Once Upon a Neighbor

Chapter 12

"Does it really take that long to decipher a text?" She asked him, struggling to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Um, sorry. I can't read while walking." Declan met her eyes a bit shyly, standing a bit behind her.

"Oh." She replied, walking back towards him.

He took another moment to read over it again. "Someone named Timmy or Turner-I'm not sure- is back to being friends with your brother Jaden."

Turner. Her stomach dropped and she was barely able to manage to say a short "thanks" before she took her phone back into her hands.

"Yeah.." He looked at her peculiarly, which added to the tension and anxiety brewing in her. "I take it you know who your brother is hanging out with now?"

Jamie nodded, looking down at her nails. "Let's go look at Charlotte Russe."

Declan scrunched his nose up, but followed her anyways.

The two explored, looking around at the shop names for Charlotte Russe. Jamie loved Charlotte Russe, all the clothes were decently priced and were extremely cute. She had worked there before this trip, and since she was a manager at the store, they allowed her to take a leave for the summer.

A loud grumble caught Jamie's attention, and she almost laughed when she saw Declan, hands on his stomach. But then his words from the night before flashed back into her mind, and she flattened the smile that had begun to form on her face.

"Can we stop somewhere to eat? I'm starving." Declan pleaded.

"Sure." Jamie answered, making a sweep around the part of the mall they were at. Spotting a small coffee joint up ahead, she steered him towards it. The Rock & Roll Café the sign read.

It was a nifty little shop wedged between a chocolate shop and an antique store. Rock music blared and settled in the area surrounding it. When they entered, all eyes turned to Declan. He stood out, in his baby blue polo shirt and khaki pants. He looked like he'd walked out of a golf club, all spruced up like that. That shirt really does show off his muscles.

Wait. No no no. No.

Jamie shook her head a little to clear her head of those thoughts. He's been an absolute jerk. Calm your tits.

Everyone else in the shop was decked out in piercings, and had the don't-even-try-to-mess-with-me-because-I'll-beat-your-brains-out-with-a-guitar-in-the-name-of-rock-and-roll kind of vibe.

AC/DC's Highway to Hell was blaring from speakers that were rigged around the entire place.

Unlike Declan, Jamie fit the scene really well. In her studded converse, and Batman racer tank, she certainly wasn't as posh as Declan appeared to be. Before the movie, she had french braided her hair to the side, leaving one ear with four ear piercings on display. Walking up to the counter, Jamie glanced at the menu before looking to the cashier. The dude at the counter had four visible piercings on his face. One bull ring in his nose, a piercing on both his eyebrows, and then a lip ring.

"Hey," Jamie rolled her lips inward nervously. "Do those hurt? Because I've been wanting to pierce my lip for a while now." She commented on his lip piercing. Someone cleared their throat behind her, and when she turned, Declan was giving her a strange look. Whatever. She thought then turned back around.

He gave a lopsided smile in return. "I have a high pain-tolerance so I'm not the best person to ask."

"Oh, cool." Jamie grinned. "Dude, nice place. What kind of rock do you play? Oldies, hard rock..?" She leaned onto the counter, reading his nametag. Francis.