Coupled up

NINE

Grabbing all of our things, I shut and locked my front door closed behind us, making sure our spare key was still in the flower pot on our porch.

China rushed to the car, yelling something at Tony while kicking at his tires and pulling on the handle angrily.

It wasn't until I got to the car that he unlocked the door and she hopped in, still cussing at him with no shame.

Before opening the door, I took in a deep breath, having no clue what I was getting myself into when I got in the car.

I sat in the seat, rushing a little too quick to distract myself by putting my seatbelt on. China is settled in the backseat, and like usual, Tony waits for everyone to put their seatbelts on.

When I look up, he's already looking at me, but I can't tell what he's thinking. Maybe he's thinking the same thing as me, he doesn't know how I feel.

We both pause, trying to read each other yet coming up unreadable, staring intently at one another.

A moment passed by of us both not saying anything, but staring one another. His guard never shifts and neither does mine.

I refuse to let him know what I'm thinking with him putting himself out there first. I don't know what would've broke it if it wasn't for China tuning in.

"Antonio, can you wait until the end of third block so you can take me home?" China asks, coming through the middle of the seat.

Immediately, our eye contact breaks and I go typing on my phone, desperate to distance myself from everything.

"I don't know," He responds, his eyes flashing back at me for a split second, "Do I need to take both of you home?"

"None of us have a full schedule but I thought everyone was meeting here anyway," China responds, completely reminding me.

I forgot I was supposed to be hosting the first day of school hang out with the whole group of our friends.

I didn't even clean up my room or make sure I had snacks ready for everybody but I'll make it work.

My parents don't get home until late anyway.

The rest of the car ride, I turned up the radio and let the music play, just staring out of the window, trying not to think too much about Daniel or Tony.

The car stopped, drawing me back into reality and I realized we were at a traffic stop, behind a couple of cars.

I'd say we were a good five minutes from getting to school.

"Y'all are weirdos,"

My body froze up and I turned with quickness. I didn't even know what to really say. Did she feel the vibe was different? We had tension?

"We're not doing anything, Chi," I defend, turning to the backseat, and giving her a dirty look.

She returns the look, nonchalantly popping two sticks of gum in her mouth before she speaks up again.

She points out, dryly, "It's senior year and I see no excitement,"

She was right, the ride had been kind of quiet, aside from a few points here and there but I was confused on how to talk or act around Tony.

For the most part, he was acting normal but I couldn't tell if he was forcing it because he wanted to see how I would act or if he really didn't care.

Because we had sex, and I care.

Aside from the lingering stare everytime his eyes seemed to cross over to em, it came off as if he gave it no though.

Like it didn't happen.