Words 1877
EMERY.
I frown as I glance into the mirror. What a retched haircut. I should've never agreed to have Addy cut it. Mom is right... for once. I really do look shitty.
I sigh and pull my hair up into a low ponytail, that being the only hairstyle I can create now. It looks a bit better. Maybe I can get extensions until I grows out. Maybe Addy can teach me. She probably knows how to do all that shit.
I turn my head to look at it from the side. It doesn't look too bad from the side. It's all evenly cut as if it was professionally done, but my face just doesn't make the look. And I thought it was so pretty when I first saw it too.
Honestly, if fucking mom hadn't made such a negative ordeal then I might've still admired it like I did.
I jump as I hear a pat on my window. I twist around slowly to see Cole hanging out of his window expectantly. I roll my eyes and open the window. "What do you want?" I tease.
"You cut your hair?" He questions, and I immediately feel embarrassed. I roll my eyes and look down.
"I don't need your fucking bullshit. I've already heard it."
"What? I just meant— I meant it looks nice." He says, his tone laced with confusion and I look up at him with furrowed brows.
"What?"
"You look..." Cole trails off, looking down, and I roll my eyes.
"I told you, I don't want your bullshit." And I slam the window. Ugly. I look ugly. I know, Cole. Please don't make it any more known.
My phone vibrates form my nightstand and I check it confusingly. No one ever texts me.
Neighbor Boy 🏠: beautiful.
I stare at the text, my mouth opening slightly. "Really want to fuck me up, don't you?" I say to nothing and no one in particular. "Too bad we're just friends or I'd let you."
I roll my eyes, huffing as I throw my phone on my nightstand again. Fuck this. He's just saying the right words to get with me. And I'm fucking letting it happen! He better know that me going to this stupid fucking birthday party doesn't change our relationship status. Honestly, we've only know each other for what? Four days? No fucking way am I letting him get in that fast.
I sigh, and look in the mirror again. I smile softly. Maybe my haircut isn't as bad after all. Cole seems to like it.
Fuck, I'm a roller coaster of emotions.
◉‿◉
When morning comes, I'm out the door without breakfast, sitting in my car. I can't bare to see mom right now. I'm sure I will break the first thing in sight if she speaks. And I plan to stay in a good mood today. I have that fucking birthday I have to go to after school and I would hate to scare the kids away with my bitchy attitude. Well, maybe I would enjoy it but Cole wouldn't.
Cole comes clumping up towards my car, sluggishly shifting his feet on the ground as if he got no sleep. "What's up with you?" I ask as he shuts the door.
He looks over at me, and I see dark circles under his eyes. "I was up all night writing."
I huff, "damn, I'm glad I'm talentless, or I'd be up all night like you."
"You already are." Cole mumbles, sighing as he leans his head on the window.
"Stalker."
"Let me sleep." He immediately says, crossing his arms as he adjusts himself.
"I'm going to hit all the potholes."
"Avoid the holes so I'll sleep fine." He smiles, his eyes shut. I furrow my eyebrows.
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind. It's a song reference." He mumbles and I roll my eyes at his immaturity.
I drive out of the driveway and head towards school. Cole is out as soon as I get on the road and he snores softly.
There's some sort of comfort that comes with the sound of snoring for me. I would like to think, and hope, that it's because I've grown up a room away from my dad, the loudest snorer in the whole world. He said he didn't always snore, that it sort of came with his age.
I could also just have an insane liking for it.
◉‿◉
"Chris has been texting me non-stop about you. He said he texted you like three times last night with no answer." Tailey says, nudging me with her food tray.
"Maybe because it was three in the fucking morning! You know, normal people sleep." No, I was up. I didn't feel like talking to him. He just had a little midnight spur to fuck that he couldn't shake without help, but I work on my own terms now. He doesn't scare me. Well, he sometimes does, but I haven't seen him in a while so my confidence is fucking sky high!
"You could at least text the dude back. He probably misses you." Tailey fake sympathizes. Yeah, she may or may not think we are together. She walked in on us once and Chris told her to hop on in, but I wouldn't have it. I told her to leave my boyfriend and I alone in our privacy and Chris didn't care enough to correct me, thankfully. "Did you guys fight?"
"No. I texted him back so stop being a nosy bitch." I lie, and stick my plastic fork into my off-colored baked beans and stir it around mindlessly.
Tailey rolls her eyes, looking over as Marisa and Elena walk over. "Woah, El. You cut your hair!" She exclaims, and I look up to see Elena with some sort of pixie cut. It looks a bit longer than a pixie cut but doesn't even pass her ears. She looks stunning.
(I don't know who this is. I found her on Pinterest...)
I huff, shaking my head and looking back down at my plate. "Yeah, I got it done at that hair salon just beside the tattoo parlor. I don't think my parents have noticed yet." She frowns slightly and Tailey shakes her head.
"Parents are assholes." She replies, and Elena nods.
Marisa looks over at me and smiles. "You cut your hair too?"
"Mhmm." I hum.
"It looks very nice, Em." Elena compliments, and I try to hide my smile.
"Thank you. Yours too."
"Alright, El. Write down the address to that tattoo parlor you mentioned. I need to get a belly piercing." Tailey speaks up, plopping down a notebook and a pen in front of Elena.
She writes it down, passing it back over to Tailey. "Careful. Eddie will talk your ear off."
"I'll handle it." Tailey says, and stuffs her notebook back in her backpack beside her. "So... who's coming to the party tonight?"
"Oh... I have to stay with Ary. She is going through some things." Elena chimes in and Marisa shrugs.
"I guess I'll come." She says and they all look at me.
"I have another party to get to."
"What kind of party?" Tailey asks, leaning in for my answer.
"A princess party, Tailey. What do you expect me to say?" I reply sarcastically, picking up my tray and heading towards the trash cans. They don't need to know where I'm going. Especially Tailey.
◉‿◉
"So, are we leaving now or going home first?" I ask Cole as I start the car. He lets out a sigh and mumbles 'home.'
He's still tired? I usually get some energy in the middle of the day. He needs to work on that shit. "You're still tired?"
"Yes, I'm still tired!" He snaps, "I didn't sleep at all a last night. Of course I'm fucking tired." I smile slightly at his attempt to be stern and chuckle.
"Alright, neighbor boy." It takes a while to get home because of fucking traffic, and Cole is silently snoring next to me again. Mom is supposed to pick Auden up today, so instead of going home I actually park my car in Cole's driveway.
I nudge his shoulder, "don't make me carry you up there." He groans, slowly opening the car door. "Can I come in? I don't want to go home."
He stops what he's doing, slowly processing my words. His expression is sluggish, and I can tell he's half-asleep. "Mkay, but I'm sleeping."
I open the door and follow him up the steps. "M-wait... uh... my mom is kind of wild." He warns and I roll my eyes.
"Okay?"
He doesn't answer and let's me inside. "Mom, dad! I'm home. I brought a friend so be cool!"
I stand in the doorway awkwardly as his mom comes waltzing into the living room with a surprised face. Oh god, maybe this is more awkward than my own home. Maybe I should've just dropped him off... "Barry! Cole brought a girl home! Aw, hello!" She exaggerates and Cole groans.
"Mom! She's a friend. Chill out!" Cole then nudges me towards the upstairs and away from his mother.
He takes me upstairs and enters the first door on the left. "Sorry for the mess." He quickly picks up some jeans and underwear, throwing them into the hamper. I admire his walls full of posters of bands.
Twenty One Pilots, A Day To Remember, even Ed Sheeran. I've heard Ed Sheeran. His songs are so fucking cheesy. I guess not everyone hates him like I do. Well, I'm not a music fan really so I shouldn't have a say. But I'm slowly getting into it.
"Um... yeah, this is it. It's kind of trashy."
I shrug, walking over and glancing at all of his things. There's something very fascinating and intriguing about his room. He has black and blue bedsheets and a pillow without a pillow case. It looks so homey. I chuckle as I see the familiar brown desk being tackled by the sunlight streaming in. "Aw your desk! Where's all the shit that's usually on it?" He normally has papers scattered all over the dark wood, but it's spotless.
"Well, I finished that song so it's now in the basement. It'll cluster up again soon. Probably tonight."
I nod, hopping up onto the desk and sitting on it. He watches me for a moment, looking at me as if he's thinking very hard about something. My chest tightens as I look back at him and I have a feeling I know what he's thinking. He then looks down, sighing. He sits down on his bed. "I'm exhausted." He then topples down on the cushions, bringing his forearm up to cover his eyes.
I slowly sit down beside him a few inches from him. "Me too." I say quietly and lay my head down beside his.
"We have to leave in an hour." He mumbles, and I stay quiet, staring at the ceiling. He's out a second later and I glance over to see his arm covering his face. I look back up at the ceiling, drawing imaginary patterns into the drywall.
◉‿◉
𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎
I can't believe we're this far in! I'm so excited.
I've made multiple new covers for this book so be prepared to see the cover change often!
Describe Tessa in three words.
Chapter twenty four: Dec. 4, 2020