Chapter Seven
Wednesday, March 14th
"I am never eating at Gray's house ever again." Abbie let out a heavy sigh as she flopped down onto the couch and turned on the television. After awhile, she turned her head in my direction and narrowed her eyes. "What were you doing last nigh, huh?"
"Why do you care?" I ask with raised eyebrows as I poured my coffee into a mug.
Abbie shrugged. "Mr. and Mrs. Gray told us you were Vincent." She said those were words as if there was a hidden question behind it. Though, because I was in a rush for school, I didn't have time to play Abbie's little games.
"So?"
Abbie let out a frustrated groan as she threw her pillow at me. "Do we have to go over this a second time?" She cried. "For Christ's sake, this is Vincent Gray we're talking about here--"
I grabbed my bag and rolled my eyes. "I'm leaving now," I stated as I put the lid of my mug on and headed towards the front door. "Mom is just making a few errands, okay? Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."
Abbie smirked. "Do you mind classifying stupid for me?" She asked.
I put a hand on my hip. I really wished I could stay home sick like my sister today. Maybe I should have considered eating whatever Mrs. Gray made last night if it meant getting sick and not going to school. "Goodbye, Abigail," I said as I turned around.
"Bye, Anna."
And with that, I closed the door behind me.
Looking down onto my watch, I realized I only had ten minutes to get to the bus stop before it left me. Crap. I then broke into a sprint as I started to gulp down on my coffee. After taking the elevator, where I was stuck standing beside a man who smelt like he was smoking a certain substance, I quickly ran out of my apartment complex and into the cold air of March. The wind was howling furiously as I looked left and right before crossing the street. I looked down onto my watch and to my luck, I still had three minutes to spare before the bus came along. Not bad, I thought with a smug look on my face as I stood beside the bus-stop.
As I stood beside the bus-stop while sipping casually onto my coffee, I suddenly noticed something different. I stopped sipping onto my drink and slowly turned my head towards the bench a few feet away from me. There sat a young man, around my age, with his bent down reading a book. He had short brown hair that swayed a bit against the wind and a smooth complexion with a thick black rimmed glasses plastered onto his perfect nose. He was handsome, alright. But the question was, who the heck was he?
My thoughts came to an abrupt stop as the bus suddenly pulled over to where the young man was seated. He looked up with his blue eyes widening, a bit surprised, but shook it off immediately. I watched him very tentatively as he began to board the bus, his tall frame walking in long strides, and me following along. Once I was on the bus, I took out my coins and dropped them into the machine. The bus-driver nodded, "Thank you, ma'am."
I half-smiled. I then started to make my way around the rest of the people on the bus as the vehicle started to move. Making my way swiftly around them, I managed to get to the back of the bus where all the seats were taken. I frowned. Now I had to stand--
I didn't even finish my thought because my eyes then fell upon an open seat beside the young man who was reading at the bus-stop. I sighed as I walked up the steps and towards the seat. I then sat down, my eyes only looking forward. Within no time, familiar faces started to board the bus with each stop. One of them so happened to be Gracie. The minute her warm brown eyes found mine, she squealed.
"Carson!" She cried as she ran towards the back of the bus. "Last night was amazing!"
For a second, I didn't know what she was talking about, but then my mind shifted to Erik and her. Oh. Didn't they go on date or something?
I grinned. "Did you get a one night stand?" I joked.
Gracie rolled her eyes as she held tightly onto the railing above her. I knew she would have flicked my head with her fingers but we both knew she would fall on her face if she even dared to let go of the railing on a moving TTC bus. That was literally asking for her death wish.
"And no," she whispered. "I'm planning to keep my V-card until marriage, thank you very much."
I smirked. "Whatever you say, Grace."
"Anyways," my friend started. "You would not believe where Erik took us to last night...." Gracie paused for a moment as she looked over my shoulder. For a moment, she made that face she usually did when she was trying to solve a difficult math problem, but then her eyes widened in shock. "Ethan!" She cried out with glee.
Everyone turned in Gracie's direction, most annoyed with her loud voice, but the young man sitting beside me looked my friend in the eye and smiled shyly, as if he was surprised you even bothered to notice him in the first place. "Hi," he said unsure of what to say.
Gracie smiled. "Ethan!" She said again. "What the hell are you doing in Toronto? You're suppose to be at Université d'Ottawa."
My eyes widened. When Gracie had move here from Ottawa, her French was pitch-perfect. Our French teacher actually made her go into extended French, a four-year commitment, because she was the only one speaking fluent French with the teacher. But now, it's been two years since I even heard my best friend say anything in French, and now, hearing her say University of Ottawa in Canada's second language, I was stunned. I almost forgot how amazing Gracie sounded when she spoke in French.
The young man, Ethan, softly laughed. "Um, I don't need to be rude but...d-do I know you?" He looked at Gracie as if he was trying to remember.
Gracie looked insulted. "I'm your cousin!" She spat out. "Remember? Gracie McRose? I'm your cousin on your mother's side!"
Ethan stared at Gracie like she was nuts. "B-but this girl said Grace--"
"It's a nickname, buckaroo."
"Gracie had light brown hair--"
"Dyed it."
"My cousin was shorter."
"It's been three years, Ethan. People grow."
I snorted. "But you're still short."
Gracie gave me the death glare but quickly switched her attention back to Ethan. "Recognize me now?" She asked leaning a little bit closer.
Ethan shut his book and stared at Gracie for another few moments before his blue eyes widening. "Mother of God," he hissed. "Why didn't Aunt Gloria disown you for dying your hair that hideous shade of pink--"
"It's red!" Gracie pouted.
"Magenta--"
"Red."
I coughed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.
Gracie didn't notice. Instead, she asked Ethan, "So what are you doing here, huh?"
Ethan looked bashful as he laughed. "Um...I don't think you would believe me..."
Graice put a hand on her hip. "Try me."
Ethan sighed as he scratched his head. "I got a modelling contract a few months ago and I'm here for a photoshoot for some random clothing line," he replied quickly as he looked out the window.
"You're lying."
"Then why would I be here taking a bus that will take me to the subway?" Ethan looked back to his cousin with raised eyebrows.
Gracie laughed. "Well, congrats!" She said. "But why didn't you ring up my mom so you could have a place to stay while you're here? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have mind."
Ethan shrugged. "It's alright," he responded. "I'm staying at my father's house."
"Well," she continued. "You're more than welcome to come over to my place any time. It's been a long time, cousin. You need to update me on what's happening back in Ottawa." She smiled as she laughed.
Ethan nodded. "Sure, will."
"Oh, and I almost forgot," Gracie cried as she pointed to me. "This is my best friend, Carson. She became my friend when I was the weird French girl two years ago!"
I looked at Ethan and nodded. "Hi."
Ethan smiled. "So you had to put up with her for two years, eh?" He chuckled. "Was it not hard work?"
"I can hear you!" Gracie retorted.
I laughed as I looked from my friend to him. "Yeah," I agreed. "But it's not something I can't handle."
Ethan smiled that shy smile of his and I bit my lips slightly recognizing how cute he was up close. His blue eyes were really this odd colour because from afar, it looked like any other pair of blue eyes but in person, you can actually see the tint of grey and green in them. They were captivating. If only he took off those glasses...
"Aw, man!" Gracie cried as she pulled on my sleeve. "We have to go. This is our stop." The building of our large school suddenly came into view as Gracie nodded towards her cousin. "Bye, Ethan!"
Ethan waved. "Bye, Gracie," he replied. Then, he looked at me. "Bye, Carson."
Before I could even say anything back, Gracie touched the handles of the door as it opened widely. She then grabbed me by the wrist, dragging me out of the bus without another word. When I shook her grasp off of me, I watched as the TTC continue to ride on. I then immediately turned to my best friend and punched her on the arm. "Why didn't you tell me you had an incredibly cute cousin?!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I avoided going to my locker before homeroom that morning but during lunch, I made a plan to make a quick exchange of books at my locker when Vincent was not around. Or at least I hope he wouldn't be around.
"We need to talk," a deep but stern voice said.
Sighing heavily, I closed my locker shut and came eye-to-eye with Vincent gray leaning against his own locker. "What do you want?" I asked as I looked down onto my watch. I wanted to go eat my lunch quickly before the bell rang, so I didn't have time to stay and chat with Mr. Rockstar at the moment.
Vincent softly laughed, his stern face suddenly softening. "You sounded pissed-"
"Because I am!" I nearly shouted.
Then, as if one cue, everyone in the hallways stopped what they were doing and turned to face our direction. Slowly, my face started to turn red as everyone gave us questioning looks. Maybe I shouldn't have shouted, I thought.
"Ya, think?" Vincent said as if he was reading my thoughts.
I looked at him with wide eyes.
Vincent smirked. "Just because I haven't seen you for two years doesn't mean I still don't know you," he responded.
"But-"
"Yeah, yeah," Vincent sighed heavily. "We've changed. Blah, blah, blah. But I still know most of who you are."
I crossed my arms as I narrowed my eyes at the rockstar. His hazel eyes looked at me playfully. "Oh, is that so?" I challenged. "What's my favourite flavour of ice-cream then?"
Vincent smirked as he narrowed his eyes at me as well. "Cookies 'n' Cream."
"The first instrument I've ever played?"
"Piano."
"What do I hate the most?"
Vincent pointed to himself. "Probably me at the moment," he replied. "But mostly clowns."
"My favourite band?"
"Ah," Vincent said leaning closer. "That's a trick question. You don't have a favourite band. You have many."
I held my chin high. "Name them all," I responded slowly.
Vincent sighed as he held up his fingers and started to name all my favourite bands. " Vincent grinned and finished off his list with, "And lastly.... Ever After."
I smiled a bit, surprised by the fact that Vincent actually stilled remembered all my favourite bands. "Who said Ever After was one of my favourite bands though?" I asked.
Vincent snorted. "My band basically plays your genre of music," he stated.
"Cocky, much?"
"Yeah, I know," Vincent said. "But that's not why I'm here. We need to talk."
"Are we not talking now?" I smirked.
"Goddammit!" He hissed as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me down the hallways. As we did, girls gave us wide eyed looks as they looked down to see Vincent's hand on my wrist. It probably looked like we were holding hands rather than Vincent forcing me to go somewhere out of my own will. But hey, I bet you millions of girls would just love to be in my position right now.
"Where the hell are you taking me?" I asked. "Girls are giving me the stink- eye."
"Don't care."
"But-"
Vincent made a sharp left and immediately pushed me into the janitor's closet. He didn't come in right away first, he actually stayed behind to make sure no one saw us going in here.After a few moments, Vincent poked his head into the dark room. "Are there new security cameras in this school?" He whispered.
I shook my head. "The janitor's closet is still on the camera's blindside," I answered quickly.
Vincent smirked in the darkness as he closed the door behind him. "God, this school is so stupid sometimes," he muttered. "Anyways..." He pulled on the string that turned the light-bulb on and smiled down onto me. "Do you want to be my girlfriend or not?"
"I'd rather die--"
"Not literally!" Vincent argued.
I raised an eyebrow at Vincent as I crossed my arms. "If I'm going to be your girlfriend than that would mean I'd have to hold your slimy hands in public, look at you like a lovesick puppy, and most likely, kiss you." I said the last two words as if they were poison.
Vincent rolled his eyes. "It's just for cameras, Anna--"
"For the last time," I said through clenched teeth. "It's Carson."
"Whatever," Vincent responded. "But look, if you do this one thing for me, you don't have to work at that crappy dinner anymore--"
"How'd you know I was working at the diner...?"
"You've been working there since you were fourteen."
"Oh, yeah."
Vincent sighed. "As I was saying," he continued. "You don't have to work there anymore. I'll be giving you money for your tuition at University of Toronto. It's as easy as that"
"I don't need your money though," I protested. "Just because your the rockstar version of Justin Bieber doesn't mean you can bribe everybody with money."
"Then how the hell are you going to pay for your tuition?" Vincent looked down onto me with narrowed eyes. "You honestly want to continue working at the diner?"
"I'll just get a student loan from the government."
Vincent chuckled as he ran his hand through his dark hair. "Then how are you going to pay off your debt after you're done with University, huh? You're going to have to work. Again. You'll probably have to provide for both you and your family. I don't want to sound rude right now but... I think it'd just be easier if you just take the money I'm offering you right now, be my girlfriend for two months, and have the whole world be taken off your shoulders. Come on. You won't get this deal again."
I snorted. "Yeah, my life may seem hard," I replied. "But I don't need your money to take the easy way out, okay?"
Vincent just stared at me with a disapproving look on his face.
"What?" I nearly shouted.
"You're so stubborn, you know that?" Vincent stated. "You don't want to accept my money because it will ruin your pride--"
"How the hell will taking your money ruin my 'pride'?" I asked as I air-quoted the last word.
"Because," Vincent answered. "If you accept my money and be my girlfriend, you know you were desperate for money."
"But I'm not."
"Shut up and just shallow your damn pride already," Vincent barked as he grabbed my hand and slammed down a hundred dollar bill into my hand. "You need the money, Anna. I know you do." His voiced softened. "J-just take the hundred dollar bill and buy your family something. I know it's not a lot but I just want to show you that I'm not playing with you. I will give you that money for University. Just pretend to be my girlfriend for two months so people can believe I've changed. Please, Anna. I'm desperate to go back to America and you're desperate to go to University. We'd be doing each other a favour."
I almost didn't hear Vincent's voice. I was still staring down onto the hundred dollar bill in my hands with wide eyes. I don't think he knows how much this money is worth to me...
"C-Can I at least thing about it?" I almost choked on my words.
"You had time to think about it last night," Vincent replied. "If you choose not to accept my offer right here, right now, I'm just going to find another girl who will pretend to be my girlfriend. A girl who'd probably do the whole thing for free."
Staring down onto the money that was in my hand, I gulped. All could think about was my family at the moment. My mother. Abbie. They all depend on me to be the person who will put food on the table. To bring money in for the bills. To be the one who will go to University, get an education, and get them out of this hard life. I was the provider in the household. I was so use to working hard for everything that taking the easy way out, like accepting Vincent's money, was ridicules. But then again, what was wrong with Vincent's offer? Both of us would be benefiting each other if went through this 'plan'. I'd get my money. Vincent's reputation would be saved. What was wrong with that? Maybe I should just swallow my pride, accept Vincent's money, and just pretend to be his girlfriend for two months.
I let out a heavy sigh as I stuffed the money into my pockets. "Two months, right?"
Vincent's eyes widened. "You're serious?" He asked. "You're going to pretend to be my girlfriend?"
I nodded sheepishly. "Only because my family needs this more than I do," I replied. "Me going to University and getting a career will get the three of us out of this shit hole."
Vincent grinned as he held out his hand. "Deal?"
"Wait," I said. "When do I get my money though?"
"After the two months are over."
With a shrug, I shook his hand. I'd still have to work at the diner to pay for the groceries, bills, and etc. but at least I'm going to University. "Deal," I finally said. "But I get to break up with you."
Vincent grinned, not realizing what I said, as I walked towards the door. When he finally processed my words into that small brain of his, he shouted. "Wait! What?! But I'm the rockstar--"
BANG!
The door slammed shut and I walked out of the janitors closet with a goofy grin on my face.
Two months.
I can handle that.