Chapter Seven- Drag or Street?
A knock on the door snapped me out of my hurting head and I swiftly swiped at my tears. I pulled away the comforter and jumped off the bed to open the damn door, knowing it was either Alden or Tabby.
But when I opened the door, there was no one. I glanced around stepping forward when my foot bumped with something. Wincing, I glanced down at a tray. Omelet and toasts were sitting there along with a full glass of orange juice, staring up at me. I looked to my right and then left. Nothing. Not a person or a sound.
It couldn't be my siblings since none of them knew how to cook. And I'd seen Jeanette and Elliot leave the house about twenty minutes ago.
I picked the tray up with my uninjured hand and shut the door. The food was still hot, so I knew that it couldn't have been made twenty minutes ago. And then why would they leave it down there on the grou--
Oh my god!
Easton made this?
He made me breakfast?!!
A fuzzy feeling filled my stomach but then it immediately vanished when his words from this morning rang in my head.
Was my pancakes that awful that he had to throw them all in the trash? I didn't even get a chance to have a taste of them. He's awful. I hate him. I started to throw the food in the trash when my stomach cried out, growling. I was starving.
There was something in his voice and in those dark turquoise eyes which told me the anger wasn't really directed at me. It came from somewhere else. He seemed far off, his gaze shut off to another world.
I sighed and took a huge bite of the butter toast.
Damn! I was famished.
I finished off the meal so quick that I almost had it coming back up my throat. Though, I washed it all down with the juice and relaxed when my whole body hummed in satisfying burp.
Soon enough my eyes were getting heavy so I decided to take a nap, my hand was hurting like a bitch and I didn't have anything to distract myself from the pain. Napping seemed good at the moment.
Sometime later Tabby came to check on me. We talked for a while and rushed to the balcony-- well I rushed-- because I heard the most beautiful sound of the roaring engine. My heart jumped in my throat and I bent over the railing to get a good look at the car.
Tabby grabbed the back of my t-shirt and rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
I grinned, ear to ear, "Did you hear that?"
She strained her ears trying to listen but was oblivious to that beautiful roaring down somewhere.
"What is it?" She asked, gazing around, slightly intrigued.
I glanced back down while she still held the back of my t-shirt making sure I wouldn't fall-- even though her grip was way too lazy.
I only saw a blur glimpse of breathtaking cherry color. And it was enough to undo me. "That car! Damn! I guess I missed it. It must be at the front of the house." I complained, pouting.
And only then it dawned on me that I was clutching the bar railing with both my hands. Mother of all holy things!!
I winced, jumping back and whimpered out loud at the sting which pierced through my whole hand. "Ow!"
Tabby smiled, her eyes teasing. "I don't get you. Cars over clothes. Boots over heels. You're definitely not from my planet, sis."
I chuckled-cried, as we walked back inside the room. She was damn right about that."Definitely not. But, who was that?"
She shrugged, "I guess Easton. He came down five minutes ago. I was with Arnold and when asked where he was heading, he said something about kicking some ass." I glared at her and she smirked at me, "His words not mine. Then Arnold said something about a race happening tonight. So I guess Easton is going--"
I almost fell off the bed, my jaw touching the floor. "He's going racing? With that car? Drag or street?"
Tabby hovered over my question then shrugged, "What's the difference?"
I bit my lip and rolled my eyes. He's going to race? With Chevy corvette. Damn! He's absolutely going to win. That engine will tear apart any other car which comes standing in its way. I'd have loved to watch the race. Oh man! How much I wished I could.
"Drag race is on the tracks with proper security and stuff but street racing isn't. It's illegal and dangerous and thrilling and exciting and..."
She laughed as if I'd just cracked a joke. But, I was serious.
"Do you know where he went?"
She shook her head and fished out her phone when it buzzed in her pocket. "Arnold just texted. I'm going for ice cream. You want something to eat?"
I shook my had. No appetite, it seemed. "Just ate." I leaned back and rested my head on the headboard of the bed, trying not to overthink the situation with awful what ifs like what if Easton had went for street racing and something bad happens to him?
See... I was worrying about the guy who called me names last night and yelled at me this morning for my probably bad cooking skills.
Tabby glanced at me and then at my empty tray. She threw her arms up and down. "Seriously Cass!! You cooked? Why? What about your-"
I shook my head, stopping her mid sentence. "Easton did."
Her eyes went wide and she grinned. "He did? Uh-huh... someone is apologizing."
I smiled and nodded at her. This was sweet of him, no matter the situation. No guy had ever made me a meal except my father.
"Be careful. He has a girlfriend, whom I no matter how much want to call a bitch, is actually a very humble and amazing person-- almost like you." Her last part brought a funny feeling in my stomach but I quickly shook it off.
I just nodded. She was right. Jeanette was kind and sweet and friendly and this morning got genuinely worried for my hand. She was even better than me.
Nothing more to say, I just hugged Tabby and she left with a promise to be safe and text if she got home late.
I strolled down to Alden's room and knocked before entering.
He smiled up from his phone at me and gestured me to head inside.
I crawled beside him on the bed and sighed.
"Bored?"
"Hmm-hm." I hummed, looking around. Every room felt like a mirror image of another.
I glanced at the balcony and could make out that he had the direct view of the pool.
Lucky him.
Or not, since Easton would be the one most of the time hanging out there.
"How's your hand?"
I looked down at it and it still hurt. A burnt bruise had formed but no bubble of any kind. The ointment was working really good.
"It's fine."
His eyes searched mine and he tucked me closer to him, probably sensing my lie. He smelled of jasmine flowers and I grinned. He would hate it if I'd tell him who he smells like.
"You don't always have to be strong, you know." His words hit home.
I mock-gasped. "Then who would be? You?"
He laughed and kissed my head. "Yes. Let me be the big brother for once."
I smiled against him, suddenly missing dad. He told us as soon as he got a new number he'd call us. Every time my phone pinged, I hoped it was him. But, it never was.
"I miss daddy."
I felt Alden nod against my head. "I know. Me too."
We fell in a comfortable silence until he spoke again. "That guy's an asshole. Don't let him get to you okay?"
"Hmmm." He was talking about Easton. I didn't want to talk about him.
He pulled away, slightly, to look me in the eyes. His serious stance was the proof of his unspoken promise to kill him if he hurt me. I smiled.
"Pancakes were amazing. That guy has some serious issues. You're an amazing cook and I'm not saying this because I'm your brother and it's my duty to say so. I'm telling you the truth which anyone would agree on."
Warmth filled my heart and tears pooled in my eyes. I had really started to doubt myself- which was stupid of me.
I nodded, smiling, and snuggled into him. We didn't really look a like. I had mom's hair and dad's eyes while he had dad's hair and mom's eyes.
Also, he smelled like her. Like mom.
He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "You ready for school on Monday?"
I sighed. "No..."
"Me neither."
My mind kept on drifting to Jeanette and Alden last night and this morning's thick tension between them to which I'd a front row seat, so I decided to question him.
"Alden?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you and... Jeanette, you know..." I blushed. I didn't talk about his sex life with him. I knew about it but talking was no no for us.
He took a deep breath and I knew he was contemplating the answer in his head. Having a war about if he should tell me or not.
I counted to seven in my head when he spoke again, "Nothing happened between us. After you left, she did too. She realized something and rushed out. Now I know why... she's asshole's girlfriend."
I bit my lip and nodded. There was something latched to his voice and I didn't like it. I liked him happy. I wished I could do something about it. But, he clearly wasn't ready to talk about it. And without knowing what was bugging him, I couldn't help him.
So I just stayed with him, in silence.
***
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my jeans and I pulled it out. Making a shade with my hand to block out the sun from barbecuing me, I squinted my eyes to read the next.
A smile crawled to my cheeks, as I read, *Vanilla or Strawberry?*
Since yesterday afternoon, Elliot had been sending me these weird random question texts. It wasn't complicated like my life so I went with it.
I pressed the sent button and another text came in seconds later. *Should have known you for Strawberry girl :P*
I laughed and replied, *Are you stereotyping me?*
Couple of seconds later his text came, *I don't have the guts to.*
I laughed again and Tabby and Alden glanced back at me with raised brows. Linda arrived with her car upfront the shopping mall, as I shrugged at my siblings, and then hopped inside the car into the backseat.
"Who's it?" Asked, Alden.
I rolled my eyes. "Elliot."
My phone buzzed again, *See you at school.*
I smiled and texted back, putting my phone in my pocket.
I glanced up and saw him still staring at me.
I raised a brow. "What?"
He just stared and looked away. "You don't even know him."
Something tugged at my heart. "Well, that's why we are talking. So I can know him and vice verse."
He sighed, running a hand through his messy brown hair. "I'm just--"
I rolled my eyes. "Protecting me. I know." A horrifying memory which I'd buried deep down in me, tried to surface again but I won.
Before he could retaliate, Linda ushered, "Elliot is a fine boy, Alden. He has manners and can be a proper gentleman when it comes to girls."
I smiled and pointed at her to emphasize what she just said. "See..."
He rolled his eyes and then shoulders, leaning back in his seat beside me. Jamey didn't want to come along and since he wasn't feeling well we let him rest.
Tabby was riding shotgun with Linda, rapidly texting on her phone, and appeared giddy and refreshed from this shopping spree whereas I felt like dead corpse.
What she didn't realize was that we were now in debt and it brought a sinking feeling in me. Linda had paid for all the clothes and school supplies. More like Mr. Brinkley since he had given her the card for our required needs.
But she was an amazing company to be with. And she was an extraordinary cook. She made us delicious breakfast this morning and had insisted to look at my hand and asked me to stay away from cooking for awhile. It was concern not insult so I agreed to her. Then later this afternoon she brought us to the mall.
When we got back to the house, it was quiet and dim. I hadn't seen Easton since yesterday morning. Not like I wanted to but, knowing he was safe and had come home unharmed from the race would have helped my slightly worried heart.
Saying my early goodbyes to Tabby and Alden I walked into Jamey's room. He was nicely tucked in a comforter and sleeping like a baby.
His mocha skin was hot as hell when I touched him, making me gasp. "You're burning up." I whispered. He groaned in his sleep and I yelled for Alden and Linda.
They barged in the room a second later with Tabby on their heels.
"He has high fever. We need to get him to the doctor, now." My chest was heaving and I didn't know what to do. Linda knelt down, checking for his pulse and then brought a thermometer. He indeed was burning up. 103.
"I'll get the car." Alden rushed out.
Tabby looked frantic. "What should I do?" I could understand what she meant. I felt the same way. I could see the worry and panic in her eyes. Getting sick in our family always led us back to mom and her sick health. Those terrible last few days.
I smiled for her sake. "He'll be fine. Relax. You stay here--"
"No. I'm going with Alden. You girls need to stay here. Okay? And if Easton comes home, call me. I need to talk to him." Linda interrupted.
"But-" I started to object when she placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me a stern parent look. "I know how you feel right now and I understand but he's going to be fine. I'll call you as soon as the doctor will be done checking him up. Okay, girls?" She looked from me to Tabby and we both slowly nodded.
My heart was throbbing in my chest and I wished I'd seen any symptom beforehand. It was my fault. I was responsible for them and I failed.
Tears pooled in my eyes but I refused to cry. Not now. Not when Tabby needed me to be strong.
I pulled her in a hug and said brave words to let her know he's going to be perfectly fine.
Not knowing what to do once they left, we plopped down on the couch in the living room, already waiting for them to get back.
XOXO
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