the hell happened or how we even ended up hitting the post. It was those random ass small posts that they put in a couple of the entrance slash exit thingies. We went over the curb and smacked right into it,” I told him.

I still felt so stupid and guilty because I don't even understand how it happened. And the thing is when she asked me if I wanted to go driving yesterday my gut told me to say no and now I'm regretting not following it.

“That and I could hardly see the road. The seat was too low,” I mumbled and heard him chuckle. I threw a piece of lettuce at him, “It's not funny!”

“I'm sorry!” He laughs and I shook my head at him, “Okay, so what if,” he started and I looked up at him with a fry halfway toward my mouth. I watched as he ran his thumb across his bottom lip in thought. My mouth was probably hanging open. “I teach you.”

I blinked out of my haze, shaking my head, “No.” I laughed dryly, sitting back in my chair, “No. We've already been through this.”

“C’mon, it'll be fun with me at least,” he said with a lopsided grin, “I bet you were tense the whole time,” he said, leaning forward and resting his crossed arms on the table.

“I mean, she was reaching over and tugging at the steering wheel every three seconds, I was perfectly relaxed,” I said sarcastically, dipping a fry in my barbeque sauce.

I ignored his grin as he said, “Let me teach you,” he said again.

I gave him a look, “I can't. Dude you're seventeen.”

He sputtered wordlessly, “I-I know but what if,” he stopped for a moment before he snapped and pointed at me, “What if she comes with us?”

I nodded slowly, “Okaaay… So not only do you want to die, but you're trying to kill my mother.” I said.

He just stared at me, “Really?” He said and I shrugged, “Do you wanna learn how to drive or not?”

“I do, but-”

“We don't have to use my car. I have a truck, the seats are much higher and…” He trails off, nodding, “Y’know…”

As I stared at him I couldn't stop the grin that was spreading across my face.

He smiled wide, “So?”

I let out a laugh, dropping my head and I heard him join in.

“What?” He laughs.

I looked up and pointed at him, “I'll ask.”

“Yes!” He cheered lowly with a fist pump that made me laugh even more.

“But just so you know, if I crash it,” I gave him a look, “You agree to not sue me right?”

He laughed, reaching a hand over the table toward me, “Agreed.”

I smiled, placing my hand in his and shook it.

“There's also one other thing,” he said a moment later.

“Yeah…” I said when he just kept staring at me.

“Homecoming’s in a week…”

I made a face, “Is it?” They still have that?

I'm so disconnected from life.

“Yeah, and I was wondering,” he paused, “If you wanted to go… with me…”

I was frozen by the time he was finished talking and my mind went completely blank.

Did he really just ask me that? He knows I don't like dances. I don't even like people! And dances involve a lot of people.

Homecoming? With him?

I shook my head vigorously, “No. N- I can't-” I stopped when he bowed his head a little, “But y-you know it's not because of you-”

“Yeah,” he waved it off, “Of course I do. I knew not to ask, but my friends they…” He trails off, shaking his head with a laugh but it was so fake it wasn't even funny. “But it's not a big deal though. We're going as a group. I just wanted to ask at least once,” he finally met my gaze and smiled, “Chivalry and all.”

I couldn't hold back my smile, “Sorry, it's just-” I let out a breath, “I don't like being a part of anything that school has.”

“I know and it's fine,” he reaches across the table and holds my arm for a moment, “It's just that, it's my last year-”

“Keep rubbing it in,” I muttered and he laughed.

“I wanted to do everything. It's kind of something that we agreed on—me and my friends—that we'd try to go to every single school event if we're free this year since it's our last. So it's fine if you don't wanna go-”

“Cause I'm a Junior.”

“No,” he chuckled, “Cause we're still going as a group anyway. I don't need a date, I just…” He takes a deep breath, “Wanted you to be there I guess—to have fun.” He made a face, “Aaaand I was kinda desperate.”

I let out a disbelieving laugh, “Desperate?” I said incredulously, “Chris… You can never be desperate for a date,” I eyed him.

Does he not know how attractive he is and how many girls are probably sick to there stomach wanting to ask him out?

“It's not like that,” he laughed, “There's just this girl that I think is gonna ask me and I…” He drawled, “don't really… want to go with her… That's all.” He shrugged.

I nodded, eyeing him, “Uh-huuuh. I'd ask you who it is, but I don't know anyone in that school.”

He points at me with a fry, “I like how you say that but I see you talking to plenty of people on the daily,” he throws it into his mouth.

“Uh,” I made a face, “I wouldn't say plenty.”

He nodded with a smirk, “Uh-huuuh,” he mocks and I made a face at him.

♤♠♤

“Why would you think I'd say no?” My mom asked.

I just asked her if she'd allow me to go to the dance with Chris. Honestly, I was just looking for another excuse not to go instead of ‘I hate those kids’. I've never been to a single school function since I moved here last year. No sports games, I'm not involved in any clubs, never been to a dance(most of them are for seniors and juniors anyway). I just never wanted anything to do with it.

I shrugged, flipping through a random shoe magazine that I found on her bed. She came home to me in her bed which happens sometimes. It's much more cozy.

Seeing as she had a bunch of clothes thrown across one side of her bed, she was either hanging them up or throwing them in the wash basket now after a couple of weeks. It was so bad that she started sleeping in the spare bedroom. She does shit like this and shouts at me when I have a pair of socks on the ground in my room.

“I always told you to go out and get involved,” she said, which is true, “Stop being so anti-social.”

I made a face, “But I don't like those people,” I groaned.

“Why not?” She asked, turning to me.

I gave her a look, “I don't like that school, mother.” That was the first time I ever told her that and you could see it on her face how she felt about it.

“Why?” she asked again, “It's a good school. There's nothing wrong with it.”

I shook my head, muttering, “Okay,” and went back to flipping through the magazine.

To be honest, it's not exactly the school but the kids. It's the kids. I wouldn't have a problem going with him if it was at another school. It sounds bad, but it's the truth. I have a strong dislike for the students that attend that school.

But the more I think about it, I don't want to regret it. As much as I don't want to be surrounded by pests and parasites, Chris is like my firefly amongst them all and his friends are smaller fireflies flying around him. They brighten up my days and make me actually enjoy school a little bit.

Letting out a breath, I flopped on the bed, burying my face in the sheets and groaned loudly.

♤♠♤

“So, I don't have your number,” I said into the phone, tilting my head a little as I admired the fabric of a top.

“No, you don't…” He responds slowly.

I grinned at how confused he sounded. He was just so adorable.

“But I had to contact you for something very important.”

I was calling him on Snapchat, something I've never done. I didn't even think it would work, but it did and I happily thanked baby Jesus when he picked up and heard how deep his voice sounded. I don't know what kind of filter they have through phones that made men sound so good over the line, but only the Lord knows how hard it was for me to keep my voice steady after he answered.

“Which is…”

I bit down on my lip to stop smiling so hard, “What color dress do you think I should wear?” I asked, moving to the dress rack and looking at one in particular that caught my eye, “I'm thinking yellow. I need my skin poppin.”

The line went silent. I didn't even hear breathing and I had to pull the phone back to see if it was still connected and it was. So I placed it back at my ear with a grin.

After talking to my mom a little longer about the dance thing an hour ago, I broke and here I am. At the mall, dress shopping. Never done it before and to be honest, it wasn't fun for me at all, but I definitely preferred picking my dress out by myself and not with my mom.

After a while I was getting a bit worried. Rolling my lips into my mouth for a second, I finally said, “Chris?”

After another moment of silence, there was shuffling and crackling, then, “Y-You’re going?” He sounded a bit choked up, “With me?”

I laughed a little, “Yeah, you asked me didn't you?” I retorted teasingly.

“Well yeah, but you said-”

I waved it off, “I know what I said, don't try to change my mind, Chris.”

“Yeah, yeah, you're right,” he laughed, “Wow, I feel a lot more relieved than I should.”

I laughed, “Okay, but back to the dress—what color?”

“O-Oh, umm…” He stumbled over his words and I pressed my lips together to hold back a laugh, “Shit, I don't know!” He said and we both laughed, “I think you're right about the yellow, but I also think… umm…”

I smiled, “Hmm?”

He chuckled, “Lavender… would look great on you too– or a violet color…” He trails off and I tilted my head to the ceiling a little, imagining it. “...yeah, it's just a suggestion, you can always wear what you want-”

“No, you're right,” I cut him off, “I actually really needed that. I suck at this,” I laughed and he chuckled.

“I'm sure you don't.”

I bit down on my lip, hiding a smile, “Hey, do you have pen and paper nearby?” I asked.

It was quiet for a moment, “I can, why?”

“Just get it, I need you write something down real quick.”

There was shuffling for a minute, “Okay, what do you want me to write?”

As soon as I opened my mouth there were screams and shouting. I looked up hurriedly and started looking around the store, seeing people running and ducking.

What the fu-

I got ready to start running too, but then I spotted something. A gun, pointed in my direction. Right at me. And the scary thing is, I didn't feel anything. No fear or that shiver I get when something’s slightly off. I didn't even get a cold sweat and I get those a lot.

“Chris…”