When it's Time // m.c.

Chapter 2

A/N artwork is not mine I just love it. Enjoy!
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When my shift was over, Calum still hadn't made an appearance and my head still had Carters face engrained in it. Both situations were not favorable but hey what could I do. I impatiently tapped my fingers on the counter and looked at the clock again. I groaned. It was nearly 7 and Calum was still nowhere to be seen. I looked outside the glass door and the street light flickered on. It was getting dark and I wanted to LEAVE. I gather up my stuff and shove my phone in my pocket and went to lock up. If Calum wasn't going to show, I wasn't going to cover his shift. I walk out of the shop with car keys in hand and literally *just* as I'm about to get in my car, I hear the gravel crunch behind me. My phone reads 7:05 and Calum's black Malibu was peeling into the lot. His bass had to have been modified because it was not only shaking his car, but I could feel the vibrations under my feet. I clenched my jaw, ticked off that he clearly wasn't in any hurry to show up to work. He gets out and I just clench my teeth tighter together. He strolls over to me casually like he has all the time in the world.
"Sup man."
Sup. SUP. Not even a 'hey I'm so sorry I'm late I was caught up somewhere," or a ' hey man thanks for waiting. I owe you.'
"Nothing. Just closing up cause I thought you were gonna be a no show."
"Well if you already shut it down I guess I'll go. Sweet."
This punk.
"Well I mean you need to work your shift. It's only til 10. You'll live," I said as politely as possible as I tossed the keys his way.
"Aight Mikey if you insist. Not like the boss man is gonna know but I know how you get so I'll re open."
"Don't call me that."
"What? Mikey? Haha ouch sorry dude. Didn't know you were anti nickname."
Not anti nickname. Just anti YOU.
"Eh I just don't like it. Don't think it fits me." Only Carter can get away with it.
"Whatever man. I'll see ya. Call me Cal-Pal if ya want. I'm open to any nickname because I like them." he said, sneering.
This guy was seriously testing my nerves.
I didn't respond. I just got in my car and left him standing there in the dim parking lot light with the keys to The Spin. He can handle himself. Hopefully.
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I pulled into my driveway. Finally home. I shut my engine off and sighed. I was still so worked up about my at most 5 minute encounter with Carter. Why did she have to get to me like that. I was so frustrated. I went inside and tossed my keys on the counter and sulked all the way upstairs to my welcoming bed. I didn't bother turning the lights on. I just slid off my shoes and jeans and weakly crawled into bed. I look out my window and see her maroon Jetta outside in her driveway.
That car fit her perfectly. It's weird to think about, but cars usually just go with the owner. Her Jetta is more or less vintage but her parents love it because the gas mileage is great. It's a reddish maroon and the color just screams "Carter." Her personality is chill and she's quick to adjust in stressful situations. She's caring and talented but she has an old soul. Which for some reason, to me it matches her little Volkswagen.
I blinked myself back to reality and shut my blinds. I just wanted to be alone. After a few minutes of sulking my phone buzzes.
I look down and my stomach literally drops.

Carter: you shut your blinds.
Michael: yeah. Light was irritating.
Carter: Mikey it's dark out.
Michael: well the dark was irritating.
Carter: lol you're in a poop mood are you okay?
Michael: poop mood?? Wtf Carter I don't have to poop.
Carter: there's my fav Mikey. ;)
Michael: whatever. I'm rolling my eyes rn jsyk.
Carter: well if ur blinds were open id know for sure
Michael: are you trying to make me let in the awful light Carter bc I'm not falling for it
Carter: whaaaat nnnno ofc not heh. Also. *darkness. It's black outside we've been over this
Michael: rolling my eyes again.
Carter: just open your blinds you punk I wanna talk.
Michael: why are you doing this. Just call me if you want to talk so bad.
I sit back, astonished we even talked for that long. And the fact that she wanted to talk just made me even more dumbfounded. I was curious though. What could she even want to do with me. I've been living a life with a huge secret crush for so long I'm just surprised she's acknowledging me again after all this time.
Flashback ~~
"Betcha a dollar I can beat ya to The Spin," she said with a mischievous grin.
My stomach twisted. I wasn't allowed to ride my bike that far without permission. My mom would kill me if I got hurt or if she even FOUND OUT. I bit my lip nervously, trying to find the safest way to go about this.
"Are ya scared, Clifford?" She taunted in a singsong-y tone.
I threw my hands down.
"No Carter I'm not scared!! I bet you three dollars I'LL beat you there." In my mind I scolded myself. I wasn't sure what I was getting into.
She laughs and mounts her bike.
By the time I'm on mine she's nearly out of sight. Frantically trying to catch up, I prepare myself for the worst once I reach home.
I caught up at the stop sign at the exit of our neighborhood. I'm panting from heat exhaustion and dehydration while Carter on the other hand is just smiling and laughing. That was the moment I knew I had to be hers. We were only nine at most and it was about mid-summer. Her brown hair was tugged up in a messy ponytail and her jeans had dirt stains and holes in the knees that weren't there when she got them. Her red converse were tattered and dirty but she liked them like that. She said it looked like they had been on lots of adventures. Every time her mom tried to secretly get rid of them, Carter always found them and laced them right back up on her feet.
"Hello! Earth to Mikey!" She yelled. I looked back up at her face and grinned.
"You comin slow poke? You're about to give me three dollars!"
"In your dreams maybe!" I countered.
Together we sped off to The Spin where we would go inside for a bit and sneak a record on the player before racing home. I took the lead about 100 feet before the turn into the store's lot. The wind was pushing my then blonde hair back and drying out the inside of my mouth because I was smiling. I circled the store with Carter on my tail and hopped off as we skidded to a halt.
"Victory is MINE!" I cried, falling to my knees on the loose gravel, instantly regretting it because I was wearing cargo shorts. I quickly stood up and picked the pebbles out of my knees, slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah yeah here's your lousy money, Clifford," she mumbled. She pulled three crumpled bills out of her pocket and dropped them in my open hand. I felt so accomplished.
We strolled inside hand in hand. Carter was never a sore loser. She was admirable for that. We split up once inside and tried to find the most random and dusty vinyl to put on. When we met up again, Carter found an old gospel LP and I found a beat up T-Rex album. Back then I had no idea who he was but looking back, that was a good album. We went with hers since it was more out of the ordinary and we stifled our giggles as the store clerk yelled at us to "stop touching the merchandise" and "go back to your mommies."
We ran out but as we neared the bikes, Carter tripped on her shoelace and fell face first into the sharp gravel.
That was the first time I ever saw Carter Simmons cry. I rushed to her side and pulled her up. Her knees were scraped and bleeding. Most of the blood seeped into her jeans and turned the white frays a crimson color. As for her hands, which she put in front of her to catch herself, they were peeling and swollen pink. She looked from her hands to her knees and then to her shoes. Her red converse now had little dots of blood on the toe from her knees. She wasn't bleeding a whole bunch but it had dripped off when she was crouching to try to stand. She sobbed harder, for the blood seemed to taint her shoes in a way the dirt and paint and other various stains didn't. I wondered why. It didn't seem to be any bigger of a deal but I guess to Carter it meant it would stay there and remind her of her weakness, which on the surface she seemed to have none of. I hugged her tightly, doing my best to comfort her.
"Even some adventures will have a little pain," I whispered.
She sniffed and looked at me. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were slick from tears.
She cracked a smile and it slowly expanded into a simple grin. She hugged me again and said 'thank you.' It was the most genuine thank you I had ever heard from anyone. When we pulled away she caught my hand with hers. It was rough. She had callouses from constant bike riding and tree climbing. The scrapes were hot to the touch but I didn't care. She took my other hand in hers and took a deep breath. She quickly leaned in and pecked me on the lips. It was the briefest kiss ever and was probably a sign of her gratitude or friendship or something. It probably meant nothing. Short as it was, it left me stunned. I had had a baby crush on her and that didn't help. I thought I was in love with her right then and there.
She smiled again and dropped my hands. We walked over to our bikes and mounted them.
"Come on Mikey," she said, sniffing "we better go before your mom notices you're gone!"
End of flashback ~~
I'm jolted back to the present when my phone starts vibrating. My caller ID says 'Carter' and I recall when I told her if she wanted to talk that bad she should just call me. I didn't think she actually would.
Timidly I press the green 'accept' button and I hear,
"Open your blinds."
And the line goes dead.
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A/N hey :) I'm bad at updating but here's a long one. I hope it doesn't sound too cliche or stupid. But I'm enjoying writing it!!