Aerons POV:
He had been driving for hours, finding whatever place around him to stop. He left around ten in the morning, now, it was peering seven in the evening. The breeze was starting to pick up, and he was thankful for the beanie and warm jacket he was wearing.
The beanie was more of a precaution to make sure no unwanted people accidentally recognized him. Along with that, he wore sunglasses, which looked ok in the afternoon and morning with the bright sun—but now as it settles into the night, it looks more suspicious. He decided to ditch the sunglasses after sunset, using the dark as his newfound disguise.
Unlike Alastair, Aeron was more classy with his choice in vehicle. A BMW E30, his baby he'd like to say. The car had been bought at an auction when Aeron was only fifteen, using the money he got from a drug deal he made for his father.
It wasn't classy like the cars the other family members drove, but it was his favorite. Alastair sticked to his stereotypical bad boy vehicle, driving a motorcycle—but also owning a collection of black cars that he equally drove.
"That will be 8.75," the woman who was ringing up Aeron at the gas station said. He had driven as far as he could, until he felt uneasy about being so far from his home. He was just a few cities over, a more suburban and quiet area—which he preferred. The night fall was perfect for a late night gas station run.
Especially since he wasn't in a mood to go to a restaurant or fast food chain. He pulled out a crumpled ten from his pocket, too lazy to reach for him wallet. He grabbed the slurpie he bought, along with the chips and beef jerky, before walking outside. He had got a hot dog as well to add to his well balanced meal.
This would have probably gave his father a heart attack, watching him eat all this 'poor people junk' but all it did was make Aeron feel better about the events from the morning.
He sat at one of the concrete stoppers in an empty parking space next to his, watching the cars pass every few seconds. He sipped on his drink, while taking bites of the hot dog. One car pulled into the parking lot, but he almost didn't see it by the darkness masking the black car.
He recognized the make and model of it, looking identical to one Alastair had. An apparent voice boomed the second the car stopped and the door opened. The car parked on the other side of his car, so he wasn't able to see the people, but he could hear their voices.
"See I'm not the only person with a cool car!" An evident female voice spoke. She sounded mad, but also slightly upbeat. As if her words were playful remarks to the person she was yelling them too.
An aggravated sigh rose from the other voice. "Can you seriously just drop the annoyance you have about not being able to drive your car. It is a hazard to have such an old car on the road!" This time it was a man speaking.
Aeron wondered if they were friends. What they were arguing about. Why the were also here at such a late time in the evening. He wondered what they looked like. If they had smiles on their face unlike the frown he wore.
He took another bite of the hot dog, letting the greasy food heal the pain in his heart.
Finally, the possessors of the voice walked past him, not even noticing him as they walked into the store. Both were dressed in similarly dark outfits. The guy in dark black jeans and a similar colored button up. The girl was what caught his eye though.
Her outfit was toned down, but gorgeous at the same time. Leather on leather, with a white lace top. It was suiting her dark brown hair that was falling shortly above her mid back. He could tell they were around his age, the girl probably younger. She was so lively it was impossible to take his eyes off her.
She was like a crime scene, something you wanted to look away from but out of reach to accomplish. He couldn't stop looking at her, watching as she walked inside the store, a sway to her hips that weren't overdramatic like some, but also there.
He redirected his focus to his phone, using it to distract him from the girl in the gas station. He heard the familiar ding of the bell, indicating the door was opening. When turning to face the noise, the same girl, practically skipping, came out of the store.
Aeron decided to get in his car since he finished his snacks. Before he could fully get inside, a voice rang. "Hey! Hey!" He heard stomping, turning to see it was the girl he was mesmerized by. Up close, even under the fluorescent glow of the street light, she was even prettier than he imagined.
"Hey," she said, out of breath, panting with her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "I just wanted to know what type of car that was," she said, nodding her head to the dark blue vehicle close behind him.
"Oh," is all Aeron could say, shocked by her. "Uh," why was he stuttering? He didn't have trouble talking highly about his car, his baby. But now, the sudden curse this woman had put on him was enough for him to forget everything. "BMW," was all he was able to get out.
She laughed, and even that was intoxicating. It was like she shot a poison right through him and he just went numb. "I can see that, silly. I mean like the model and year?"
He laughed an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "M3 E30, '94," he said, finally finding the little notch of confidence in his voice. She nodded her heads along with his words, her auburn hair dancing with her.
"I have a '65 Skylark, and a '91 Camaro," she replied. Aeron was now practically in love with this woman.
He smiled. "Got any photos?" She almost immediately pulled out her phone, showing him the photos of her with the cars. The skylark was a beautiful dark green with a black stripe down the middle, and it was evident that was her favorite. The Camaro was a fire red, a classic color for this car.
She was almost giddy at someone sharing her interest. "I love the Skylark because it was my first car I bought, I was fourteen and couldn't even drive it for another two years. Then I got the Camaro about a year ago. It's kinda like the one in Perks of Being a Wallflower. Because in the book Charlie's brother has a Camaro." Her smile was contagious, and it was a pandemic he wanted to be apart of.
He knew what she was talking about, telling her how much he equally loved the book.
The guy she walked into the store with had been standing annoyed for the ten minutes they had been chatting. He tapped on her shoulder, apparently an indication to wrap it up. "Niko just wait in the car if you don't want to stay outside," she sighed, and Aeron was starting to wonder if he was her boyfriend or just a friend she didn't like so much.
Aeron was great at studying body language. And from what he was gathering, he was more of a protector than a friend. Or a lover. He was annoyed at her interests, kept rolling his eyes while they talked, and definitely didn't have that weird boyfriend demeanor when his girlfriend talked of some other guy. But he was close by to her, watching closely as other cars passed them. He did a double take before walking to the car, but didn't get inside. Instead he stared at the girl—just like Aeron had been.
"Sorry about him," the girl said, smiling to cool the situation and awkwardness.
"It's alright," he replied. "I'm Alex by the way." He used his fake name, because Aerons name was notorious to mafia bosses. He just needed to be safe at all times.
"Bentley," the girl answered, putting her hand out. It wasn't usual for most teenage people to shake hands, but it was natural in the world Aeron grew up in. He shook her hand, like he would any other person.
He smiled at the name. "Ironic. Did your parents also like cars?" He snickered.
Her face darkened from her usual brightness, and Aeron realized he probably shouldn't have said that. "They uh," she coughed before getting her words out. "Yeah they did. My father was a mechanic and loved Mercedes—because they always broke down. My mother, though, loved expensive cars. And she didn't want a daughter named G Wagon, like my father recommended. So she went with Bentley."
Aeron laughed at the story, finding her family life so normal and casual. He wondered why he couldn't have grown up like that. Two parents who actually liked each other, and loved their kid. "Any siblings named Lamborghini?" Aeron joked, laughing at his comedically stupid joke.
She laughed too. "No, sadly no siblings. But I have an annoying Nikolai if he counts as a sibling," she redirects her nod to the guy waiting in the black Audi. He was leaned against the door, his dark black hair flopping in front of his eyes.
"Do you live close by?" Aeron asked, redirecting the conversation. How do you talk to girls again? He wondered. He wasn't so good at it, not getting many opportunities when his father always needs him in the shoot ranges or to go do drug deals.
Bentley smiled, and it felt like magic to watch the expression on someone's face. "Sorta," she says. "I visit here when I'm stressed, it's a good miles away from home." Her answer so vague it reminded him of something he'd say.
"Well hope I'd see you around," Aeron shot a look, one that was practically a plead.
"How about tomorrow night, maybe then I can actually show you the Buick," she answered his pleas with a smile and response that made him thrilled.
He shot an equally pleased smile. "It's a date." And with that he was in his car, and she was in hers. He could tell the guy she was with was asking a million in one questions, but she just rolled her eyes and left.