chapter twenty six
florence thompson
song: push - matchbox twenty
Seven came quicker than I'd been anticipating between the slow traffic through the diner and insufferable knock knock jokes Ben was throwing out every few minutes.
Punctual as ever, Vincent was waiting outside for me, leaning against his expensive car with his phone in hand. Rico to my left gaped dramatically at him and his vehicle, causing me to roll my eyes and nudge him harshly with my elbow.
Ben was already departing, about to head towards his car.
"Goodnight, Flo. Be safe," he mumbled the last part next to my ear after pressing a swift kiss to my cheek.
I smiled in return to him as he turned and started towards his car, shoving his hands into his varsity jacket and looking both ways through the parking lot before jogging across the space. I watched him slip into the darkness of the night, a sad smile etched on my lips.
"Ready to go, Florence?" Vincent asked, pulling my attention back over to where he was easily leaned against his car still.
"Yeah, of course." I nodded, tucking my hair behind my ear and turning to face Rico who quickly enveloped me in a bone crushing hug, placing a big smooch on my cheek making me laugh loudly.
"Goodnight, chica," Rico grinned as he released me and I headed towards the passenger side of Vincent's car.
"Goodnight, chico," I replied playfully, tugging the door open and winking at him before sliding into the car.
Vincent followed suit as Rico started towards his car in the night, hitting his remote in his hand to unlock the doors, the lights of his car flashing.
"Friends?" Vincent asked as he shifted the car into reverse, pulling the futuristic vehicle out of the parking space and heading towards the main street.
His tone was tense, his gaze never meeting mine. I furrowed my brows at his sudden change of attitude compared to earlier when he'd dropped me off.
"Yeah, I went to school with Rico and Ben. They're two of my best friends," I spoke truthfully, figuring I had nothing to hide. After all they are my best friends.
He nodded wordlessly, turning onto the main road and heading in the opposite direction of my apartment complex.
"Your car is done. It was your starter, they replaced it," he spoke, concentrating on the road as one of his hands rested on the steering wheel while the other sat on the gear shift between us.
"Oh, alright," I said, mildly confused. "Thank you for your help today, and for giving me rides. It means a lot to me, really," I admitted, glancing over to him as he didn't break his concentration.
"You're welcome."
The rest of the ride was filled with complete and utter uncomfortable silence that was suffocating.
We finally pulled up to the garage and I've never felt more relieved to get out of a car than in that moment. I quickly exited the vehicle, making no move to wait for him as I entered the shop.
I began talking with the gentleman at the front desk who told me the final price of everything that went into fixing up my car. I pulled my card out, ready to hand it to him when a hand reached out from beside my head, trying to hand over a black credit card.
I followed the hand to the owner only to find a very bored Vincent.
I shoved his hand away before the man could grab it and instead shoved my card maybe a little too forcefully over the counter. The man glanced at us warily before running my card and handing it back to me. I signed the receipt before saying goodbye and heading out the front door all without acknowledging Vincent behind me.
"Florence," Vincent called after me, I could hear his steps as he followed behind. When I didn't reply, he spoke up again. "Are you going to ignore me?"
I shoved my key into the lock in the drivers door, turning it and pulling the door open.
"Thank you for your help, I truly do appreciate it," I settled for a simple thank you and was about to slide into my car when his large hand grasped my wrist, pulling me over slightly so my back was against the back door.
I sighed, craning my neck to look up at him.
"I have this thing about leaving when you're angry," he said, his hands resting on either side of me, effectively caging me in between himself and my car. "I don't enjoy it."
"I'm not angry, Vincent," I spoke in a sour tone, quite obviously upset but in true Florence fashion I decided to try my best to avoid the topic altogether.
"You're angry."
"I'm not angry."
"You're ridiculously angry."
"I am not!"
"You are."
"Fine!" I groaned, throwing my head back in annoyance. "Maybe I'm a little annoyed but it's nothing, alright? I'm just tired, I did have a late night after all."
"Have I thanked you yet for last night?" He pondered aloud, glancing down to me below him. "If I haven't, thank you, you definitely took my mind off of everything."
I felt my face warm at the memory that had been playing in my mind on loop all day.
"Of course," I mumbled, crossing my arms over my chest in a sassy manner.
He raised a full brow in clear amusement, his lips quirking up into a smirk as watched me closely.
"Why are you mad?" He asked, brushing a tendril of hair away from my face.
I released a deep sigh, debating for a few moments whether or not I wanted to divulge this information right now. On one hand I feel completely rational in being upset for just assuming I'd be okay with him paying for my car, and on the other hand I felt completely ridiculous as this was the type of relationship I'd gone and sought out on my own.
"It's not a huge deal." I shook my head, closing my eyes momentarily. "Don't worry about it. I just want to go home and get some rest."
Vincent released an aggravated sigh, giving me a pointed look.
"Just tell me, Florence."
"I just wish you'd have asked me before you just shoved your card over like I'm some burden, you know? I didn't ask for you to and I didn't even expect you to pay for the bill. It's my car! I'm a grown woman, I can pay for my car bill!" I exploded, suddenly realizing just how quickly my anger had boiled up.
I knew what I said was a complete contradiction. I'm a grown woman who can pay for her own car bill, but also can you pay my rent and tuition?
But to be fair those were the agreement, rent and my tuition. I never asked for anything else and I don't want anything else. I don't want him to see me as a charity case and I don't want to see myself as a charity case.
His expression fell quickly as he furrowed his brows together.
"I'm sorry, Florence," he breathed, a complete sincerity to his tone. "I really am. I'm used to paying for everything in these types of...relationships. This is new for me too, you know?" He admitted, running a hand through his hair and leaning back off the car, putting some space between the two of us.
"I understand that," I nodded, looking down to my feet on the ground.
It was completely dark now, being around eight o'clock. The stars were bright in the sky, the moon shining down and if it wasn't for the lampposts and lights outside of the garage it would be the only thing to illuminate the night.
"Who was that guy?" He asked all of a sudden, breaking the silence between the two of us and pulling my attention up to his face.
I furrowed my brows, confused.
"Which one?" I asked, mimicking his stance and crossing my own arms over my chest.
He looked off to the right, running his tongue over his bottom lip as he thought of his next words carefully.
"The one who kissed you, in the varsity jacket," he recalled when Ben had placed a small, friendly kiss against my cheek.
I snorted involuntarily.
"His name is Ben, I've known him since we were kids," I answered, straightening my spine so my posture was more upright.
He nodded, the slight annoyance to his expression slowly melting away. It didn't completely dissipate and I realized he'd been aggravated since he had showed up to Glenn's to pick me up. I wondered if it had more to do with his day or the kiss Ben had given me.
"You seem tense," I commented, looking up at his towering frame. "Bad day at work?" I questioned, wondering momentarily if I was overstepping some kind of unsaid boundary that was between the two of us.
He released a sigh, looking up at me with his head bowed towards the ground. I felt something stir in my stomach as I wrapped my arms tighter around myself. Vincent glanced at my hands gripping my arms before shaking out of his blazer and moving to slip it over my shoulders.
I relished in the warmth of his jacket, my heart thudding steadily in my chest.
"Thank you," I mumbled meekly, glancing up to him as he stepped back from me.
It was silent again for a few prolonged moments before he decided to speak again.
"Bad day at work," he agreed, answering my earlier question.
I drew my bottom lip between my teeth, unsure of what I could say in this moment to relieve any kind of distress going through him right now. I wondered what had happened, since things with work seemed to be not going so well for him lately.
"I'm sorry," I offered, my voice quiet.
His lips quirked into a small smile as he looked down to me, tilting his head slightly as he drank in the entirety of my appearance. I felt my cheeks begin to flush at this, a feeling I was used to at this point.
"Don't be, Florence," he waved me off, shoving his hands into his pockets. Without his jacket he was just stood in the cold night air in a white long-sleeve button up and some black dress pants. I felt bad that he'd given me his jacket to feel warm, leaving him exposed to the harsh temperatures.
"I will if I want," I said childishly, sticking my tongue out at him in hopes to soften the mood. It worked, a smile slipping onto his lips as his brows shot up in amusement.
"Did you just stick your tongue out at me, Miss Thompson?" He asked, feigning offense as he neared me, taking a step further that already placed him much closer to me than he should be considering how close we had already been standing to one another.
I jutted my chin into the air, tilting my head slightly away from him. Deciding to play the silent game, I didn't say a word to him which apparently only furthered his attack. Cold fingers gripped my jaw, pulling my face so I was now looking at him. My breath caught in my throat at his close proximity, his minty breath fanning over my parted lips.
"I can't say I take being ignored very well," he teased, his lips infuriatingly close to my own and in that moment there wasn't much more I wanted than to press mine to his.
I let out an airy chuckle. "I couldn't tell," I mumbled, glancing down to his full pink lips.
His lips quirked up into that intoxicating smirk as he glanced down to my own lips, lingering maybe a beat too long.
"I see you covered up your neck," he commented, his hand releasing its tight grip on my jaw to linger down to the spot he'd bruised as if he'd memorized its placement in his mind. He brushed his thumb over the sensitive skin.
I narrowed my eyes at him, remembering the fact that he let me go to work without saying anything about it.
"I see you failed to tell me about it," I retorted, my tone sour as I glared at him.
"Hey, I figured you were making a statement or something. That thing was pretty...out there, I couldn't see how you'd missed it," he shrugged, mocking surrender.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"Maybe because I was rushing to make it to work on time."
He chuckled, his hand finding its way back to my jaw where he softly gripped it, pulling my face impossibly closer to his own. My eyes fluttered closed at our close proximity, my heart still thudding loudly in my chest. It was amazing that he hadn't heard it, and if he did he definitely didn't show any signs of it.
"I can't say I didn't like it," he breathed, driving my hormones even crazier.
With that he gently pressed his lips against my own, meeting my every wish. I hadn't expected it, to be honest, so it took me a moment to react but when I did our lips worked perfectly together as if in sync.
• • •
q: favorite fruit or vegetable??