WHERE DID YOU GO!? *uhm* well! Hi guys! I disappeared for quite a while huh? *nervous laugh* okay explanation ; this is the first day I finally FINALLY get a break and lie down and write out this chapter. The last update I did it was rushed and there was suddenly a new character and it was bullshitty-ish... So I took it down and got this one up. Sorry it's short, may not be around for another long period but I already have chapter ten in draft ready to be elaborated! Enjoy this chapter, much love xx -Sar
*
Nine
(Part two)
"Wake you up in the middle of the night to say, that I will never walk away again. I'm never gonna leave this bed" - Maroon 5
L e o n a r d o C a l l e n d ;
*
She sat there in her car, smiling through her tears.
I furrowed my brows and stared right at her. She looks like she's ready for a run.
Fug no.
The great and disappearing Arden won't disappear to anywhere this time. I got up from my seat and quickly opened my umbrella, jogging towards Arden's car.
"Open up" I tapped the window.
She was sitting still in her seat, looks almost stone and she moves stiffly to face me. Her eyes look like they wanted to see pass me instead of me.
"Arden" I tapped the window, having no clue if she can hear me through the window and the pitter-patter of the rain. "I'm here, look" I pointed my fingers to my eyes then to her then back at me. "Roll the window down"
I twirled my finger down so that she'd get what I'm trying to say.
She looks hesitant for a while before her hand reached for the automatic button on the driver's door.
The window rolled down, making a sliding sound as it goes.
"What's-" I fit half my body into her car. "Yo" I laughed nervously when I know that my butt is on full display and getting wet by the rain.
"What do you want?" Arden asks, looking at me like she doesn't want to.
"Well I-"
"God, never mind, just get out of my car I wanna go" she abruptly stops me mid sentence and I rose a brow at her.
"Do you wanna get out of the car and talk about it? You obviously look like you have a problem" I stated.
She sighs before letting her head hang down. "Sure" she almost sounded like she didn't want to.
So I got into the car instead, my pants dripping from the rain and now soon to wet Arden's passenger seat.
"I thought I-" she started
"Yeah, let's go for a drive first" I said
She didn't say anything but she pulled the brake and drove from the kerb.
"Yeah, I'm sorry about this" I edged to the side and saw the dark spot on the seat. "It'll dry" I said.
"Don't care, just shut up for awhile" she says glumly.
"Can't, takes away the whole idea of wanna talk about it? act. Go right" I instructed as she took the turn.
"Whatever. Where are we going?" She asks.
"Oh my god" I ran a hand through my hair.
"What?" She turns to look at me, her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes still a little puffy.
"Stop with the bitchin' attitude, I'm not gonna have a thing for a girl who will snap at me when something goes wrong" I rubbed my face, holding in a grunt.
"You just have to deal with it then, you shouldn't have gotten in the car" she retorts, turning her head back to the road.
"I couldn't let you drive crying, you know how many accidents happen because of that? You're unbelievable"
"I'm unbelievable?" She asks, sounding exasperated.
"Yes"
"Oh my god" she shakes her head "this is unreal" she sighs, rubbing her forehead.
"But it's funny" I smiled, resting my hand on the seat handle.
She didn't say anything, she didn't even look my way but I can see that she's watching me from the corner of her eyes, a frown on her face.
"It's funny because it seems like the roles are reversed" I smiled wider, failing to hide it with a scowl, "it should be me driving with an emotional problem, and you being the one stopping me and getting in the car and starting the pointless argument"
"This boy I swear" I heard her mutter under her breath and I chuckled to myself.
"Take right" I said and she did.
"If you knew the freaking argument was pointless why did you have to start it?" She asks with a scowl, her blonde hair starting to get messy from her hair bun- whatever girls call that hairstyle.
"I knew that it'll probably distract you from the real issue we'd talk about. Take another right" I said
Arden was quiet for awhile, she pursed her lips and dragged her hand from her mouth and down.
"Right" I pointed to the junction.
"Where am I driving?" She asks, closing her eyes tiredly.
"Stop at the kerb, there" I said and she did, pulling the hand break as she parked.
"Leon, were at the same place" she groans.
I smiled at her and gave her a wink.
"I forgot my coffee" I smirked and got out of the car, not before getting a glance at her I can't believe you face.
"God, I'm gonna love that girl" I said to myself and grabbed my cup of still lukewarm coffee.
I turned around and saw Arden putting her head on the steering wheel. "We're going to my place!" I told her.
She lifted her head to look at me and rolled her eyes, looking the other way.
I think things will take a turn now, and starting from the stopped rain, I have a guy feeling today will turn out okay for Arden Kelly.
*
"Welcome home" I turned the knob of my front door and held it open for Arden. I took off my jacket and hers and hung it on the coat stand beside the shoe rack.
Sweet aromas of strawberry jam and roasted nuts filled my nose, it's scented on the walls and I will never get tired of it.
"Mom, I've got a guest. Mom, mom?" I called and turned to look at Arden.
"Your mom really likes... Flowers" she commented, I'm sure she's trying to b nice. Her eyes wander around my house, there is a lot of vases and paintings and, of course decorated china plates on the walls and on shelves.
The walls are painted navy blue and red-orange. Once you enter through the front door, you'll see a long narrow hall leading to the kitchen and archways into the living room and such.
"Lady in the kitchen!" I heard my brother say and I smiled.
"Hey, c'mon" I took Arden's hand and guided her to the back.
"Ho, brother!" Greeted Jeffrey, my sixteen year old brother. "And lady in hand" he bowed and I rolled m eyes at him.
"Whatcha cooking, lad?" I asked
"I am making jam" countered my mother as she puts down the wooden ladle. "Jeff here is roasting cashews" she smiles, tucking a short strand of her blonde hair away. "Oh, who's this young lady, Leon?"
"Oh. Oh! This is my friend Arden. Arden, meet the quarter of my family Jeff, and mother, mom" I introduced.
"Nice to meet you" Jeff stretches his hand but quickly takes it back and wipes it on his apron before holding it out again.
"Dude" I said.
Arden seems unfazed though, she shook his hand and puts on her usual charming smile. "You too, Jeffrey"
"I'm mom, but call me Carmen" mom said, nodding at Arden and she gives a polite smile to mom.
"Hi" Arden said then looks around the kitchen, noticing the cookies, jam and cashews in pots and pans on the stove and oven.
"We're making some craved snacks, give 'em ten more minutes" mom winks at Arden.
"Yeah, look" Jeffrey said, stealing one cashew and throwing it in the air before successfully catching it in his mouth. "I'll cashew if you fall" he said while chewing.
"Oh you did not just" I started.
"I'm never going to have an in-law if you do that to the girls you meet" mom sighs, picking her wooden ladle and continuing stirring the jam in the pot.
"Arden can be with me right?" Jeff said before winking at Arden, I sent him a glare.
"I don't know, you look younger than me. I'm nineteen" she says and I snap my head to look at her.
"What?" I asked with a frown "I'll turn nineteen next month, you're older than me" I said.
"Age doesn't matter when it comes to love" Jeff suddenly starts to sing, fisting one hand towards Arden and the other clutching his shirt, as if he's holding his heart.
"It does honey, watch your cashews" mom said.
"Shoot"
"Alright we'll be in my room" I pulled Arden's hand and she yelped as I led her to the stairs and to my room on the third floor.
"That was interesting" she nodded.
"Nice room" she looked around
I mean, she has to understand that a guys bedroom is just a guys bedroom. Light green walls, trophies, books, posters of motors and Candice Swanepoel looking like she is in her blue bikini on my bathroom door.
"Yeah..." I scratched my head and gestured her to sit down on the couch in my room.
"Nice tv too" she nodded at my flat screen hung on the wall, multi-coloured wires tied up in a bunch, hanging on the side of it and shelves of games and green and blue boxes on the walls.
Her eyes lingered on the Candice poster and she looked away, I saw her look at it three times alrwady.
"Hey, a guy's a guy" I said, shoving my hands in my jean's pocket.
"I'm not judging" she said
"Well, yea you kind are" I said and went over to my desk and pulled out a dark blue poster behind walking to my bathroom door and taped it over the bikini babe poster.
"Save the Earth?" She says skeptically and I groaned.
"Don't tell me you're against this!" I moved over and pointed at the Save The Earth poster my sisters made last week for their Eco-Carnival before summer break.
"No! It's nice" she said.
"Everything is nice" I said rhetorically and threw the tape on my bed.
"So" she said and I landed on my bed.
"So"
"You know you're doing a great job at this" she says
"At this?"
"Yeah"
"Uhuh..." I replied, a little confused on what this is.
"I mean distracting, you can really distract me right now and I really needed it, so thanks"
"You're welcome" I smiled, staring up to my ceiling. "Can you sit here?" I asked her.
"Su-" she hesitates "Sure" I heard her feet shuffle on the carpet and felt the bed dip.
"You know you can lay down, I promise not to touch you" I said.
"Okay" she slowly leans back and I moved my hand.
"Cool"
"Thanks"
"Yeah" I nodded.
"Yea" she repeated.
"I mean, unless you ask me to or you'll let me" I started
"Huh?"
"Garden, I won't touch you if you won't allow it, I respect you" I said honestly.
"I like to know that" she says. "You're doing really good at this" Arden turned sideways and looked at me from under her lashes.
"Am I?"
"And I want you to hug me" she said
"Just hug?" Did I sound desperate?
"Just hug" she scorched closer and I held her there.
"We should do this more often" I smiled and felt her snuggle in my chest, her hand clutching my shirt.
"Hmm" she mumbles
"Hey remember when we played fifteen questions that day-" I said but the I heard her even breaths.
She fell asleep.
"I do" I continued quietly. "I remember when I asked you random questions about food, you hate mayonaise?" I laughed quietly "I'll paint my room blue since you like that color, and we'll finish your bucket list together. It'll be amazing to see a future ahead of us"
I moved my head a little, trying my best not to wake her as I turned to look at her sleeping state.
"I promise to be in your future, Garden. I'm just not sure yet if you want to be in mine" I whispered.
"Good night, sleeping beauty" I kissed her forehead