Mixing with the Wallflower

10:

"H-Hi" the girl, who looked about my age breathed through awkward pants.

"Um, Hi" I managed, my eyes were screwed shut and I was uncomfortably balancing my textbooks on my head in a lame attempt to prevent the rain from getting me wet. 

"L-look, I know this is a little awkward since we don't know each other, but I was wondering if, well, maybe, I could catch a ride-" she trailed off.

I'm a wallflower, my job description doesn't allow me to socialise with people, and that's disregarding social standings, a wallflower doesn't socialise with anyone. 

"I'm sorry but-" I began, but she instantaneously cut me off.

"Oh damn, please dude, my brother flaked on me"

Despite my eyes being screwed up, I could still see the outline of her body starting to slightly shiver, her hair nearing soppy rat tails. 

I sighed, I guess it was the fact that I didn't want to be soaked in the rain because I rushed out a quick "sure" she nodded as a response before we both belted it towards my car. 

We simultaneously slid into the front seats and slammed the doors shut and sighed. 

Our heads snapped up before we exchanged a mutual facial expression. Well, I gave a light smile whilst she started laughing wildly.

The girl, who I instantly recognised had a wonderfully, wild, bubbly laughter about her, it was almost contagious and I probably would have laughed if I found anything funny. 

"Thanks" she said through her laughs and wide smile. 

"Where do you live?" I asked as I started the engine, no point in delaying, wallflowers don't delay.

"Mount Road" she replied whilst she tugged on her hair.

I started the car and began to pull out of the school grounds. I always liked driving, I didn't mind driving to school but I enjoyed driving at night, I guess driving at night always seemed less lonely. I never really drove anyone anywhere, unless mum forced me to take Cali to ballet practice or if she was anxious about leaving the house on her own, I'd always volunteer to drive her.

I always drove on my own though, it was calming and it provided me with no distractions, I could focus on the road, bettering the smoothness of my control, not like it wasn't already near perfection.

I allowed myself to lay back into the leather before Riley started speaking, yeah, I knew who she was. 

"So, um, I didn't catch your name?" she asked, breaking the silence and pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Marco" I answered, my eyes firmly glued to the wheel.

"I'm-" she started, but naturally I took this as an opportunity to interrupt and cut her off.

"Riley, I know"

I quickly glanced at her, she looked slightly taken back, if not shocked that I knew who she was. 

"Marco-?"

"Ace"

"Whacky name" we both commented simultaneously, our eyes briefly met as I took the opportunity to take in her appearance properly. Her usual auburn curls were now near to sopping rat tails thanks to the rain but her brown eyes still had a slight sparkle to them. Riley had high cheekbones and long eyelashes matched with naturally arched eyebrows. She seemed to have a tall slender body and she oozed confidence. 

Analysis: 
Riley Stone, although was labelled as a social mixer, she didn't pay attention to everyone, she easily missed certain people out.

Mental note to self:

Shake her off.

Motive:
To continue going unnoticed.

Keeping my eyes on the road, I could feel her eyes on me, I snapped her attention away, "what're you looking at?" 

"Nothing" she covered, "pull over here" she pointed to a red brick house as I skillfully pulled up outside the building, she unbuckled her seat belt.

"Here we are" I announced.

"Thank you so much Marco, I owe you big time" she thanked me. 

Huh. That was the first time someone owed me something.

"No problem Riley" 

I watched as she opened the door and walked up the pathway, her head glanced around the driveway where a single car was parked. Riley unlocked her door and just before she slipped into the house, she gave me a small wave. I waited until she was safely into the house before letting the engine roar back to life and driving off.

 I let my thoughts continue to take over, they were mostly from what happened with mum's sudden mood change at home, probably due to whoever phoned the house this morning. I just prayed that whoever it was, didn't leave such a bad impression on her mood all day.

One can hope, right?

Not long after dropping Riley off I started to find myself walking up my own pathway. I fumbled into my backpack to pull out my house keys, carefully unlocking the door, avoiding to make any sound in case my mum was having a power nap. 

I slowly pushed open the doors, silence had engulfed the house leaving my thoughts to whirr and tick on their own accord.

Oh well, here's to hoping.