Unseen Strings

Chapter 6

"Sorry, kid," JJ said, his voice hardening. His eyes rolling over Laci, "I don't know who the fuck you are."

"JJ!" Laci roared at his impudence.

"If my sister wants to trust your skinny ass, okay," JJ held up a hand, "but Angelina shouldn't be forced to go along with you guys."

John's eyes were wide, but he remained silent, simply shaking his head in agreement.

My eyes cut to Amanda, who seemed visibly shaken by JJ's presence. Marcus just glared at him. I couldn't help but smile slightly. I rarely enjoyed riding with Laci and her friends, and the city bus was always a gamble. If JJ was my alternative, I'd take JJ any day.

"JJ," I said, gently grabbing his arm, "you offered to take me home, remember?" I gave him a gentle tug. "Let's go."

JJ scoffed, but he stepped back, allowing me to leave. "Come on, Angelina," he muttered.

I turned back and gave the group a small wave, a hint of amusement playing on my lips. A wave of awkward silence washed over them as they stared at us.

"Angelina!" JJ called suddenly, startling us all.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back, hurrying towards his car. I slid into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt as JJ revved the engine, the car screeching out of the parking lot. Heads turned as we sped away, our sudden departure a dramatic exclamation point to the already awkward situation.

JJ revved the engine and sped off. He took off so quickly that it was making a loud screeching noise in the parking lot. If others hadn't noticed us before, they had definitely noticed us then. I sank back into the seat, feeling a jolt of adrenaline. I rarely let anyone see me like this. JJ, older and enigmatic, was an unknown factor in my life. Laci's constant complaints about him made sense now. He was different, unpredictable. Unlike my annoying brother or my mother's favorite, Ramon, JJ was an enigma, a force outside my usual sphere. And the fact that I was now in his car, leaving the familiar chaos of my friends behind, felt both exhilarating and terrifying. I had encountered him by chance, a fortunate twist of fate that had unexpectedly solved my transportation dilemma.

"Are you alright?" JJ's voice broke my train of thought.

"Hm?" I vocalized, turning a bit toward him.

"Are you alright?" He repeated, "You seem out of it." He seemed worried.

"Oh," I was shocked he noticed, "I'm alright." I smiled, despite the worry I felt about accepting the ride.

"Don't worry about Laci," JJ said suddenly, as if reading my mind. I sat up straighter, surprised.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curious.

"I figured you were concerned about her reaction to me giving you a ride," he explained, a playful glint in his eyes. "Believe me, she won't mind."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked, a hesitant smile gracing my lips.

He shrugged. "She's my little sister. I know her." He chuckled, and then, to my surprise, he gently brushed a stray hair from my face.

A shiver ran down my spine. His touch was unexpected, and I felt a strange flutter in my chest.

"Thank you, JJ," I murmured, turning away slightly, feeling a blush creep up my neck.

"No problem," he replied, his voice a low rumble. "You don't have to worry about Laci. Besides," he added with a mischievous grin, "you can't rely on the bus forever. Those things are cramped and unreliable. You're too small to be getting jostled around like that. You could get hurt."