CINNAMON GIRL
- LANA DEL REY
━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━...‥・
it was a silent car ride for the most part. andrew snuck discrete glances towards the girl, failing to notice she could feel the intensity of his stare. directions weren't needed for andrew's many times visiting the perez household for the eldest.
"looks like mama's home." alaska breathed out, slouching in andrew's passenger seat slightly at the realization.
andrew had heard many stories of the infamous aaliyah perez from ashton as well, but for the most part, the boy seemed to act as if he didn't even claim the woman as his mother. andrew couldn't help the curiosity that grew when thinking about how alaska might've felt towards the woman.
last he'd heard of aaliyah was months before when ashton made a comment about the woman leaving the two and their father for the hundredth time, it'd seemed.
"thank you." alaska whispered, her eyes intact on her house through the windshield. "for the ride, i mean."
"anytime." andrew replied, glancing towards the girl once again. "he's going to be okay, you know? he always is."
alaska let out a soft, short laugh at the words. she nodded as she sat up in the seat. "i know."
"you should probably clean that." andrew motioned towards her hand that was covered in dry blood from earlier in the night.
"yeah, well, that wasn't my first tango and it definitely won't be my last, bazzi." alaska tilted her head towards the boy. "you seemed freaked out back there. you never been in trouble before?"
andrew shrugged his shoulders. "not really. not with the cops, at least. i always make sure i'm out before it gets serious."
"i'm surprised." alaska's eyebrows shot up at his words. "anyone who puts themselves in ashton's company usually falls victim to his decisions. i love my brother, dearly, but he ruins everything good."
"and you?" andrew countered back, sending her a look of curiosity. "you ruin everything good too?"
"you could say it ruins in the family." alaska replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
"i'd have to disagree."
"you don't know me." alaska countered back, quirking an eyebrow.
"i know ashton." andrew mirrored the look she was sending his way.
"but you don't know me." alaska turned her body towards the boy.
"enlighten me then, miss perez." andrew could feel his heart jump to his throat when alaska leaned over the center console, her lips just inches from his ear.
"i don't think you could handle me, mr bazzi." alaska grinned at the nervous movements the boy would make despite trying to hide the fact.
"you don't know me." andrew uttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
alaska pulled away from the close proximity, tilting her head as she studied the boy. "touché."
a blanket of silence fell over the two after that. alaska knew she should've gotten out of his car. she knew she should've went inside to deal with her mother's return and ashton most likely being behind bars, but she couldn't find the will to do so.
andrew felt as if his mind was going into overdrive with thoughts. he'd watch her from the sidelines for years, never daring to get too close in fear of ruining his friendship with ashton. in fear of getting his heartbroken by the infamous alaska perez.
"do you want to go somewhere?" alaska mumbled, catching the boy's attention once again. "i don't really want to—"
andrew watched the way she motioned towards her home where the lights were still on. alaska knew the second she saw it, her parents were most likely awake doing god knows what since they've reunited.
"but, don't say yes simply because you can't deny my breathtaking looks." alaska spoke playfully, andrew chuckling slightly at her words. "free will and all, of course."
andrew glanced to the perez girl only to see her eyes already intact on him. "where to?"
━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━...‥・
andrew and alaska recited next to one another, his hand skimming against hers every so often. he'd sneak glances at her, enjoying the sight of the girl in her own world. her brown orbs shined due to the moonlight ascending from above their heads.
"you're staring." alaska kept her eyes intact on the stars in the sky.
andrew quickly looked away, going to respond, but didn't get a chance to when his phone began to ring in his pocket. the sudden noise caught both teenagers attention.
"it's ashton." andrew said, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at his phone screen.
"may i?" alaska motioned towards the phone. andrew quickly nodded, letting her take it from his hands to answer. "hello, brother."
"where the fuck are you?" ashton didn't waste a second to ask.
"better question would be how're you not locked up right now." alaska countered back with a roll of her eyes.
"aaliyah's back."
"yes, i'm aware." alaska replied dryly, not showing the fact that she was beyond relieved to hear her brother's voice once again. "so, you're home?"
"duh." ashton's tone mocked hers. "tell andrew to get your ass home."
with that, the line went dead. alaska rolled her eyes, handing the phone back to andrew.
"i should get you home." andrew said softly, sliding off the hood of his car.
alaska felt the frown tug at her lips, but nodded nonetheless. she followed his actions before getting back into the passenger seat as andrew did the same on the drivers side.
it was another silent car ride, but neither teenager minded the fact. it was a comforting silence, one they didn't want to interrupt.
alaska began to doze off a few minutes down the road back to her house. andrew snuck glances as he'd done earlier in the night. her head was leaned against the window, so andrew made sure to make the drive as smoothly as possible.
ashton was already on the front porch when andrew pulled his car into their driveway. he was smoking, his eyes intact on his friend's car as he did so. andrew glanced from the boy to the sleeping perez in his passenger seat.
"alaska." andrew spoke gently, shaking her arm lightly. alaska gasped awake shortly, her hand wrapping around andrew's wrist. "jesus."
alaska hesitantly dropped her hold on his wrist, letting out a shallow breath. "sorry."
"it's okay." andrew replied, trying to catch the breath he'd lost due to alaska's impulsive moves.
alaska stared to her house blankly before she glanced back to andrew. she leaned over the center console, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
"goodnight, andrew."
"goodnight, alaska."