Chapter Eighteen
"No, keep the water in it while it microwaves. You drain it afterwards."
My mom furrows her eyebrows, "Then how are the noodles cooking if all of the heat goes into the water."
Wow, she actually cannot cook.
I've been trying to teach her how to make ramen noodles for the past ten minutes but she needs an explanation for everything I tell her. It's hard to explain the reasoning behind microwaved noodles. It's even harder when the person you're talking to has a cooking skill that doesn't go beyond toast.
"Just do it mom, stop asking questions." I groan out and she gives me a sheepish smile before setting the bowl in.
She pushes for three minutes and it begins cooking.
"If you go out today can you stop by the store and pick up a jug of orange juice. We're almost out and mama needs her vitamin C."
She knows I hate it when she refers to herself as 'mama'. It's not that bad when she's talking about simple things like, 'mama's hungry' or 'mama needs a nap' but when she says stuff like 'mama bear started her period and the cubs are worried', I begin to worry.
It's best to just get her out of that habit so every time she says it I've started giving her a look that reminds her how much I hate it, not that she cares but it helps me to think I'm making a difference.
"Sure, I'll go out anyway. I don't have any plans for the day."
Plus, I'm needing more underwear and lotion.
I grab my keys and open the front door. As soon as the door is opened, there's a body blocking my view of the outside world. The body belongs to Trace.
"Look who woke up before noon." he grins at me and I roll my eyes.
"It's eleven thirty. I've been awake for at least twenty minutes already."
He laughs before speaking, "Are you doing anything today? The kids went to a friends house and I need a friend, will you be my friend and keep me entertained?"
I give him my best thinking face even though I decided I would as soon as he spoke the words. He looks at me with impatience as I rub my chin.
"Hmm," I say for dramatics, "I guess, but we're going shopping."
He nods, "I'm in."
We get into my car and for the first time ever, I'm driving him somewhere instead of the other way around. I don't know why this excites me so much. It's like a new sense of control and I like it.
He puts his seat belt on I pull out of the driveway, careful to avoid his truck that was parked behind.
"Do you remember how we met?" I ask.
He looks at me as if he's amazed I'm even asking. Of course he remembers how we met, it was a wild situation.
The question was more rhetorical but he answers anyways with a nod.
"Well the same guy that was in the parking lot was outside my house last night."
As soon as those words leave my lips he's turned to face me with concern.
"What'd he do?"
I shake my head, "Nothing, absolutely nothing. He told me his name and I asked him why he doesn't try talking to me-"
"Wait," he interrupts, "you spoke to him? You got close enough for a conversation?"
His words don't seem angry but annoyed. It's like he doesn't know what could posses my brain into talking to the man when I should've been running back inside where it's safe.
"Yes," I start before second guessing myself because I didn't really get close. We shouted at each other from across the yard.
"Well, no. But that's not important." he raises his eyebrows and I continue, "Look, that night I called you on the phone freaking out, he was out there. I tried to convince myself it was just a shadow but it wasn't. He was in the same place last night but the crazy thing about it is that he's never tried talking to me. He just watches. He's never even tried attacking."
Trace looks at me with disbelief, "What do you call it when he grabs your arm and won't let you go?"
He's referring to when Liam grabbed me outside of the grocery store. Yes, he hurt my arm but that was different. If he wanted to hurt me he could've easily. He had plenty of time to do it before Trace got to me but he didn't, he just held me like he couldn't let go.
"Confused?" I say but it comes out as more of a question.
I continue, "I don't think he know's what he's doing, Trace. He seems unsure of what he wants and like everything he does is meaningless. I don't know who he is or what he wants but I don't think he knows either."
"Are you sticking up for him? Emma, he could've seriously hurt you."
"I know and that's what I'm saying. He could have, but he didn't."
"So what are you saying, he's a good guy?" Trace asks.
He seems confused on what I'm talking about but he isn't aggravated. He's trying to understand and see Liam the way I do.
"No that's not what I'm saying. I just think maybe he isn't a bad guy, he's just lost in himself. I feel sorry for him."
There's nothing scarier than being stuck inside your own head. Where your mind is your worst enemy and there's nothing you can do to stop it.
I'm not an expert on the human brain but for as long as I can remember I've been obsessed with it. There's so much to learn and explore about our minds and everything Liam did yesterday proves that he's still exploring his own.
Trace nods and gives me a small smile, "Only you would be able to feel sorry for a man stalking you."
I laugh, "Well what can I say. My heart is bigger than my ass."
He throws his head back laughing and I pull into the parking lot.
We get out of the car and head inside to get the few items off my mental list.
"What's the first thing?" He asks as soon as we walk through the doors.
I don't necessarily want to take Trace with me to browse though panties. How could I send him away without becoming a jerk?
An idea pops into my mind, "You go find the orange juice and I'll get the other stuff."
He frowns, "I didn't go to your house and declare you my friend for the day just so that you can ditch me at the grocery store. We're sticking together."
He gives me a dazzling smile and I can hear all hope of picking out panties alone going down the toilet.
I grab a basket and we go to get the orange juice.
We go towards the back of the store, passing an assortment of groceries on the way.
"There's the string cheese." Trace points and I turn in that direction.
I see packages of string cheese lined along a bottom compartment of a cooler shelf. Why he's telling me where the string cheese is, I have no idea.
I look at him and shrug my shoulders as if to say 'so?'.
"I just thought you liked string cheese, but fine." he says like an eight year old and I give him an amused smile as he walks along side me.
We get to the juice and I set two jugs in the basket before heading to get my lotion.
When we find the isle, I have Trace help me pick the scent.
He walks through sniffing half of the lotions on the shelf until he finds one he likes.
"This one smells like a jolly rancher," he holds it to my nose and I take a whiff.
He's right, it smells fruity and I love it.
The scent is called 'juicy watermelon'. I toss it into the basket and it's time for the final item, the one I've been dreading: panties.
As long as Trace can be mature about it, I should be fine.
We get to the isle and an instant smile grows on his face as he realizes what we're doing. I ignore his smile and begin looking at different sizes and colors.
A man and his teenage son walk by and Trace's grin widens.
"I can't wait to rip these off with my teeth." he says just loud enough for the guys walking by to hear. The two of them begin laughing before walking off.
They're probably thinking 'these wild kids!'. But in reality, Trace is just an overgrown child and there will be no ripping of the panties with teeth.
I roll my eyes at him before tossing a package into the basket and walking away. He follows me as we walk towards the register.
"I'm going to the restroom." Trace says and I nod. I'm not sure why he announced it to me but I guess I'm grateful to know where he's going.
He turns and goes in the opposite direction. I continue walking and get a few isles down before seeing candles.
Mom won't let me have candles in my room because it's a fire hazard but I absolutely love smelling them. It's like shopping for lotion all over again, except this time I'm not buying any of the delicious scents.
There's a scent called 'Ocean Mist' and it reminds me of the beach. I've never been to the beach before but this is exactly how I'd imagine it smells.
As long as I was in California, I never went to the beach one time. I lived in a state with over four hundred beaches and never set out to visit one. I'm a moron.
I feel my phone ringing in my pocket but I ignore it. It's probably my mom calling to see when I'll be home but I don't feel like talking right now. I'll shoot her a text when we get back in the car.
Another candle that I like is called 'Glasshouse Cyprus' because it smells like cologne. Mom used to have that scent in the kitchen and I loved it so much that I'd sneak it into my room at night.
Maybe it just made me feel less lonely to be smelling guys cologne all night but whatever it was, was awesome.
I'm brought out of my candle fanatics by the intercom buzzing in the ceiling. A few moments later a woman comes on, "Emma Kennedy, your child is at register four. I repeat, your child is at register four."
Wait... did she just say-? My child?
The only person I'm here with is Trace. He's not my child but he acts like an eleven year old.
I get the front of the store and head over to register four. When I get there, Trace is nowhere to be found. A woman smiles at me kindly and points to a bench.
Then I see him, sitting on the bench with his arms crossed and a pouting lip. I laugh at the scene and he smirks before standing up to meet me.
"I could't find you."
"Haven't you ever heard of a phone call?" I say, thinking I'm being a smart ass and I just won this tiny battle until I remember my phone ringing in my pocket and me ignoring it.
He chuckles as he sees the realization cross my face.
"Let's just go check out," I say to blow off the rest of the conversation.
We walk to the register and check out all of the items before paying and going back to my car.
"So is it just a habit of yours to ignore my phone calls?" he teases as he places both of the bags in the backseat.
"No," I pause to think through my next words carefully, "I just don't like talking on the phone so I don't answer anyone's calls."
"So you never have those two a.m. booty calls where he's like 'oou come to my apartment... alone'." he teases and I roll my eyes.
"No," I laugh and shove his arm playfully.
We pull out of the parking lot and I take us back to my house.
When we get there, he grabs the bags, like the gentleman he doesn't have to be because I'm perfectly capable. But I'm not complaining.
"Mom might've let Sadie back in so be careful walking inside. She might jump on you."
He laughs and gives me a confident smile, "I think I can handle a little dog."
I unlock the door and we walk inside. Mom is chilling on the couch watching something on television.
From our spot by the front door, we can hear Sadie running through the house as her nails hit the hardwood floor in excitement.
She comes around a corner and see's Trace. She runs faster. She's only seen Trace once and she likes meeting new people, he's still moderately new and my dog is determined that he'll be her new friend.
His eyes widen as she gets only a few feet away but is still going full speed.
Just as Sadie was about to jump onto Trace's legs, he squats down and she jumps into his arms instead. He stands up, holding my dog with a grin.
I laugh and walk over to pet her, "Looks like you made a friend huh girl," I say sweetly and she licks my hand.
Trace chuckles and sets her back down.
"I told the kids I'd pick them up about four o' clock so I'd better get going."
I nod and give him a smile, "Thanks for going with me today, your company wasn't awful." I tease, he smirks.
"Anytime you want me to crash an independent outing, I'm in."
Although he embarrassed me in front of a grown man and his son and also the entire grocery store by having a woman announce my name on the intercom making it out like I lost my child, it was fun.
He's about to walk out the front door when my mom walks around the corner, "I thought I heard you come in." her eyes move over to Trace and she grins, "I didn't know you brought a friend."
Trace takes a hand from his pocket and offers it to her, "I'm Trace, it's nice to meet you Ms. Kennedy."
She takes his hand smiling, "You're polite, I like you."
Mom turns to me and wiggles her eyebrows at me, insinuating something between Trace and I.
In her mind, me having a boy over means we're dating or are about to start dating. She's already making judgements about him to see if he's worthy.
When she met Mason, it was somehow different for her. She didn't behave this way towards him, though I'm wishing she wouldn't act like this around anyone.
I mentally face-palm when Trace turns around and smirks at me, silently telling me he saw my mothers embarrassing gestures.
"I'm sorry we didn't get the proper introduction but it's time for me to pick up my little brother and sister. I hope to see you again sometime Ms. Kennedy."
He walks over to me, "Bye, Emma."
He shoots me a wink before walking outside.
As soon as he's gone mom walks over to me and leans in, "He's cute, when were you going to tell me about him?"
I shake my head, "No, he's not." I lie, "And there's nothing to tell because we're simply friends."
She gives me a look of disbelief, "Friends? How can you just be friends with a guy who looks like that?"
How could I be anything more than friends with Trace? We have no romance together and he doesn't even like me romantically. Relationships work both ways so if neither of the two are into it nothing can build.
Trace and I aren't involved in any type of romantic situation, we barely even hug. He's a great friend of mine but she's way off if she believes there's anything more.
"Why are you saying all of this? Mason is incredibly hot too but you kept your mouth shut when he came to visit."
Mom shrugs, "I'm a mother, we know things."
She doesn't say anything else as she walks back into the kitchen. I groan out and walk upstairs to my room.
She's a mother and she knows things? That just sounds like a theory considering she has no evidence. She believes Trace and I will, at some point, become something. And right now all I see in my future is college.
There's not a guy in my future because relationships take time. After my senior year I'll need every second dedicated to my grades.
She just doesn't know what she's talking about.
Authors Note:
Hey guys! Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed please don't forget to click that little star at the bottom! Have a great day and stay safe!!