Chapter 13
It's Tuesday morning and Mia has the spectacular idea of skipping first period to go out for breakfast, and to be honest, I'm not protesting.
Mia and Hayden both stormed into my room (I don't know why my mum keeps letting her in our house) and drag me out of bed. You wouldn't think it at first glance, but Hayden is just as crazy as Mia.
"Why do you never wear this, Bell?" Mia asks, holding up a dark green knit sweater, I wrinkle my nose in distaste.
"Well, I like it. So you're gonna wear it!" She informs me, thrusting the sweater into my arms.
"Yeah right," I scoff and Mia narrows her eyes at me, looking purely evil. "Okay, green ugly sweater it is."
This makes Hayden snicker and pull Mia into a strong hug. "That's my scary girl."
"Rawr!" She says, scratching the air like a cat.
"Oh god, please stop!" I groan, disgusted. "There's a reason I never hang out with you guys together."
This makes them laugh even more and I just roll my eyes as I slip the knit sweater over my plain white t shirt. I grab a pair of black vans and tie them up quickly so I can get the two menaces out of my house.
We all walk out, not before my mum insists I give her a kiss of course, and head down my driveway to Mia's car. Hayden takes the front seat and I take the back seat, Mia turns around and smirks at me. I swear this girl is truly evil.
"We're going out for breakfast, you don't have to look so devious." I say and they both turn back to face the front, laughing.
"That is true but I love picking on you," she explains and I roll my eyes.
The drive is only five minutes from my house to the one of two diners in Woodstown. Annie's Diner looks like your typically fifties inspired diner with red and white checkers surrounding the building with a sign that's been burnt out since I got here, I doubt it'll ever light up again.
We seat ourselves in the rather empty restaurant, most people are at school or work during this time of the day so I'm not surprised. Mia picks a booth in the back corner of the restaurant so she can stare up lovingly at the framed Elvis poster.
"Have you been here before?" Hayden asks me as we settle down.
"I haven't, I've been to the other diner though after my mum dragged me church when we first got here. What's it called again?"
"Amy's," He answers and I snicker.
"Creative names," I comment and Mia and Hayden both laugh.
"They're sisters," Mia explains smirking.
"Of course, they are."
"Small town man," Hayden says.
"Speaking of small towns," Mia trails off and I follow her gaze, suddenly feeling like cold water is being poured down my back.
"They're everywhere," Hayden scoffs.
Aaron is at the other side of the diner, talking to one of the guys behind the counter. I can't see him very well, but I know that mess of dark curls anywhere. As if he senses us starring at him, he turns and looks us over, landing his eyes on me.
I see the guy he was talking to behind the counter hand him something, menus, that's when my eyes close on the name tag hanging crookedly on his shirt pocket. Oh god, he works here. Wait, isn't he supposed to me at school. I mean, he could ask me the same thing.
We stare at each other as he gets closer and closer to my table.
"How's your day going?" His crisp voice says, sending shivers down every part of my body.
"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Hayden asks annoyed but bluntly. Mia kicks him the under the table and shoots him a dirty look for being rude.
"I have a spare period in the morning, so I take an extra shift. What's your guys' excuse?" He asks. Even though he is talking to all of us, his eyes don't leave mine once.
"We were hungry," I answer.
"Came to the right place then," He says with a smile and hands us all menus.
"There's only two places we could've gone, and we were at Amy's last week." Hayden scoffs rudely. I raise my eyebrow at him and he shrugs at me when he sees my disapproving look.
"Well then, I'll let you guys look over the menu, I'll be back in a few to take your orders." Aaron says, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. I give him my best apologetic look before he leaves.
"I don't like them any more than you do, Hayden, but you don't need to be so rude." Mia says, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't care, the fag will probably spit in my food." He says and I freeze. Mia looks over at me alarmingly and we hold each other's eyes. I know she's trying to tell me not to listen to him but I have to sit on my shaking hands anyways.
Hayden acts like he said nothing out of the ordinary and Mia goes along with it well, but me, I can't breathe. I stare down at my menu and try to concentrate on reading the words on the laminated red and yellow paper. I decide to go with the easiest option, The Classic Breakfast.
Aaron returns shortly with glasses of water in classic diner frosted cups and a notepad.
"So, what did you guys decide on?" He says with a polite smile. I daze at him as he takes the other's orders. I watch the veins in his slender and long hands write down their orders, his writing is quick and he doesn't pick his hand off the page, indicating his use of cursive. I study his hand more and it's almost like I can feel his palm against mine once more, I can feel his pulse racing against mine. The soft, coolness of his touch, the way his fingertips ignite goosebumps everywhere they touch. I swallow hard.
"Bell?" Mia's voice breaks my trance.
"Hmm?" I ask, taking my gaze off of Aaron and onto my best friend.
"What are you getting?" She asks with a giggle. I feel my face heat up instantly.
"Oh uh, the Classic Breakfast." I answer, looking back up at Aaron as he writes down my order, he doesn't even look at the notepad as he writes, just into my eyes the whole time. How is something as simple as hands so beautiful?
"And to drink?"
"I know I want a milkshake, which one is the best?"
"Chocolate," The word rolls off his tongue so deliciously and there's a glint in his stormy eyes. Oh god.
"Hmm, I'll have that then." I decide.
"Good choice," He says to me then turns to the others, "I have your orders out soon."
I watch him as he walks back over behind the counter and slips the notepad over the window to the cooks in the kitchen. He starts washing some frosted glasses in the sink, and I stare at him, at his arms and how the veins trailing up them twist and turn as he scrubs more glasses and plates.
"What a weirdo," Hayden comments and I have to drag my gaze away from the Dead Boy and back to my friends. Mia is giving me a knowing look, his big brown eyes accusing me of something unspeakable. I ignore her disapproving look.
*** *** ***
The week flies by, a mix of secret meetups in treehouses, breathlessly racing and being dragged all over town by a crazy Mia. Saturday comes faster then I anticipated, I have no idea what kind of "thrill" cliff jumping will bring me, but I trust the boys. I think?
It still boggles me how the Dead Boys put themselves through life threatening situations to make them feel alive, I'm sure you can feel alive just fine staying home and reading a good book. I don't even buy that statement.
Toby told me that because Caleb owns a big black rusty SUV that acquires the six seats we need, he'll be the one driving. Something tells me that Caleb isn't the most skillful or safe driver, but hell, we're about to go cliff jumping. Oh god, I can't even think about it.
Toby also told me, that they'd be here by nine o'clock am. Well, it's two minutes past that and every few seconds I have to wipe my ever-moistening hands over my dark green kakis.
There's a knock at my bedroom door, and I give a half heartily, "Come in."
I expected it to be my mother, but instead five Dead Boys pool into my room like water overflowing out of a sink. My room which is a decent size, shrinks more and more as each boy cascades into the room.
"Nice room man," Azul says, bringing his hand up and giving me another weird bro hug hand thing.
"Thanks?" I say but it sounds more like a question. It seems so surreal to have all of them in my room like this.
Bentley is a bee, buzzing around my room and inspecting every nook and crany. Caleb's eyes follow him protectively, as if a rabid dog was going to jump out of my closet and attack him.
How do the other boys not see the static between them?
"Ready for a crazy day?" Toby asks. I laugh nervously and the other boys chuckle at my reaction.
"You'll be fine my friend," Azul says, his accent a slur in the early morning.
"Whatever you say," I catch Aaron's eye as I say this and he gives me a warm smile. He looks tired; his dark hair messy- messier than usually, his porcelain skin illuminating the circles under his eyes, his thumbs that continuously twirl around each other. There is obvious excitement in his eyes through, they sparkle as the sun peaks out of my blinds, as if the light was reaching towards him, arms open. He's beautiful.
I jump as Azul pats me on the shoulder and leads me out of the room, the rest of the boys following.
"Bell?" My mother's voice rings from the kitchen. I'm surprised she let all of these guys in our house, I mean, she's probably just happy I have friends for once.
"Yes mum?" I ask, following her voice. She's leaning against the kitchen counter in polar bear pajama pants and a cardigan wrapped around her small frame, she's also wearing fluffy blue slippers.
"I'm happy for you," She says quietly and pulls me into her arm. I relax in her arms and hug her back gently. When I pull back I notice that there are tears in her eyes, I bet she thought she'd never see the day where five people showed up at my door, five friends.
"I love you." I tell her firmly and kiss her cheek.
The boys where politely waiting outside the kitchen as my mum and I talked, they all gave me small smiles as I joined them again, even Caleb.
We all climb into Caleb's SUV, Toby's description of the vehicle was spot on; big, black and rusty. Bentley calls shot gun and no one challenges him on that. Toby and Azul sit in the middle seats and that leaves me and Aaron in the very back.
Rivertown is about an hour and a half away from Woodstown, and just by the way Aaron and I look at each other as Caleb pulls out of my driveway, I know it's going to be a long drive.
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A/N:
Hey guys, sorry its taken me so long to update!
It's senior year so I've been focusing a lot on school and thinking about which universities I want to go to. It's been a crazy two months since school started again, I can tell you guys that.
But anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next one is going to be really fun and I'm excited for it!
Also, I made you guys a character pic. You guys obviously imagine the boys differently than I do, so if these don't match how you picture them that's 100% okay! This is just how I picture them.
-Hannah