Labeled

You Have A Date?

"He's here." I say out loud. I give my mom a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

"I'm always here if you need me."

"I know. Love you."

"Have a good day. Love you."

I slip on my converse and grab my bag, slinging it over my shoulder and rush out the front door. Chase's silver truck is parked right in front. I open the door, and fling myself in.

"Hey." I say a bit out of breath. "Here."

"I was kidding V!"

I shrug, "It's the least I could do." I didn't want to admit that I thought he was serious. "I didn't know if you liked cream, so it's just three sugars, like you said." I ramble on.

He laughs, and then takes a sip. "Ah. Hot." He places the mug in the cup holder. "It's great! Thank you!" I take notice to his appearance. It's something I'm not use to. He has on a nice, wrinkle free, button down long sleeve shirt, and he's wearing black slacks. Slacks! He looks older, professional, and it's like a look into the future. I definitely wouldn't mind seeing this every day, even though he's admitted he doesn't want to work with his father.

"What?" he asks.

"Ah. Nothing. You just look different."

He laughs, "Yeah. Welcome to adulthood."

He put the truck into drive and starts slowly driving towards the end of the drive way.

"I can't imagine having to dress all professional." I say while looking out the windshield.

"I'll take this over my uniform any day, that shit's heavy. Those boots are no joke."

I picture Chase in his uniform, and I think I'd prefer him in that assemble over his professional one.

"I'll be honest, I couldn't picture you in a pencil skirt, and a button up kind of job." he pauses, and rubs his chin, "Not that, that wouldn't be a great look for you.."

That makes me smile, and I bite my lip to hide it.

"I don't think you ever said what you were going to college for, what are your plans?" I look over at him as he looks both ways before pulling out and starts heading in the direction of the high school.

"Umm...Liberal arts?"

He chuckles. "Really?"

"Yeah, why is that funny?"

"Not really funny, just amusing."

"Because..."

He glances at me and shrugs, "It's just a tyical major for college bound students."

To be honest, I have no idea what I want to do. I thought may follow in Vic's footsteps, doing something business related, but I'm not sure. I turn to face him, feeling a comfort in him, therein, feeling a comfort in 'us'.

"I have no idea what I want to do." I told him honestly.

"That's normal."

"Is it? I mean Tay wants knows what she wants to do, I thought I'd know what I want by now. I don't like this feeling of unsettlement. I want to KNOW what I want to do with my life. Did you know you wanted to go into the army?"

"No, but the decision didn't come lightly. My father wanted me to follow in his foot steps, part of me joined in resentment, I didn't want to do what he wanted me to do. Obviously, it's more than that, the army isn't something you do for fun. The drill Sargent aren't easy on you, they're in your face, you're crawling through mud and barbed wire. But it felt right. I'm still figuring out what I want to do, the Army has provided me with options. But I'm still following my father's path."

"I would never last in the army."

"You'd be surprised what you're capable of."

Our drive was over way too soon and I was pretty bummed that I had to get out of our make shift cocoon.

**************

School was school, mundane and dreadful, although something very unexpected happened.

While sitting at lunch with Taylor and Jerry, a very cute senior who transferred from another school in the beginning of the year, approached our little booth (Yes, our school has booths in the cafeteria.) He slid in next to Taylor, across from me and Jerry, after a bit of small talk he asked me out! Yep! Me, Veronica Russo, was asked out by another senior! I couldn't believe it. He was cute, athletic but he had nothing on Chase. My enthusiasm disappeared at the thought of Chase, and even thinking of saying yes to this cute senior flooded me with guilt. Everything between me and Chase was so new, and I had no idea where this was heading, I didn't want to mess it up before it had a chance to begin. So while I declined, I did tell him that maybe we should get to know each other better before going out, become friends. He flashed me a wide smile, still had nothing on Chase, and spent the rest of the lunch period with us. He was funny,
and nice.

As I hopped into Taylor's jeep, she was giddy with excitement from lunch. "oh my gosh!" she kept saying, making me laugh.

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Uh yeah! It is."

She started up the jeep but didn't move to go anywhere, except grab her phone. Her fingers were furiously flying over the screen of her phone.

"Gesz, are you writing a book?"

"You'll thank me later." she said, then put her phone in her bag.

"What are you doing?" I asked, scared and on edge.

"Nothing." she sang.

"Oh my gosh! What did you do?"

"Just shut up!"

"Tayloorrr!" I whined.

She pulled out of the high school parking lot, "I'm taking you to the garage right?"

"Yeah."

"Kay!" She said excitedly and then turned up the radio preventing any further conversation. Not long after she pulled into the lot of Victor's Garage. She got out and that made me curious.

"What are you doing?" I ask her as I grab my bag from the floor of her jeep.

"Gonna wait with you until Jeremy is done."

"Good, you can do my homework." I tell her while pulling open the front door, causing the bells to ring.

She laughs, "I have my own but nice try."

Mark comes from the break room, his mouth moving in rotation. "Good your here! The phones been ringing off the hook."

"And have you answered it?" I ask dropping my bag on the floor.

He scoffs, "No, that's your job."

His response makes me roll my eyes. "You do realize that while I'm at school, it YOUR guys job to answer the phone."

"They left messages." he says then returns to the break room.

"Why doesn't your dad hire another receptionist?" Tay asks.

I shrug. "Who knows? Because he has me? He doesn't want to pay another person who will probably ask for more money than he pays me and I'm part time? Plus he has this system in place, and most people know how it works."

I go about checking the messages on the machine, returning calls, and writing in appointments. Taylor is very quiet while she does her homework.

It's almost five, and I'm surprised she's still sitting here until the front door busts open, making both of us jump.

"You have a date?" Vance booms.

"What?" I look around, I didn't even hear his car pull up.

"Well that's my cue to leave." Tay starts packing up her things.

"YOU!" I point to her.

"Seeyoutomorrowbye." she runs out the door.

"TAYLOR!" I scream.

"What the hell!?" Vance yells.

"What?" I say exsaperated.

"Who is this kid?"

I sigh, "He's no one. I don't even know him."

He looks at me like I'm crazy, "And you're going out with him?" his voice has risen dramatically.

"NO!" I yell. "I told him no, for that very reason.Where the hell did you hear this at?"

"Who is he?"

"Why? It doesn't matter."

"I want to have a talk with him."

"No, Vance. No!"

"You like him!" He accuses me.

"Oh my gawd. What is wrong with you? I don't even know him."

"I'll find out who he is."

"Whatever. Is there something else you need to yell at me about? Or you just like being a crazy lunatic?"

He huffs and walks out into the garage bay not saying another word to me. I pick up the phone and immediately dial Taylor.

"I'm sorry." She says immediately.

"What. The. Hell. Tay?" I grit out.

"I told Jer, who must've told Vance, but I have a reason."

"And what reason would that be?"

"I can't say."

"WHAT!"

"You'll just have to wait. Look I gotta go..loovee you!" The line goes dead before I can get a word in.

What the hell just happened! I am so confused. "I need new friends, and a new family." I mumble to myself.

**

Another hour later, I have finished all the shop details and start looking up parts I need to get my car fixed. I figure I have to work everyday for the five or six months, and I can pay off my bill. I put in my order, placing it on the shops account, a small perk. Thankfully I won't have to pay for labor.

My phone rings and I groan, I can only imagine who's calling me now.
But when I see my big brothers face on the screen, I smile.

"Vic!" I answer.

"Hey peanut!"

"Really?"

He laughs, "You'll always be my little peanut."

"Oh my gosh!"

"You love it. Anyways, what are you doing?"

"Hmm." I hum, "Just finishing up at the shop, Why? What's up?"

"We found a place!"

"You did!? That's great!"

"It's amazing, V! I'll send you a picture after we get off."

I'm sad at the reality of him leaving our small town, leaving us all behind to be a hot shot accountant.

"V? You there?" Vic questions at my silence.

"Yeah. I'm here." My voice a bit melancholy.

"You okay peanut?"

"Yeah, just really setting in, that you're leaving."

"I'm not leaving, don't think of it like that. It's not that far and you can come visit anytime."

"Yeah, Okay." I say.

"I promise."

"Okay."

"Look, why don't you come out this weekend after the lake?"

"The lake?" I ask confused.

"Yeah, we're all going out on the boat remember?"

I think for a couple seconds before it clicks in, "Oh my gosh! I totally forgot!" Chase invited us all out on his boat.

He laughs a bit, "Yeah, why don't we all come out to the city, and you guys can stay with us. We won't be completely unpacked, so ya'll have to sleep among the boxes, but we can celebrate."

"Okay!" My mood lifts. "Yeah, I'm so excited!"

"Awesome. Well I gotta go call mom."

"You called me before mom?" I ask surprised.

"Well yeah, but don't let her know that!"

My heart swells. "Cross my heart." I tell him.

"Okay. Love you peanut."

"Love you too!"

We hang up, I am SO looking forward to this weekend now. I can't believe I totally forgot about going to the lake. Chase in nothing but swimming trunks? Yes. Please.

I take out my phone and send him a message about ordering my parts, and I'll let him know when they should be arriving. My phone dings not long after, but it wasn't the response I was expecting.

McSwoony: I heard you have a date.  

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please, please vote, and feel free to leave me lots of comments. I love reading your opinions, and thoughts! It's a major push in keeping me motivate to write! Voting really helps a story get more notice! If you're enjoyed 'Labeled', add it to your public reading list(s) so your friends can check it out too!

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