Shopping Carts & Broken Hearts

Chapter one ★

STERLING MONROE is fascinating. I watch him as he drives the car, me beside him in the passenger seat. It's bright, windy, and cloudy; tale-tale signs of a North Carolina summer. The boy whose appearance and personality match his name has the top of his Jeep down; the cold breeze is whipping his hair into his face as he shields his eyes with his sunglasses.

"You're staring." Eyes concentrating on the road ahead, a smile dances on his lips.

"I am. Only because you're swerving into the other lane and I need to know when to take the wheel from you." I wasn't planning on removing my eyes either not until we were parked- with an extraneous distance placed between us and the other cars that might be in the area. I couldn't figure Sterling out or how he managed to acquire a license. And I couldn't figure myself out either. Why was I in the car with him? We're not friends.

He turned to look at me with those tinted aviators shielding his eyes as the car landed at a red light. Thank Jesus for His goodness. But I'd still prefer a parking lot.

"Now, you're staring and going to kill us." I mimic him but add-on the blatant reckless virtue Sterling possess when it comes to anything regarding us together.

"Sloane, we're hanging out. Usually, we're trading insults, forgive me, I want to remember the moment." He took his right hand off the wheel to take a swig of water.

I scoff. "That is weird. Girl's are not an object you use to stare at."

"Forgive me. It sounded better in my head." He brushed my hand resting on the console as he placed his hand back on the wheel. Ten and two.

The light had turned green, but I wish it hadn't for unknown reasons that seemed to be beyond me. We were driving on a backroad filled with rocks.

I was scared of dentists in the dark

The radio began to play one of my favorite songs as we arrived at the peculiar destination for a hangout as something other than enemies.

I just wanna; I just wanna know if you're gonna if you're gonna stay

My door opened to Sterling Monroe, sunglasses now dangling along his neck. I gave him an unsure smile, and he nodded his head, signaling for me to get out of the car.

I stepped out, leaving my phone sitting in the cupholder, as he left the door open behind me.

Observing where he had taken me, I look at him with wide eyes. "A parking lot? So you are trying to kill me."

All four doors of the car were wide open; a different song floated out with new notes that made me see the abandoned factory parking lot we occupied in a new light. I almost liked it.

Sterling stepped closer that ever-present smile still on his face as he grabbed my hand twirling me around off-beat to the blasting music.

We weren't dancers, far from it, but for some reason, I felt like we knew the steps to this strange dance we were dancing. The music matched even though we were barely listening to it. We were looking to each other as we laughed as we joked and talked about things that we would've never done before with each other, at least.

Sterling Monroe was holding my hand, staring into my eyes as he apologized. Sterling was apologizing to me, and it felt wrong. I wanted to cry, smile, and hug him all at the same time, and that's what I did.

The two of us were strange. Maybe it's merely the fact that we're teenagers.

But I didn't let go of him until the sun faded.

Then I opened my eyes wishing I could replay those moments of sleep.

authors note: I am back. New edited chapter and I am determined to finish this story. it is a priority.