Undercover ♡ Ride Along Sequel ✅

15. Best-Laid Plans

"Is it Friday yet?" a student grumbles as they pull open the locker beside mine. I roll my eyes. I remember how 'tired' I used to get and how much I would dream about collapsing back into my bed when I was in high school but now that I was an adult and expecting twins I knew a whole new level of exhaustion. 

"These kids have no idea what's waiting on the other end of high school" Josh mumbles just low enough for me to hear. It was nice that we were 'back together' at school because it meant that I didn't have to avoid him completely all of the time. 

"Right?" I whisper in response. "Jobs, babies, weddings" I add with a smirk and he laughs, rolling his eyes at me. It had become a running joke between the two of us in the past few years since every single member of our family wanted us to tie the knot but honestly, we were one hundred percent committed to one another so we just didn't see the rush to get down the aisle and sign a piece of paper. 

"Weddings are a waste of money and time" he replies. "We're totally eloping." I didn't mind the idea, especially considering how little his family thought of me already. A wedding would just be another headache. 

"Morning" Noah says, appearing at my locker and my face brightens. It was nice to have at least one genuine friend. 

"Morning" Josh says shortly, standing up straight. "I'm gonna go hunt down Drake. I'll see you at home baby" he adds, kissing me shortly before walking off. Noah takes Josh's place, furrowing his eyebrows at me as the hallway around us starts to clear out. 

"Was it something I said?" he asks with a chuckle and I roll my eyes, closing my locker. 

"It's something I did. I told you about our mission and he got a little upset with me" I explain. I knew at some point I would probably break down and tell him all about my past with Aiden and why my fiance was as protective as he was but I wasn't in the mood to get into all of that today, especially this early in the morning.

"Oh. He thinks I'm gonna rat you out?" I nod and he shrugs in response. "I suppose he has a right to worry. You two are actually like together, together" he says making me chuckle. 'Together, together' was such a middle school way to describe a relationship. 

"Yea we are" I confirm. "But enough about my life. How are you?" I ask as the two of us start heading to class. He sighs, kicking a ball of paper across the floor. 

"I've been better" he confesses. "Sometimes I feel like I'm my own parent though with how much my mom works. She always insists it's for me and Ari but-" he trails off with a shrug. I supposed that could have a lot to do with Ariana's drug use. 

"It's still hard" I reply supportively. "The last thing you want to do as a teenager is be an adult. Trust me, I had to grow up way before I wanted to" I add. He furrows his eyebrows at me in confusion and I'm about to elaborate when some lower class-man shoves a piece of paper at me and I stumble back, grasping it between my hands. 

I stare down at it and my eyes widen as I look up to Noah. "Drake is having a party?" 

"Drake always has a party" he replies with a roll of his eyes. "But I bet their dealer will be there" he adds, piquing my interest. "Drake usually throws parties as a way to cover-up his business; people are too busy getting high, drinking and dancing to notice anything shady going on. Most times people end up going home high or drunk off their asses, my sister included."

"So, you think we should go?"

"I think your man should go" he replies. "With you being pregnant it's too dangerous. Even if you don't try to use anything you'd probably get slipped something." 

Josh going to a party alone. It felt just like high school when I had begged Josh to let me go to Aiden's party without him and then had proceeded to almost get myself drugged. Good times.