Chapter Five –
“Have you seen Caleb?” Nora asked, tilting her head to the side in an attempt to get me to look up from my psychology text book.
“No.” I responded as my cheeks instantly began to heat up from the mental image of Caleb and me sleeping together.
“Hmm. Weird.” She muttered to herself.
I frowned. “Why is it weird? The guy always goes off on his own.”
“Yeah but it’s a Saturday. He usually hangs around us on Saturdays.” She pointed out.
I nodded in understanding before my eyes found the printed words of the text book again. “Maybe he’s with the others.”
Nora shook her head. “Portia just texted me. They’re all on their way up now. That means put your stupid books away, we’re going to have fun!” She pouted.
I groaned. “Can’t I use my last pass on tonight?” I widened my eyes and pouted in an attempt to do the ‘puppy dog’ look and convince Nora into letting me stay.
Her glare remained stern. “No. You’ve only gone out with us once and you’ve been here for over a month! Plus, we’re going into the city tonight, you have to come!” She insisted, grabbing the text book from my lap and slamming it shut.
I looked down at my maroon coloured jacket and grey sweats. “I’m definitely dressed for the occasion.” I commented with a sly grin.
Nora’s angered eyes slid down and examined my current attire. “Ugh, I hate you. You have 15 minutes to get dressed and meet us all back here! I’ll do your makeup, just wear something nice!” She pulled me up and began pushing me out of the cafeteria, just as our usual group of friends started to pile in.
“Where’s newbie going?” Jackson exclaimed.
“She’s going to get dressed.” Nora replied, still forcing me out.
“I hate being alone here.” Leyla whined, putting her thumb inside the book she was reading and closing it shut.
Linda adjusted her jacket to protect her from the cold. “Do you want me to stay Leyla?”
“No way! I’m not dragging anyone down with me. Go have fun! I have to live my social life through you.” She joked, bringing the book back up to her face as she began to read it.
“Ella! Go!” Nora shouted, giving me one last shove.
I laughed and began jogging away from the group, trying to get to the dorm before Nora’s wrath was unleashed upon me.
I got to the dorm room just as Caleb did. “Hey, where have you been?”
“Somewhere you haven’t.” He responded flatly.
I glared at his back as he unlocked our door. “Nora’s been looking for you.”
“I’m not going. I thought I made that obvious.” He snarled in response, swinging the door open carelessly for me to enter after him.
I closed it softly before speaking up again. “No need to shoot the messenger.” I grumbled. “Where do you guys usually go? I don’t want to be too underdressed or too overdressed.” I called out once I walked into the room full of our clothes.
There was no response from Caleb, and I frowned before turning to the doorway and squealing in shock. “You’re going?” He asked with raised eyebrows.
“Nora’s forcing me.”
“Just wear jeans and a shirt.” He grunted, turning away from the doorway.
“Real specific. Thanks for your help.” I muttered sarcastically, pulling open a drawer. I stared at the small variety of clothing in front of me. Even if I wanted to wear something other than Caleb’s suggestion; I didn’t have the material to make it happen.
I decided on a pair of light wash skinny jeans and a black tank top and black boots with a silver buckle. I slipped into the outfit as quickly as possible before rushing out of the small room.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” I asked Caleb again, packing my room key, phone and hand sanitizer into a small bag.
Caleb ignored my question completely. “Put a jacket on.”
I looked down at my outfit and remembered the cold air outside. “Right. Good idea, thank you.” I grinned sheepishly before dashing back into the room and pulling out a woollen maroon coloured cardigan.
“What if Nora asks if you were here? What do you want me to tell her?” I asked Caleb while pulling my hair out from underneath the cardigan.
Caleb let out an annoyed sound from the back of his throat. “I’ll talk to her. You’re so useless.” He scowled, getting off his bed and making his way towards the door.
I blinked back at him in shock, unsure what triggered his random outburst. He opened the door before turning to face me. “Are you planning on standing there all night?”
“Whatever PMS.” I shot back, grabbing my handbag and rushing out of the room after him.
“Shut up.” He grumbled, speeding up the pace in front of me.
I struggled to keep up with him as we made our way back to the cafeteria. “So why aren’t you going tonight?”
Caleb ignored me.
“Conversationalist at your finest.” I mumbled sarcastically.
“Do you ever, I don’t know, close your mouth and give your voice box a rest?” He snapped, stopping in his tracks to turn and face me.
“Do you ever, I don’t know, be nice to people?” I shot back, getting annoyed at his anger.
“Yes.” He replied in a bored tone.
I grimaced uncomfortably as I tried to readjust my left boot, before looking back up at him. “Just walk without me, I think I’m dying.” I over exaggerated, sitting on the cold grass.
Caleb muttered something with a clenched jaw before he stomped over towards where I was rubbing my ankle. “You’re such a dud.”
“No, I think there’s – hey! What are you doing?” I squeaked, clutching onto his neck as he lifted me off the ground bridal style.
“Taking you to Nora.”
“I told you to go without me!” I exclaimed, feeling self-conscious from our closeness.
“I was going to; but then I remembered she’d decapitate my head for ‘abandoning’ you.”
I rolled my eyes at his logic. “Well I’m glad to be such a large priority in your life.”
“You’re not.”
“It was sarcasm.”
“I know it was.”
“Then why did you respond with that? And put me down, I know how to walk.” I frowned.
“My grandmother walks faster than you do.”
“Hey you guys! It’s about time! Caleb, where have you – why are you holding Ella?” Nora asked with a confused expression, running up to us.
Caleb dropped me onto the grass without a moment’s notice, and I fell onto my butt with a painful ‘thump’. “Asshole!” I scowled, getting up and rubbing my rear end sorely.
“Shut the fuck up.” He snapped back harshly, before turning back to Nora. “I’m coming.”
My eyes went wide with disbelief. “You said you weren’t coming-”
Caleb turned back to me with a glare. “Who are you to justify my previous actions? I do what I want.”
Nora looked in between us both suspiciously before she stepped in. “Can you two leave your bickering for another night? Come on, Jackson and Harry are in the cars waiting for us-”
“I’m taking my own car.” Caleb brought up, cutting her off.
Nora let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine, whatever. We’re going to D2 tonight. Ella do you want to ride with Harry Portia and Linda or Jackson, Jacob and myself?”
Caleb replied before I even had the chance to open my mouth. “She’s coming with me.”
I glared at him, before turning back to Nora. “I’ll go with you guys.”
Nora’s gaze flickered over to Caleb momentarily before she pouted at me. “I just remembered our car is full. Jackson owns one of those 3 seated trucks.”
I could tell she was lying, but didn’t press the issue. “That’s fine, I’ll just go in Harry’s car then.”
“They already left.”
I bit my lip and frowned. “I guess I could stay with Leyla then.”
“Don’t be a brat. Let’s go.” Caleb snapped.
“I’m not getting in the car with PMS.” I glared at Nora. “How about you go with Caleb and I take your spot in Jackson’s car?”
“I need to talk to Jacob about something.” Nora quickly responded, giving me a sympathetic look.
This time I let out a frustrated sigh and turned to face Caleb to reject his over before I felt my feet being lifted off the floor and I was thrown over a broad, solid shoulder. “Hey! Put me down!”
“I will; in the car.” Caleb responded, walking away from Nora.
“Remember we’re going to D2!” She called out, before scurrying off in the opposite direction.
“What the hell is a D2?! And I can walk!” I exclaimed angrily.
“It’s a club.”
I froze. “Where… Whereabouts is it? Is it a popular place?”
The sound of a car door being opened reached my ears. “Why? Are you afraid ‘they’ might be there?” Caleb asked as he threw me onto the seat with a smirk.
I glared at his smug expression. “No, I don’t want to be seen with someone so stupid.”
His smug expression dropped to his usual glare as he examined my own expression once more before pushing himself out of the passenger side and slamming the door shut.
Seconds later, he was in the driver’s seat and the car was roaring down a long road at an alarming speed.
***
“Well it’s about time you two made it!” Jackson shouted happily, opening his arms to try and trap both Caleb and me in a hug.
We both dodged him. “Sorry, Lightning McQueen over here needed to stop and get some gas.” I explained to the group, who was sitting at a rounded booth with a neon purple light on top of it.
“It wouldn’t have taken so long if you didn’t go down and buy a chocolate bar.” Caleb scowled, taking a seat at the edge of the booth.
“That took 30 seconds; and you made it that long because you insisted on paying!”
“You still wanted the stupid thing. We would’ve been here 30 seconds earlier if it weren’t for you.” He cut the conversation short with a glare.
My nostrils flared out in anger before I turned to Nora and Jackson. “Where can you buy a drink around here?”
They were still looking at Caleb and me with wide eyes, and Nora absentmindedly pointed to the bar on the other side of the room. I ignored the stares and set off, weaving through the clusters of people in the process.
I took a seat at the white bar and waited for the barman to come to my side. “Hi, what can I get you?” He asked with a grin, wiping his hands on the black apron around his waist.
“Can I get a virgin margarita please.” I mumbled, reaching over to get my wallet out of my handbag. My eyes widened once I realised I rummaged through the small bag and realised that I hadn’t packed my wallet. “On second thoughts-”
“Just make it, and I want a beer.” Caleb’s familiar deep voice spoke up beside me. He slid the bartender a fifty dollar bill and sat on a stool beside me.
“I didn’t want the drink.”
“That’s why you walked all the way over here and ordered it, right?” Caleb asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.
“I changed my mind.” I glared back.
“So you come to a nice place with friends and this is what you do? Order a virgin drink and isolate yourself?” He questioned, ignoring my previous retort.
“Isn’t that what you’re doing right now?” I questioned, raising both eyebrows.
“No, I’m sitting with you right now.”
I put my hand on my chest and fake gasped. “You’re really letting me be in your presence? I feel so honoured! Thank you! Thank you Caleb Hunter. I’d never thought I’d ever be able to enjoy this moment with you.”
He glared in response just as our drinks were placed in front of us. “Thank you.” I mumbled to the bartender, who winked in response.
“So you forgot your wallet.” Caleb commented, nodding at the black handbag that was on my lap.
“No I didn’t.” I lied.
“Yes you did. I was watching you pack your shit. Who the fuck packs hand sanitizer but forgets their wallet?” He gave me a deliberate look before I sighed in defeat.
“Hold on,” I perked up again, realising something, “If you knew I hadn’t packed it, why didn’t you tell me?! You reminded me to get a jacket!”
Caleb just shrugged; sipping his beer.
I glared at him suspiciously before a comfortable silence settled between us. “Thank you… for the drink.”
“Go sit with the others.”
“Aren’t you going to-”
“Later. Get out of my face.” He glared at me until I jumped off the stole.
“And he’s back ladies and gentlemen.” I mumbled to myself, walking away with my drink in hand.
“Welcome back tiger!” Nora squealed happily, taking my drink from my hands and placing it on our table. “Let’s dance!”
“Uh… Maybe later.” I smiled uncomfortably, trying to escape her grip.
She pouted. “Stop being so boring.”
“I need to get used to the surroundings first. I promise I’ll dance later.” I assured her, making my way back to the booth.
Nora cheered and grinned before picking on Linda next. Linda laughed and reluctantly agreed and they both disappeared to the middle of the club; leaving me with Harry, Portia, Jacob and Jackson.
“So what’s the deal with you and Caleb?” Harry asked curiously, inching forward in seat in anticipation.
“Deal?” I questioned in confusion.
Portia rolled her eyes. “The only person who is more oblivious than you is Linda. Caleb and you obviously have something going on. So what is it? Are you sleeping together?” She questioned in a demanding tone.
I choked on the sip I had taken while she was talking. “What?! Where the hell would you get that idea from?”
Portia scoffed. “It’s so obvious.”
“Obvious? Hmm, let me give you some things that are obvious. I’ve known Harry for what, two weeks? He’s smitten for you. Jackson is also smitten for someone in this group who I’m not going to name because it’s his business but it’s still obvious. Linda absolutely hates wearing her hair down but does it anyway to cover her glasses which is also obvious. You’re so far up Caleb’s ass when he’s around it’s a shocker that you can even see straight in front of you. Those, my friend, are what I deem obvious. Caleb and I sleeping together? Don’t insult my moralities.”
Portia blinked back in shock as an awkward silence settled over the table, before a piercing whistle broke it. “Damn Newbie! No wonder you won that case that made you so famous. You’re a firecracker!”
“Why is she a firecracker?” Caleb questioned, abruptly appearing beside me for the second time tonight.
“She just wiped the floor-”
“With a napkin because I spilt some of my drink and I was really angry about it.” I quickly cut Jackson off, looking up at Caleb with a small smile.
“Just go get another one.” He stated with an annoyed look.
“That’s a good idea. Hey Jackson, come with me for a second!” I grinned, pulling the tall boy out of the booth.
“Whoa, I didn’t know you wanted me that bad. The Jacksonator is back in the game!” He fist pumped with a goofy grin before laughing at my raised eyebrows. “So why did you need me to come along with you so badly?”
“I’m no expert on the guy; but if Caleb finds out that Portia is saying that stuff about him, isn’t he going to get really angry and storm out of this place?” I questioned, my gaze briefly flickering over to the table where the group was sitting. Harry was talking to Portia – who still looked in shock – and Caleb and Jacob were on their phones.
Jackson nodded. “Yeah he will. I’ve known the guy almost all my life.”
“Exactly. We don’t want that happening.”
Jackson saluted me. “Roger that. Hey, out of curiosity, who do you think I like and what made you think it?”
I slow smile curled onto my lips. “I’m not telling you that until I see it happen.”
Jackson’s eyes narrowed before an evil glint lit up his eyes. He lifted me up and held me upside down; making me scream in surprise before bursting into a fit of laughter. “Tell me or you’ll be in this position all night!”
“Okay! Okay! Just put me down! Or up!” I laughed, trying to grip onto his legs.
“Promise?” Jackson asked suspiciously.
“I promise!” I squealed.
I felt myself being spun back upwards and was set down moments later. “Ah, head rush.” I grimaced, gripping my head while squeezing my eyes shut tightly.
“Sorry.” I heard Jackson chuckle in front of me. “Now tell me the name of this mysterious girl.”
“She’s not mysterious. It’s-”
“Hey Nora!” Jackson suddenly spoke up, his voice coming out squeaky.
Nora gave him a confused look. “Are you going through puberty again Jack?” She laughed. I watched as Jackson’s face turned red and I gave him a knowing smirk before Nora spoke up again. “It’s later. You have to dance now!”
“I’m still not in the mood. How about you dance with Jackson instead?” I grinned, pushing her over to him.
“I don’t think-”
“Don’t you dare say no.” Nora pouted up at him.
He sighed, before letting her drag him onto the small dance floor. I smiled as he awkwardly tried to dance in sync with her crazy moves before I felt someone tap me on my shoulder.
I turned around to find the bartender from before smiling at me. He had taken off his apron and was wearing dark wash jeans. “Hi, I’m Lenny.”
“Ella.” I smiled, nodding.
“I haven’t seen you around here before. Are you new around here?”
I nodded. “That’s also the reason why you haven’t seen me before.”
He laughed. “I kind of caught on to that. Are you a part of Nora’s gang?”
“I’d like to think so.” I smiled, my eyes flickering back to Jackson and Nora on the dance floor. Her movements calmed down from my last observation, and she was now teaching Jackson how to dance.
“I’m her older brother.” My eyes came back to the male in front of me, and my eyes widened in shock at the news.
“You guys don’t look the same at all.” I mumbled.
“I’m the ugly duckling of the family. Everyone inherited my mom’s looks but I have my dad’s genes.” He explained with a pout.
I smiled awkwardly. “The ugly duckling turned into a swan. You’ve still got a chance.” I joked.
He laughed before scratching the back of his head. “Hey, I know this is forward and all but do you want to hang out sometime? You’re really pretty and from what I’ve experienced so far, you’re great to be around.”
My eyes widened in surprise before I quickly replaced the shocked expression with a friendly smile. “You seem like a great guy but… I don’t really have the time between studying and college-”
“Ella. We have to go.” Caleb’s voice came from behind me. I turned to find him glaring at Lenny with a clenched jaw and fists.
“I… already? It’s only 11PM.”
His ice blue eyes flickered over to me. “Now.”
“Okay.” I squeaked, not liking the cold ring in his tone. “It was nice to meet you Lenny.”
Caleb’s arm encircled itself around my waist as he lead me out of the small club and back to the car. “Why do we have to leave so urgently? Is there something – holy shit, is this the same car we got into on the way here?!” I asked with wide eyes, examining every inch of the white Audi r8.
“Yes.” He snapped, unlocking it and placing me into the passenger seat again.
“You know, I’ve travelled by car before. I know how the whole entering thing works.”
“I don’t care. Put your belt on.”
I sighed, not bothering to be nice anymore while I pulled the black strap over my body diagonally.
Caleb got into the car and started driving in the opposite direction of the original route. “Uh… Caleb…”
“It’s a short cut.” He grunted, going even faster.
“That you’ve taken before while under the influence of alcohol and angered over something?” I questioned sarcastically, frowning at his irrationality.
“Yes.” He growled.
“Well at your speed, we’re about half way away from the club already and god knows how many miles away from the college.” I looked at the surroundings outside the car; it was pitch black, with a few flickering street lights and no sign of humanity.
“I know what I’m doing.” Caleb snapped, looking over to me.
“Can I at least know what made you so angry with me this time?” I asked in exasperation.
“I’m not angry.” He snarled, before a loud popping noise erupted from the hood of the car.
“What was that?” I questioned with wide eyes. Another noise erupted from the engine before the car started slowing down to a complete stop.
A sizzling noise followed by thick grey smoke started escaping the small gaps on the sides of the hood in front of the car before Caleb smacked the steering wheel in front of him angrily. “Fuck.”
---
Hey you! How are you doing today?
Sorry I didn’t update last week :( Because of that, I’m doing a double update! (This one, and one tomorrow!)
Picture on the side is who I envision Nora to look like! :D
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Dedicated to DefinitelySalvatore for spoiling The O.C for me -___- ily though
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