Make sure to vote babies <33
.....
Milas Pov
I hit the button to the roof and it whirs open, letting an annoying buzz ring around my ear. The sea air relaxes my nerves only slightly.
I'm going back to school on Monday, otherwise known as tomorrow. So here I am, driving along the coast as if I don't have a million and one things to do.
And I am genuinely enjoying myself, until I hear a plunk and sputter from my engine. The gas is full to the brim? It can't be broken. It just cant, or else I'm screwed.
I put the car in park and get out, checking underneath the engine looking thing, same with some tube type wires and what I can only assume is a tank, maybe...
I reach into my pretty pink handbag and dial Harrison, thankfully, he picks up.
"Everything okay Blondie?"
"My car broke down, can you come pick me up?" I hear some rustling on the other end, then some guys shouting and finally, he returns.
"I cant leave, Robert is challenging me to a 'Just Dance' competition. I'll try send Bentley, is that okay?"
"Yeah okay."
He hangs up straight afterwards, clearly eager to get back to his dance off. So I lean against the car and I wait, and I wait... and can you guess what else I do? I fucking wait, like a little sitting duck.
And what can only be a billion years later, two headlights practically blind me to oblivion before pulling up beside me.
Now, you would expect me excited to enter this delightful, very expensive, bright red car. Right? Right...?
No. Wrong.
Because I know exactly who is sitting on the drivers side, despite the headlights still blaring in my eyes.
"C'mon love, don't make this difficult."
I put a hand on my hip, not making any direct eye contact. "Bentley?"
"Passed out on the couch after Robert beat him in 'Just Dance'. Sorry Blondie, you're stuck with me." He shrugs.
Yet I'd rather walk home than go with him, so I walk around to his drivers side, stumbling a little in my heels.
As usual, he doesn't seem reluctant to take my hand as I drag him to my car and point to the engine.
"Embrace your inner Felix. Fix it before I steal your car." I hiss while crossing my arms.
He looks at me, the car, me, the car and then me again. "We don't have all day, chop fucking chop."
I give up, practically spoon feeding Carter. "Just get under there and check what's wrong!"
He grins when I say it. "Oh c'mon that wasn't even that dirty."
Carter still doesn't say anything, just raises an eyebrow and eventually he gets on the ground, climbing underneath my car.
But of course, because it's Carter Crawford, he takes off that white top of his and chucks it at my Louis Vuitton heels, which I think personally is a potential federal offense, whatever the hell that means.
I sit on my phone until a couple minutes later when he gets out. "Yeah. Your engine is fucked." Absolutely spiffing.
"Gee thanks. Big help."
"Anytime." He responds as I try to focus on looking at his face, but his abs are just like... right there. Staring at me, sitting pretty.
"You shouldn't be out here alone Mila." He walks back around to the drivers side of his car.
"Why? I can handle myself." I try to sound assured but Im not really. My mom has wanted to assign me a bodyguard for as long as I can remember, but Ive always refused.
Let's face it, Im a pretty easy target. Flimsy, flirty blonde who would do anything for a pair of heels and there is also... well. The fact that Im the daughter of a Mafia boss. But that's not important, kinda.
"You could be used as bait Mila, don't go out alone without someone to accompany you." He almost sounds slightly angry, opening the door to his car.
"Carter, Im not going to drag a poor soul with me every time I want to go shopping in shoe stores and driving by the sea, that's my 'me time'."
Now I'm mad, why does he think I'm some sort of damsel in distress. I have always held my own before, I certainly don't need anyone to do that for me now.
"I love shoes... and the sea. Call me, I'll go with you, wherever the fuck you want Mila. Just, please.. don't go out alone. Please." As much as I would love to continue being a bitch, I'll park it for today, just this once.
"Fine. Anyways, I should get going." He scoffs and looks me up and down.
"Did we not just have this discussion? You are not walking home in a tiny skirt and high heels, Mila you will freeze or... or fall.?" His attempts are appreciated, but I don't take them on board.
"The concern is very gentlemanly but not necessary, now if you'll excuse me." I turn on my heel, facing away from him and walking in a direction. Whether it's right or wrong, I couldn't care.
I'm saved from the embarrassment as Carter drives slowly beside me. "Wrong way, love."
I can hear him laughing at me now, just chuckling at my attempt at independence.
"This is adorable by the way." I flip him off, turning around and walking the correct way as Carter turns around his car.
I'm left alone for a minute until he catches up again. "Mila, sweetheart just get in the car before I do it for you."
Ignore Ignore Ignore.
My heels are getting covered in dirt and my heart breaks for my babies.
"Okay I'm giving you one last chance. Get in." I shake my head, practically stumbling down the road. It's cold by the sea and smells like farm animals. It's a country road so I expected nothing less.
His car comes to a halt and I see exactly where this is going and maybe I am stupid. Most likely, but I dart off towards the trees and I can hear Carter laughing behind me.
He thinks i'm stupid.
I don't get very far until my phone starts ringing, I pick it up out of reflex since I'm always getting calls from people in our school, constantly ready to tell me gossip. I'm almost like a therapist.
"Hello?" I answer super innocently and Carter chuckled to himself.
"You are mentally deranged, psychotic even." His predictions aren't entirely untrue.
"What do you want?"
"Tell me where you are, right this fucking minute so I can go home and sleep. I left the party because I don't like socializing, not to chase the girl I hate around a forest."
Before I can even respond, a finger is tapping my shoulder. "Stellar hiding skills, truly award winning."
I roll my eyes and I don't even get a chance to stalk off again as his hand latches around my waist and I'm up in the air.
Oh I'm over his shoulder.
"I'm in a skirt Crawford!" He shushes me and trudges back out through the trees, towards the car.
"Christ Mila stop shaking those legs and giving me a view of your ass. You're stupidly gorgeous when you're mad and it's pissing me off." Too easy.
"Y'know, it's awfully embarrassing how much you care!" I'm just teasing him now, because I'm partially annoyed and partially not.
"Okay. Now you are gonna sit here, got it?" He pulls me down from his shoulder, placing me in the passenger seat and doing my seatbelt for me, because I'm that dramatic and that pissed off.
He doesn't seem annoyed in my eyes, just tired as he puts back on his jacket.
He starts the car again yet he doesn't drive forward, instead, he turns the car around and we are going in the opposite direction of our dorms.
"Where are we going?!" I huff and once again, he's shushing me! I'm not a toddler for pete's sake.
"You need to relax. Just go with the flow." I'm internally slapping him over the head, beating his stupid face to a pulp. Externally? I'm sat staring straight ahead, ignoring the small smile forming on my lips at the thought of his stupid beaten head.
.....
"Mila. I beg of you to shut up."
"Hey! That's my line, I'm the one who tells who to shut up. Be original." He ignores me, holding my hand while he leads me down another hill.
We got out of the car forever ago... Well if I'm being totally honest it was like two minutes but still, I'm tired and my heels want to sleep.
"Are you gonna murder me? Ooo are we battling each other? Should I have taken my gun?"
He whips around to me, practically making me fall backwards. "You have a gun? Just chilling in your dorm?" I nod skeptically.
"Jesus Mila. I spend ninety percent of my life worrying about you, let's not add another percent on to that. Please."
He's obsessed. Who can blame him honestly, I'm quite the catch if I do say so myself.
Extremely antisocial, rude to people I don't know and apparently i've got a resting bitch face. Oops?
"If you're trying to get me to like you, it ain't working Crawford." I can see him smiling, it's just that he doesn't want to show it to me.
After what feels like a decade, he's finally stopped and turns me around to look at train tracks.
"Aw Carter, my very own train tracks, what a thoughtful gift." I say sarcastically and he groans.
"You said you wanted to scream on a train track, well here you go Miss Mila Violet." I look at the tracks, it's pretty dark except the little streetlight on the other side of the grass, it's clearly abandoned but it gives the same effect.
The train station thats not abandoned is opposite us but it's mostly hidden other than an office with a small light on.
A guy goes out holding one box too many, all stacked on each other and I'm waiting for the inevitable fall. In fairness, he put in a great effort. But after a couple seconds all his boxes fall to the floor, along with him.
I laugh out of reflex and Carter does the same.
"Don't laugh at the poor guy!" I say to him, trying to keep my own laugh in.
"But you laughed first!" I cant stop laughing at the poor guy, putting a hand over my mouth to stop us being too loud.
After our little fit of laughter, it's silent again and he points vaguely to the train tracks. "So scream. I took you here for one reason."
"I'm not in an angry mood. Start talking about how much you love yourself and that could really get me all riled up."
"Wow Mila. So open about what turns you on." He teases and I clap him over the back of the head. "You know what I mean."
I walk ahead of him, positioning myself on the concrete to the side of the tracks and dangling my feet above.
"Oh yeah? So then what gets the Mila Violet off?"
"You say my name like I'm some sort of celebrity." He sits beside me, putting a hand on either side of his legs.
"You are, in my eyes anyway. Well, to the entire school.. let's face it Mila, you're practically royalty. People roll out the red carpet so you can open your damn locker."
I hate saying it's true, because I sound like a raging bitch, which I am occasionally.
"What about you hot shot? Captain of the hockey team, most popular guy in school, although you talk to no one. Super strange by the way."
This time he shrugs, swinging his legs back and forth.
"I don't like people, never have. Doesn't mean I'm not happy. It just depends on who I'm talking to is all. And let's not pretend you like people either." Again, he isn't totally wrong.
"I may be antisocial but I'm not stupid, I know how the world works. I don't see the need to have loads of friends, I'm practically the entire package without all of that." He says while fiddling with his watch.
"Oh yeah? Please, do share your entire package." He looks at me and smiles. "I'm 12.50 an hour, an extra 50 if you want a lap dance, okay?"
I shove him in the arm, rolling my eyes at his annoying little self.
"So... what gets you off?" He muses and I try my best to not look at him. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.." Clearly that's me trying to avoid the question.
"You." It's barely above a whisper but I know he regretted it.
"Your turn." He turns to me, one leg dangling off the edge and the other crossed.
So I do the same, my legs positioned in the same way as his. "You shouldn't ask a lady that..."
He smiles and I ignore it, fiddling with the ends of my hair. "Fair enough.."
It goes quiet and I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't return the staring contest, not possible.
"You scrunch your nose a lot." He says a couple seconds into the silence and I reluctantly look at him.
"Yeah?" Carter nods, smiling with those dimples of his. "Yeah, just an observation."
'Just an observation' makes me smile for no reason at all.
"I was talking to my dad. He said we had to do that test. The one where we have to list off stuff about each other, proof of a solid marriage or whatever." He says quietly.
"Okay... do you know what I'm allergic to?"
"Basic human emotion, being happy, smiling, talking to anyone but m-" I cut him off before I potentially slap him.
"Zip it before I shut you up myself."
"You're allergic to mustard if I remember correctly. Which is super strange by the way." I scowl at him, making him smile again.
"You cold?" He questions and I nod.
He sighs and begins to take his jacket off but I quickly stop him. "Absolutely not. This is a vintage Prada cardigan. Some old jacket is not going over it."
He laughs to himself, ignoring my protest. "just wear it Mila." Whatever, I take it from him and place it over my shoulders.
"Okay, so back to our questions. What's your least favorite thing to do in the whole world."
"Breathing." I say it as more of a joke yet Carter seems less than amused.
"We are clearly not good at this if neither of us can get through a question without being sarcastic."
"Fine, stop me if I am being too invasive okay?" He nods, urging me to continue. "The addiction.. how'd it start?"
His smile drops but he isn't mad, just unsure of where to even begin.
"I don't like admitting it, but even Blair knows it started with my dad. He used to be a good man Mila, truly. I have great memories from when Blair and I were younger. Until one day he began on why he was so disappointed that I was following in his footsteps, despite the fact he's the one who pushed me to do that in the first place."
He looks almost taken aback while I admire him, almost as if he can't imagine me possibly having sympathy for someone, more specifically him.
"And don't get me wrong, I love Blair. She is my favorite person in the entire world but she couldn't understand how I would turn to drinking. She'd never want to hear about my... 'endeavors' though in all fairness she had her own shit going on that I won't get in to. So I get why she'd shut me out."
He turns his body back to facing out on the train tracks so I'm looking at his side profile.
"So one night I just.. drank a little sip. Then it was two sips, then three and then it was a bottle. Someday it became two bottles and it just kept going. If I wasn't a disappointment to my father then, well I certainly was now. I had no one to turn to. Lost my best friend remember?" He nudges me in the arm.
"I thought about you everyday and it's like I knew you'd never come back to me. If I wasn't good enough for my father then I'd never be good enough for you to even speak to me again. Although you shouldn't feel guilty, I wouldn't have talked to me either if I were you."
He lets out an exasperated breath, like telling me has lifted a weight.
"Anyways, that was age... god it was age 12. Throughout the years the addiction settled down a bit until uhm, well I learned about the boarding school and the fact you were attending. My dad thought it'd be a good opportunity for us to get to know each other again, but obviously not get too close so school was the buffer. He doesn't want us to consider this anything but a business arrangement."
"Aw c'mon, you and I both know you joined this school just to spite me. Right Carter?" I glance over at him and he nods, smiling with dimples as usual.
"Sure. Whatever you think, love.."
Silence again, but he fills it a couple seconds later.
"I knew who Tyler was before you mentioned him. I actually watched you two fall in love."
"Oh yeah?" He nods once again, avoiding my eyes as I do often did.
"Gossip blogs and the newspaper went wild with your relationship. I mean, why on earth would the daughter of the most powerful woman in this country be dating a spoiled rich kid."
"Just a fling that lasted longer than I ever intended it to. My image was wrecked after him, I'm still fixing that." I say quietly.
"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, I have a tiny inkling of a feeling you wouldn't be so hateful." He says back and I suppose he might be right.
"I don't know, I sometimes wish that I was never brought into this world in the first place, maybe then I wouldn't have such an urge to take myself out of it. It just gets overwhelming sometimes."
"It's not a crime to feel like that. Just... let yourself drown for a little while Mila, I'll bring you up when you're ready to breathe."
I hide my smile, because thats cute.
I hop off the train tracks and flex my hands. "Okay Crawford, you ready?"
He grins, hopping down off the platform thing we were sitting on and motioning me to begin.
"You have to do it at the same time." He rolls his eyes and stands in front of me, albeit irritably.
"Three.. two. One!"
And when I tell you we screamed, I mean we fucking screamed. I wasn't even embarrassed because it was just us, laughing at the stupidity of our lives.
Before we can scream again, I hear the snap of a camera. "Carter. Did you hear that?"
He glances at me, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Shit."
"It's not a big deal. I think?" Carter tries to reassure me but it's not helpful, at all.
"Carter?! The media will go wild with this! Conjuring up too many assumptions." He sighs and continues to look around, trying to spot the camera.
"Let's get out of here." He holds his hand out as per and I take it, although I didn't want to.
We go in the opposite direction of the way we came and just run, he leads me around trees and more damn trees until we reach a fence.
He helps me hop over first and then he follows suit, helping me take off my heels and carrying them for me.
A field of flowers is staring back at us, daisies I believe. "You ready to rumble?"
I cringe while he laughs. "Just ignore that I ever said that."
I don't even get a second to tease him before I'm dragged through all these flowers. It's freeing and almost a form of release, just running with the wind in my hair and all the flowers that are up to my height practically.
It's almost morning, oh god school. I totally forgot about that while I was with him.
"C'mon Mila, keep up!" Carter teases and I try my best to catch up.
"Not everything is a competition you bafoon." I shout while laughing. It's hard to run when you're smiling like an idiot.
"You're only saying that because you're losing love." He shouts back and I run faster, matching his speed until I'm getting ahead of him.
He slows down after running out of energy and I reach the other side of the field before he does, actually, he's practically panting for breath when he finally catches up.
"I win!" I jump up and down, grinning now and not caring that he can see.
I don't know if he intended for me to hear him mumble, but I hear it anyway. "No. I've won."
Won what...?
Me?
.....
Authors Note
Maybe I'm bias lmao but words can't describe my love for this chapter specifically and ofc Carter and Mila are actually adorable.
Thanks for the love on my tiktok recently (finally unshadowbanned!!!!)
Lots of Love Babies, mothership ella <3
Words - 3610 (got carried away ;)
Date - 14/04/22
Reads - 35.9k (holy shit)