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I hissed loudly as Bridget ripped open my dark curtains, a ray of sun hitting my face. I threw my covers over my face, shielding myself.
"I swear, sometimes I think you're vampire. I mean you hate the sun, and your skin looks pretty dead."
I rolled my eyes, although she couldn't see it. "Well, we can't all be as flawless as you." I sighed dramatically.
"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?"
"Yeah, you." I retorted.
"Whatever just get up, we're going jogging."
I groaned as loudly as I possibly could, rolling off my bed, falling hard. I groaned again. I slowly pushed myself up, taking a look in my small vanity. I had dark circles under my eyes from staying up with Elliott to watch a new show he discovered, American Horror Story. We had watched all of season one and half of season two, it was an amazing show. I absolutely loved it. Elliott and I hadn't agreed on the characters, I didn't like Tate but he did.
I continued looking in the mirror, my lips were chap and cracked. My eyebrows could probably use a good plucking too, and my skin was as Bridget put it, dead. My skin was greyish and it had acne scars that had dulled over the years but if you looked close enough you could still make out.
I grabbed a uniform skirt, converse and undergarments walking out of the room, shoving Bridget a little in the process. I walked across the hallway to the bathroom Bridget and I shared, I slammed the door locking it. I set my stuff on the counter and began my morning routine, including shower.
I did not intend to jog during this jog.
I soon tugged the my clothes on, brushing my teeth and pulling my horribly knotted hair into a bun. I threw my messenger bag on my should, walking out Bridget and Elliott were already outside stretching.
Stupid athletically fit people.
I walked out , a small chill running through the air. Out here in California fall didn't mean a bunch of colorful leaves in facts the trees stay exactly the same, the only change is a small breeze.
I walked to the shed, wiggling the lock open. I turned the light in the shed on and found my bike, wheeling it out.
"Really?" Bridget smirked.
"I'm going to Danielle's, if mom asks I went straight to school to print something off. "
She gave me a taunting smile and I rolled my eyes at her.
I sat on my bike pedaling away, Danielle lived a few blocks away from me in a neighborhood that the people of the small suburban town of Stinson knew as Branson. Branson was a small community made up of around ten houses, the people who lived in Branson where typically doctors or lawyers.
When I arrived at Danielle's house I parked my bike in the drive way leaning it against a weird fountain in the center a small patch of green around it. The statue was of woman holding a baby in her arms, the baby had water streaming out of its penis. It was very disturbing.
I walked up to the houses front door grabbing the key from under the mat, I dropped the keys into the key bowl stalking up the stairs. I knew this house like the back of my hand, I had known it my whole life.
I sighed as I walked up the stairs of the three story home. I ran my fingers across the marble railing remembering all the times I had slid down it.
When I reached the second floor I opened the third door to my right, Danielle was already awake sitting on her bed with her laptop between her legs, her hair braided to a side and beige beret balancing on her blonde head.
She had spent the summer in France and decided to "embrace" the culture.
"What are you doing here so early?" She asked, her incredibly freckly face raising from the screen to give me a slight nod.
"I really don't want to jog with Bridget."
She nodded before going back to whatever she was doing.
My stomach let out a low growl and I remembered I hadn't had anything to eat, I told Danielle I was going to get food before walking out of the room.
I hopped down the stairs in a horse galloping way , I knew no one was home since Danielle's dad and step mom were both at work.
I slid into the chrome colored kitchen, my shoes skidding on the floor. I opened the fridge door searching, I grabbed a carton of milk , I took a step back closing the silver door.
I screamed, before coving my mouth with the same hand holding the milk and my other hand flying to my heart. I let out two deep exhales , before closing my eyes and taking in a breath.
"Cole." I muttered.
He smiled, he was only wearing a towel from his waist down and his hair was sparkling with water droplets.
I continued to the counter setting my milk down, I went to cupboard grabbing a blue polka dotted bowl, and then to get a box of cereal.
Luckily Cole was back and he too liked Coco Puffs.
I mixed everything in the bowl quickly grabbing a clean spoon from a drawer.
I took a bite to notice Cole was still looking at me, "What do you want?" I asked.
"That's my cereal."
"Finders keepers, losers weepers." I recited this knowing it was what he use to say when he ate food at my house.
He grinned, he opened the drawer under the sink and took out a spoon, grabbing a stool and dragging it beside me. He took a spoonful of my cereal munching on it.
My jaw dropped. That was not cool.
I took my bowl and sat it farther away from him, I continued eating my cereal. Looking straight out the kitchen window the day was very bright and the sky very blue.
I took another spoonful, the chocolate puffs sogging in my mouth.
"You know that's gross right?"
"No it isn't." I smirked.
"Yeah , it is." He fake gagged. "Like when you get the Cheese puffs and suck on them until they sogged and they get all flimsy and gross."
He remembered. It didn't matter if he remembered something as dumb as the way I ate Cheese puffs , all that mattered was that her remembered.
What did that mean? If he remembered then he never forgot. If he didn't forget , he cared.
But how could he care, if he didn't?
I shrugged, "At least I didn't suck the powder off Doritos. Now that's gross."
He laughed, a deep, hearty laugh I had never heard before.
I didn't know his laugh anymore.
When his laugh settled into an un comfortable silence, I stuffed my mouth with more cereal which was already sogging.
"Hey," He tapped my arm , trying to get my attention. "So, need a ride to school?"
I swallowed the content in my mouth, "Thanks, but I think I'll just hitch a ride with Danielle."
He scoffed, "I leave for a few months and you pick Danielle as your best friend?"
"You left for thirty months Cole, that isn't a few, that a whole lot." I said, filling my mouth with another mouthful of delicious chocolatety goodness.
He leaned on the counter his arm holding up his head.
"You could have gotten someone better then a loser like her."
"She's a better friend than you ever were." I shot back.
"You know we're best friends," He suddenly stood up from his chair, his towel still around his waist and a smile on his lips, "and you wish we still were."
When he turned to leave the room he dropped the towel, "And maybe more."
I gasped, my hands flying to my eyes. I didn't want to see, I didn't need to see.
So I didn't fully look.
Just a peek.
And my oh my was he a sight for sore eyes.
***
By the time fourth period rolled by I was in a grumpy mood, not only had I watched a very naked Cole but I had gotten D minus on my Geography paper, a paper cut from a book and I was pretty sure my mascara was smudged.
The only make up I wore was mascara, my eyelashes were a little too long and a little too straight, without mascara and an eyelash curler the lashes went into my eyes , constantly blurring my vision
I was slummed into my seat as Mr. Kerr ranted on and on about the importance of socialites and forming connections.
Elliott was beside me his back straight and arms crossed. He had black ear buds in and his Vans clad foot was tapping in a steady beat. Hi eyes were closed, his impossibly long eye lashed shadowing over his cheek bones, I wondered how someone's eye lashes could be so long, so curly, and so incredibly black.
I turned my attention to the sheet of paper laying on Elliott's desk, the number seven was printed neatly on the right hand corner. I noticed the seven was crossed, I never crossed my sevens.
I tilted my head back closing my eyes, I tipped my fedora down so that it covered my face.
"Miss. Stone, we are not in an Indian Jones movie and you are certainly not Indiana Jones. I suggest you sit up straight and take your hat off." I did as he said. "You see class, as Miss. Stone has demonstrated social skills are important. Especially since she has none."
I rolled my eyes, I knew Mr. Kerr was just bitter towards me since the time my mother rejected him a few years back.
My phone vibrated, it was a text from Cole.
You just got owned, Miss Stone.
I rolled my eyes turning in my chair, Cole was staring at me a small smirk on his lips when he noticed me he winked.
I turned back around my lips forming a small grin, I put my phone back into my skirt pocket.
Mr. Kerr sat back into his seat stuffing papers into a brief case, Elliott and I were the last ones to leave when the bell rang.
We both walked down the hallway, Elliott's white dress shirt made his black hair stand out, It was strange how his hair was so carelessly tousled and how from a side view his profile was actually not ugly.
I had always found side view ugly, it always made people look contorted but he didn't. His nose was a good size, his cheek bones the right angle, his chin wasn't too protruding nor was it too stuck in.
When we made it outside into the campus I felt like a vampire, the sun felt like fire on my skin.
"So."
"Shouldn't we be getting to know each other?"
He nodded, "Ask away."
"What's your favorite colour?"
"Really? Out of all the questions you could have asked."
"Just answer."
My question was dumb considering his favorite colour was black, since he wore it every single day.
"Green." He said.
"What?"
"Green, is my favorite colour."
I rolled my eyes, "I got that part."
We stayed in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. Elliott slid his bag off ripping it open, he pulled out a carton of strawberry milk drinking from it.
I grinned at his weird taste in beverages.
We crossed the street which only had two cars and a dozen kids lining it, girls wearing hideous blue plaid quilts and boys in black trousers.
I started walking a little faster than before because today was Wednesday and the faster I got home the better.
When we got home I jogged up to my room I noticed that my mom was home and she was instructing something to Bea, her assistant who wrote it down. I dropped my bag on the floor changing quickly into a pair of jeans and a red shirt. I jogged back downstairs grabbing a pair of keys from our key bowl, I got to the door, about to turn the knob,
"And where do you think you're going?"
I took in a deep breath turning to face my mother, "Today's Wednesday."
"And you are still grounded."
"Mom-"
She folded her arms taking a superior stance, "No buts."
"Mom I have to-"
"Then take Elliott."
I sighed, "You know I can't,"
She shrugged walking towards me she plucked the keys from my hand, "Then you won't go."
I groaned loudly literally stomping up stairs, I knocked hard on the door three down from mine. I was about to knock again when the door flew open.
Elliott was wearing the uniform trousers, his dress shirt was un buttoned and a black shirt underneath , figures.
"Yes?" He said leaning on door trim.
From what I could see his room was fairly messy, there were posters tapped all over the wall , he had a guitar in the left corner and a bed on the right. His bed sheets were the only white thing in his room.
"I have to go somewhere." I said tapping my foot impatiently.
"Where?"
I sighed impatiently, "Places."
He closed his door.
Rude.
I knocked again, harder and faster.
A few seconds passed and there was no reply, I knocked again.
He opened the door, he was only wearing the black shirt and sunglasses.
He walked through the door I was left stunned, a small grin spreading on my lips. I followed him down the stairs, my mom was still with Bea and they were standing in the living room, I swooped past her grabbing the keys which were still in her hand.
I smiled at her walking to the door where Elliott was standing,
"I'm going."
I said to no one in particular.