The gray from the day before still covered the sky, though the rain had moved on and left behind the smell of wet cement and soaked grass. Dots of sunlight could be seen poking holes in the clouds. Carter sat on the trunk of a car, her fists jammed into her coat pockets, her legs dangling over the edge. A gust of wind whirled by, tossing her loose hair.
Students passed, giving her odd looks, but none of them stopped to question her. Her shoulders were hunched forward and her expression was troubled. Engines roared and died around her, voices echoing off the slicked parking lot pavement. Her breath created clouds of mist in the morning air.
She waited.
The low purr of an engine entered the lot and the black Mercedes pulled into the empty space in front of her. Through the front window Carter could see Link glance at Donovan in confusion, Donovan's gaze on her. Donovan turned up his coat collar and slid his hands into the pockets of his khaki pants as they exited the car.
He stopped before Carter, his expression even. Link took the spot beside him, pulling his jacket tight.
"Hey Carter," he said, "is there a reason you're sitting on a random car waiting for us? Or did you just miss our company?" He frowned. "Wait, how did you even know we would choose this spot?"
"It's the exact same spot your car has been in the past two times. People are creatures of habit."
Link's grin, amused and unconcerned, was like a breath of fresh air. Carter felt her lips twitch, wanting a piece of his untroubled mood. She glanced up at Donovan.
"I know." Donovan said."You don't have to say it."
"How do you know what I was going to say?" she said.
"The way you are sitting. Your face. If you wanted a fight, there would be more tension in your body. Since it's not a fight, there is only one other reason you would be waiting for us."
The corner of Carter's mouth tugged upwards.
"You don't have to say it," he repeated.
"I know, but I need to."
Link ran a hand through his hair. "Should I know what is going on?"
Neither of them answered him.
"I'm sorry," Carter said, the words quiet.
Donovan nodded. "I know."
Link looked between them.
"So that's what happened?" he said. "You two had a fight?"
Donovan gave a single nod and rested back on the hood of the car. Carter dropped her gaze and shifted.
"Yeah," she said.
Link crossed his arms, his eyes darting back and forth.
"About what?" he asked.
Donovan's and Carter's eyes locked on each other. His face was calm, a silent statement that it was her choice whether to share or not. Carter forced her attention onto Link.
"He told me I wasn't seeing everything clearly in regards to my mother. I got kind of mad at him."
Donovan raised one mocking eyebrow.
"Kind of mad?" he said, amusement touching his words.
Despite herself, Carter smiled briefly. She run a hand through her tangled hair, giving it a more wild look than before. Link took the spot beside her, leaning over his knees.
"What did Donovan say that made you so pissed?"
Carter put her hand back into the pocket of her coat.
"He said I wasn't seeing things clearly in regards to my mother," she said, bitterness entering her voice. "He was wrong."
Link looked away, his face soft with understanding. Donovan held his peace, knowing Link's knowledge of the situation out weighed his own.
"Carter..." Link said.
She looked at him. He met her gaze for a second then dropped it to his clasped hands.
"I know it's going to sound...odd..." He shifted slightly. "But have you ever thought that..." he shifted again and shrugged," I don't know, you've painted your mother as a monster for so long you've forgotten she's human?"
Carter turned away, part of her hating how his words rang true. He looked at her when she made no response.
"If I see her as human..." she said, her words halting, staring at the ground. "Then it means I could understand her. If I understand her...that means what she did was okay."
She shifted her attention back to Link, hurt and pain clear in her eyes.
Link shook his head. "No, no matter what, leaving you was messed up. You can still be mad at what she did. I still have times of being mad at my dad." He shrugged. "Whether that will ever change or not, I don't know."
They were quiet it for a beat.
"Did you ever see him as a monster?"
"First few years of my life. He was this faceless man that had abandoned me. When he showed up and wasn't this evil monster, it took me while to deal with that. In the end, what mattered was I got to say the things I had always need to say."
Carter nodded and looked back at the ground.
"What happened yesterday with your mother?" Link asked.
She glanced up, met Donovan's blank expression, then looked back at Link.
"I insulted her."
Link threw his head back and laughed.
"Well, knowing you, I'm not surprised," he said. "But did you get to talk to her?"
"I thought I did, but no. I did not talk to her."
"So, do you think you'll you see her again?"
Carter kept her eyes on the ground as she thought over the question.
"I honestly don't know...it's just..." she didn't finish.
"Carter," Donovan said. She looked up at him. "Just because you tell her what you need to say doesn't change anything. How much you see her, or don't, interact with her or don't, will still be in your hands. She doesn't have the power to control the situation."
She stared at him, a mystified. "How do you understand so much about this? I know your mother was a psychiatrist, but this seems like more than what you would pick up chatting with her."
Donovan gave the smallest smile and nodded to Link, who laughed.
"This is ancient history to Donovan," Link said. "He was the only one who I could tell all my problems to." He gave another low chuckle. "Your situation is nothing new."
"You turned out alright," Donovan said.
"As far as you know," Carter said.
Link shoved her shoulder, eliciting a chuckle from her. They fell silent for a moment, both guys appraising her. She looked back at them.
"What are you doing after school?" she asked.
"Do you need a ride?" Donovan asked.
"I think I might."
The bell rang. Carter glanced between Link and Donovan.
"You guys don't feel like ditching first period and going somewhere, do you?"
Donovan stood and shook his head. "You've missed three classes in the last two weeks. You can't afford to miss another. You do still have to graduate."
She gave him an annoyed scowl. "I don't like how you pay attention to details."
He shrugged, unconcerned. She slid off the trunk and Link followed. In companionable silence, they moved towards the front doors. Inside, the halls were quickly being emptied as groups disappeared into doorways. They were outside the doors to chemistry, when a black haired blur flung her arms around Link's neck and he stumbled backwards.
"I didn't see you come in and didn't know if you were sick or something," Maddy said, pulling back, but still keeping a hold on his neck.
"No, I'm not sick," Link said.
A relieved smile spread across Maddy's face.
"Good, because we have the party tomorrow." Her forehead creased. "We're still going right?"
Link looked at Carter and Donovan. Carter shrugged and Donovan remained expressionless.
"Sure, I guess," she said.
Maddy bounced. "Good." She gave Link a quick kiss. Before she turned she looked at Carter. "What are you planning on wearing?"
Carter was surprised by the question.
"I was planning on clothes," she said, "but that's only if I don't come up with a second option."
Maddy laughed. "Alright, well, I'll see you in History."
She turned and left, joining the last remaining students. Donovan looked at Carter.
"What would your second option be?" he asked, letting a taunting note enter his voice. "Going naked?"
Carter gave him an even look. "Please, it's far too cold to go naked. Nudity is for summer social events only."
Link burst out laughing and Donovan cracked a smile that Carter easily returned.
**********************************************************************
Sherbet! (Yum!)
Oh thank goodness! The Darter ship is back on course! Phew! Ha. Ha. Yeah, I wasn't worried at all. I knew they would make it. You knew too, right?
Any who! What are we thinking? (I think breakfast for dinner is magic)
Tell me what you thought of the whole interaction with Link and Donovan!
Is it just me or is Donovan in a coat with the collar turned up the hottest thing in the world? Please tell me I'm not alone in this!
What do we think of Maddie?
கேள்வி நேரம் (Tamil) This question is from the angelic angelicalrs: How long does it take you to write just a chapter?
Answer: It depends. Normally, it's about five hours but that's spread out over a few days. Haha then there are times when it seems I can't write for the life of me. That's when I usually post odd videos on my Instagram story. Because you know what else am I going to do to avoid writing? Paint the house? Please, I'm not Cece.
Sit down, stare at the screen, write!
(You still understand I'm telling you to vote, comment and follow, right? I've just haven't put it in awhile and didn't know it you knew that's what I meant.)