Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 6

I look back out the window as the trees breeze past us, all green leaves and sturdy barks. They look imposing and majestic, simply beautiful. The country road is narrow and Ellie has to slow down a bit. I roll down the window and put my hand out, letting the wind slip through my fingers.

I hear Ellie laugh right before she says, "You look like a freaking tourist, Tracy. You're only missing the hat and the shades."

I smile at her, turning my head to look at her in the rearview mirror, "I do feel like a tourist. So many things have changed here."

Will pipes in the conversation with a, "I doubt the wind has," and I stick my tongue out at him before we both laugh at his stupid words.

Unable to resist the need to stick half my body out the door, I roll the window down further and, sitting on the door, put my hands on the roof of the car. I hammer on the metal, hearing the groans of my friends as they beg me to stop. I let the wind blow in my hair and close my eyes, enjoying this feeling. Free and unburdened. It's a wonderful sensation and again, I find myself grateful that freshman year is over and that I can be here with my friends.

Back inside the car, I let myself fall and rest my head on Will's lap. He looks down at me fondly as he pushes my hair out of my face. He takes a few strands into his hands and he smiles.

"What?" I ask.

He smiles wider. "Your hair," he says. "It looks exactly the same as that day when you tried to curl it."

I sit up abruptly and hit my head on the roof, "Ouch!" I groan in pain and massage the sore spot.

I had a double date with Ellie at some point during our first semester. I had attempted to curl my hair but the curling iron was either defective or my hair is just that unruly. Either way, my hair looked like a bird's nest that afternoon. Ellie was video chatting with Will and when I appeared on the screen to say a brief hi – I swear it didn't even last two seconds – Will started guffawing loudly, saying I resembled those cartoon characters when they get their hair fried. And truth is, I really did. How does your hair even get spiky when you're trying to get it curly?

You know what? Don't answer that.

So when Will says in this moment that my hair reminds him of that day, I jump to the front of the car as I take the rear view mirror into my hands and use it as a mirror. I heave a huge sigh of relief. Will is only joking, my hair looks fine.

Ellie swats me away, telling me to go back to my seat if I don't want us to have an accident. Obediently, I make my way down and slap Will on the shoulder. However, he doesn't seem to notice because he is engrossed in his phone, his attention directed solely at whatever it is that he is doing on his device.

He has a frown on his forehead as he types a quick message before putting the phone back in his pockets. He looks out of the window, pursing his lips tightly.

I wonder what is bothering him so I ask him. "Are you okay?" Will turns his head and looks down at me. "You look preoccupied. Everything's alright?"

He nods and smiles at me, but it does not reach his eyes. "I'm fine."

Briefly he lifts his gaze and I see how he and Yann lock gazes in the rearview mirror. There seems to be an unspoken message between the two of them because Yann gives Will a hard look – a very murderous look – before giving a very microscopic shake of his head. But I notice it. Yann notices me staring and for a brief second, surprise registers in his eyes before he looks away.

Turning my head back to Will, I notice he is staring out the window, the frown gone from his face. However, his body is tense with frustration or anger, and his fists keep clenching and unclenching on his thigh.