"I feel like my heart is stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, I'm under pressure 'cause I can't have you the way that I want." — Ariana Grande.
Chapter Theme Song: 'Honeymoon Avenue' by Ariana Grande.
••
Kelly
A soaked puppy.
That's what I resemble at this moment. My hair is pasted to my forehead, my uniform now clinging to me heavily, and my socks making squeaking noises in my shoes.
Fuck Kevin.
Fuck Mr. Todd.
And fuck that bus stop that is so damn far away.
I failed my driving twice in a row which is the reason I am without a car. My mom has scheduled a third test later down in the year, but by then I will already be graduating high school. Hopefully.
My target finally comes into view. A shabby bus stop with a rusty zinc ceiling dented with holes. It won't be enough to shelter me from the rain; that's for sure. I check the slim watch on my wrist, wiping away the water droplets gathered on the screen to read the time.
7:02 pm.
I sigh and glance down the road, squinting my eyes from the kaleidoscope of colors radiating from the cars' headlights. Hoping a bus will come soon, I turn my gaze in front of me, clenching my teeth tightly due to the cold.
Suddenly a car slows down beside me, a loud horn jolting my head in its direction. I narrow my eyes at the tinted windows as the horn hoots again. Mistrustingly, I look away and increase my footsteps.
Oh no, I won't be getting kidnapped today.
The anonymous vehicle starts to slowly trail behind me and my feet almost tangle together as I begin to run-walk, my waists wiggling rapidly as if I have somehow become Shakira. All those twerk-practice videos are truly paying off. The hips don't lie.
Increasing its velocity, the car steadily paces in line with me as the front window rolls down.
"Little girl."
"Leave me alone! I am calling the police!" I yell, refusing to look in the direction as my limbs keep moving.
I hear a sigh of annoyance before the person speaks again. "Kelly Young."
Wait. Mr. Todd?
I look beside me to see my history teacher glaring at me from behind the wheels, an impatient expression etched on his face.
"Sir." I stop in my tracks in surprise, and the car comes to an abrupt halt as he emits a loud exhale.
"Get in."
What heavenly power possessed him?
I quickly recover and open the door, shuffling in and sending him a grateful smile. "Thank you." Droplets from my hair splash into his face as I swing my head around to close the door, generating a sigh from him as he shut his eyes and wipes it away.
The warmth of his leather seat hugs me pleasantly, and water from my clothes drips onto his mat, causing his face to form a loose frown.
"Christ. You soaked up all the rain."
"I am sorry." I quickly say, and he shoots me a glare.
"Stop apologizing all the time. I told you I don't like it."
"Sorr—" I purse my lips quickly, and he gawks at me in bafflement before reaching up to switch his ceiling light on. The yellow glow illuminates the car as he stretches a hand to his backseat.
I take the moment to look around at the black interior of the space. His car is spotless and clean, the smell of air refresher and new leather wafting the atmosphere. I see no sign of imperfection in sight and once again, I am not surprised.
"Take your shirt off and put this on." He extends to me a light blue dress shirt, one similar to the one he's wearing. Does this man keep an entire wardrobe in his car?
I shake my head, not wanting to be a bother. "Thanks for caring, but I don't want to trouble you to—"
"You're wetting my car seat."
And what a bummer.
I blink my eyes and he pokes the corner of his mouth with his tongue, waiting for me to accept the shirt. Not because he cares about me, but because he doesn't want his seat to get wet. Motherfucker.
"Okay...thank you..." I take it from him, and he settles comfortably in his spot, tapping the pad of his fingers against his steering wheel.
I begin to undo my shirt but stop when I recall that undressing when a man is right next to me, more so my history teacher, is quite uncomfortable.
"Sir..." I timidly begin, and he pulls his gaze to me.
"Could you..." I drop my eyes to his gear stick. "Please look the other way."
He keeps his gaze on my crimson face; studying it before he swallows and swings his head toward his tinted window. "Don't worry. I wasn't planning on looking."
I swallow. "Thank you..." I hastily undo my tie then unlatch the buttons on my wet school blouse, shrugging it off my body. I have a very small bust, so I still wear training bras. The main disadvantage is the fact that the material is unreasonably thin, so needless to say, it's as damp as my shirt is at this moment. I decide to take it off as well, tucking the wet garments in a clear plastic bag I had taken some fruits in this morning.
I bend over to my bag on the floor and unzip it, quickly shoving them in. As I straighten up to reach for the dry shirt, Mr. Todd suddenly swings his head around and I almost scream, grabbing the shirt and covering my bust as he hastily looks away.
"Christ, Kelly."
"Why did you look?!" Oh my God.
"I thought you were done; you went into your bag so I thought you were finished. Jesus."
Oh my God, he saw it. He saw my chest. I wanna die.
"I am sorry," he says, and I bite my lip so hard it almost bleeds as I quickly push my arms through the sleeves.
God. Someone please kill me.
He presses his thumb and index finger at the corners of his eyes before blowing his cheeks out. "Tell me when you're done."
I hitch the last button with trembling hands, the embarrassment expanding at every passing second. "I-I am finished."
He straightens up in his seat and turns his ceiling light off before putting his hands on the steering wheel. The car is now dark, with only the glowing control features of his dashboard being the sole source of light. I keep my vision in front of me, not finding the willpower to look at him. At least with such insufficient lighting, he won't easily be able to see how red my face is. I feel so deflated. To make matters worse the globes on my chest resembles those of a middle-schooler. Pointy and unattractive. I want to walk to the ends of the earth and skydive off a cliff.
He starts up his engine, still refusing to look in my direction even though I am now fully clothed. Transfixing his eyes ahead instead. "Why were you walking in the rain?"
I glance at him but look away in short order. "My mom's working late so she asked my brother to pick me up, but he had hockey practice and—"
"Seatbelt."
Okay, he doesn't care.
"Yes, sir." I pull the strap and latch it as he reaches over to his control panel and turns on the heater. The warm breeze circulates through the compact space, causing my frozen muscles to relax comfortably. This is nice.
As he drives off, I try to forget the mortifying predicament earlier and focus on the raindrops hitting the windshield before the wiper scrubs them away, creating a smeared view of the outside. Flashing headlights and moving vehicles become visible just before the glass gets spotted again.
His shirt is warm and smells pleasant, and due to my petite frame, it could easily pass for a dress. My arms are lost inside the sleeves and the shoulders keep slipping off my body now and then, resulting in me adjusting them every half of a second.
We meet upon a tight traffic jam, and Mr. Todd sighs in exhaustion before glancing down at his wristwatch. Perching his elbow on the window ledge, he presses his forefinger and thumb to his forehead, and I can tell that he's burnt out. A small tinge of sympathy springs within me. He had a long day at work and had to stay back to assist me with my assignment. I didn't make it easier for him either because of how long I took to grasp a single concept.
The shoulder of the shirt slips off again and I try to fix it, causing him to look over at me with sleepy eyes.
"Stop fooling with the shirt."
"It keeps falling off." I frown, and he sighs and unlatches his seatbelt, leaning over to my side of the car.
"That's because you didn't close the neck button." He holds both ends of the shirt and the top parts of the young circles on my chest come into view. I burn a bright red as he swallows and looks away from the sight, pulling both sides of the garment together so he can fasten the top button.
I gaze up at his flawless countenance, staring at the black beauty spot at the corner of his straight nose. He is quite attractive, without a doubt. He reaches for one of the sleeves and folds it a few times until my small hand breaks free. He repeats the same action with the other sleeve before he moves away and settles back into his side of the car, leaving me feeling heated and flushed.
"Thank you..." I mutter.
He doesn't say anything as he lightly steps on the acceleration, moving up in line before the car comes to stop again.
A silence sweeps throughout the air, and I glance down at his radio. Does he not listen to music? God, the silence is torturous.
And then my stomach decides to growl, a loud awful roar resonating through the thick stillness. I shut my eyes with shame, and Mr. Todd peers over at me.
"Did you not eat lunch, Kelly?"
I grope my unsettled stomach, salivating my lips bashfully. "Yes sir, it's just...I tend to get hungry fast."
I prefer not to look in his direction to witness his bemused facial expression, so instead, I turn my head to the tinted window, inwardly scolding myself for being such a greedy hedgehog.
You ate a whole plate of nuggets plus Derrick's share at lunch, Kelly. What on earth is your problem?
"Would you like something to eat?"
"Yes!" I answered way too fast that Mr. Todd has to gawk at me in absolute amazement. I sink in my seat, my face becoming red as I try to fix it up.
"I mean, I-I would appreciate it..."
He swings his head in the opposite direction, and I can't tell if he's laughing at me or something as he eases up to push his hand into his pocket. He retrieves his wallet, sinking his foot lightly on the gas to move up in line while his gaze is fixed in his brown notecase.
"The traffic won't be letting up soon and McDonald's is right down the street, I would use the drive-through. Would you want that?"
A smile is fighting its way onto my face, but I try to contain my excitement as I nod subtly.
"Yes sir, I would."
However, my elation doesn't go unnoticed to the observant Mr. Todd as he easily reads through the bright eagerness in my eyes.
I love food. And I don't care how thick my legs are.
Food was meant to be eaten. To hell with anyone who says otherwise.
Soon he turns off the road and the huge, illuminated 'M' on the building causes my grin to break free. My inner self is currently twerking like a pro at this moment. The smell of fried food marinates the air and I bounce in my seat noticeably, prompting Mr. Todd's head in my direction. Sensing his gaze, I erase the smile and try to appear civilized.
"Good evening, welcome to McDonald's what can I get you?"
I peer over at him, waiting for him to speak, but he leans his head against his headrest and nods as a way to tell me to order what I want.
And this is the highlight of my entire day. I deserve this after all the shit that I have been through today.
I turn to the order window. "Can I have a double cheeseburger with extra mayonnaise and ketchup? No pickles, extra onions, and large fries." My eyes flicker to him, wondering if I am being too picky. He makes a cup with his hand and puts it to his head. I understand the gesture and turn to the window again.
"And a large cherry soda."
"Okay. Is that it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Okay, please pay at window number one."
"Thank you."
Mr. Todd pays for the food with his card and I collect my order giddily. He leaves the grounds of the fast-food eatery and rejoins the traffic jam. I impatiently unwrap my burger, the scent of grilled onions and mayonnaise causing me to sigh in contentment. When it comes to food, the whole world is at a standstill. I tend to forget where I am or who I am around, which is the reason one of my legs are now comfortably tucked underneath me as I bite into the sand-which, not caring that Mr. Todd is right next to me witnessing my ravenous guzzling.
After a few bites, I realize that he didn't buy anything for himself, and I wipe my lips as I look at him worriedly.
"Aren't you hungry?"
"Nope. I had a diet bar earlier. Plus, I don't like eating at fast-food places," he discloses.
"Why?" I am chewing while I ask this, and he looks over at my mouth before frowning and looking away.
"Just finish eating first, Kelly. God, I am seeing your entire esophagus."
My forehead wrinkles bewilderedly before I swallow the portion in my mouth. "Are you allergic to junk food?"
"No. I just prefer cooking my meals."
I raise my brows, impressed. "You can cook?"
"Of course I can, Ms. Young." He brings his attention to me, jerking his head toward the napkin on my lap. "Clean your lips off; there's mayonnaise all over them."
"Yes." I sheepishly reach for it and wipe my mouth as he steps on the gas again. I focus ahead, noticing that the traffic jam has finally cleared up.
"Where do you live?" He questions as I finish up the last of my meal.
"Sunrise Close," I answer, putting the straw between my lips and slurping the liquid. Mr. Todd flashes me a look of disapproval and I blink my doe-like eyes, wondering what I did now.
"You see, Kelly. I tend to dislike food noises. For instance, awful chewing and loud slurping. There is no need to make that much noise while eating."
I pop the straw from my mouth, my lips red and wet from the cherry-flavored drink. "I apologize."
"Don't put yourself in the position to give apologies. I told you that today." He forks a hand through his hair, the silver ring on his finger glistening amidst the dark. "Think it's time we part ways for the night. I have had to deal with you too much in one day. Where is it that you said you live?"
"Sunrise Close..." I grumble woefully.
"Oh."
"Is it past your stop?" I wonder, and he shakes his head.
"No. I live around there too."
My eyes grow wide, a bit too thrilled for some odd reason. "Really? Where exactly?"
He slopes his head back. "And why should I tell you? So you can find my house and annoy me like what you do at school?"
I crinkle my nose. "I wouldn't..."
"Scheme Four." He breathes, and my face pipes up again.
"I live in Scheme One." I smile brightly, and he looks at me before looking away again.
"Make sure you pack your things up. We are almost there. Don't leave any of your resources in my car. Understood?"
"Mm..."
He narrows his eyes at me. "Don't 'mm' me, Kelly."
"Yes, sir." I hide an eye roll as I turn my face away, stuffing the burger wrapper into the clear plastic bag I got the meal in.
Why is he so bent on me calling him 'sir' all the time?! What a conceited jerk! But seeing that he bought me McDonald's, I will go easy on him.
"Thank you for taking me home." I suck the sweet taste from my lower lip, and his eyes dip to action before he diverts his attention back to the road, turning into our shared neighborhood.
"When you get home transfer the math work onto a paper, Ms. Carter does not accept assignments in books. I am sure she told you guys that."
"Yeah. I know, sir."
"And please, knot your tie properly tomorrow. I will send you the videos as soon as I get home."
"Thanks." I smile a little.
"Your house number."
"28."
"Okay."
He drives up to the large gates of my dwelling and park by the curb. The housings in Sunrise Close are mainly two-story and three-story buildings with modern infrastructure. Courtesy of my hardworking parents, I have grown up being comfortably sheltered, though I wouldn't class myself as being at the extreme top of the monetary ladder.
The house is partially in pitch darkness, with just the blue glow of the television light coming from the living room. I figure it's the babysitter, Caroline, who is in charge of taking care of my little sister whenever my parents are working late. They are both surgeons at the Cornwall Local Hospital, having quite a busy schedule most of the time which leaves me having to depend on Kevin for a ride home occasionally.
I unsnap my seatbelt. "Thank you for taking me home, and for the food...and the shirt. Oh! Your shirt." I gesture to it when he shakes his head quickly, not wanting to witness another sight of my nudity perhaps.
"Just keep it," he says, and I nod subtly.
"Okay...thanks again." I feel awkward for no apparent reason as I slide out of the car, grabbing my knapsack off the ground before closing the door.
I make my way up to the pavement to the timber doors of my house, feeling his eyes boring through my back. As I grip the handle, I slowly turn my head to see his car just propelling down the street.
A small smile grace my lips and I open the door and enter the house, closing it after me.
~
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