9 – Hayes
Now - March
Ansley walked away and it was like a piece of me went with her. I had a strong attraction towards her and hated that I was doing this, I hated that I was hurting the both of us, I cherished the friendship we've created. I just wasn't ready to risk it all and fall head first. I was fucking terrified that she would walk away from me the moment I told her about my shit ass past. I got my shit together and walked back to the table sitting down with the guys. Summer showed up and left within a few minutes, Jordan started to go after her but stopped and walked back to us.
"You good?" Kase asked.
"Fucking fantastic." Jordan spat. "Can we go somewhere else?" Kase nodded and we all paid up and headed out. Kase and I grabbed ahold of Jordan because for some reason he flicked off Jenkins and Jenkins jumped up and we basically had to break up a fight before it happened. Kase shoved Jordan into his truck and I followed in my car.
- June
I kind of went MIA for a few weeks without even realizing it. I worked like crazy, and spent all my extra time with Hadlee. I constantly told the guys I was busy and just stayed at home wallowing in self-pity basically. Until my Mom showed up at my house this morning.
"Get up, you're leaving."
"What?"
"You. Are. Leaving." She said again slowly. My brother walked in the house and laughed.
"She's telling ya ass to get up and go see your friends." Hunter explained.
"I'm good here."
"Nope. Not taking that as an answer, go. Now."
"Come on bro, I'll come with you." My Mom was already pushing me out the door I didn't have a choice in this. Hunter was behind her laughing.
"Whatever, the guys are at Libby's."
"Sick." I shook my head as we got into my car and drove to the bar. I was honestly hoping Ansley was there because I missed seeing her. Her good morning texts stopped, along with good night ones and have a good day. I've texted her a few times but now she was ignoring me and it sucked.
"Hayes!" Kase yelled laughing. "Dude they're dragging Jordan out too man. This is going to be fucking great."
"Yea, fantastic. This is my brother."
"What up Hunter!" Colton jumped up and shook hands with him. "Sorry, we were in the same grade." I nodded and Hunter started talking to Colt catching up. I sat down, ordered a beer and kept my eyes up on the TV.
A lot happened within a short amount of time after Jordan showed up. Everything was all good, then all hell broke loose, and then there was a fight, then it was just Hunter, Colt, and I at the booth. The night really went to shit fast. I mean Aiden and Jordan I know have anger issues; I've seen Aiden punch pieces of wood at work from being so pissed. But tonight, was the first time I've seen him actually throw hands with someone, and let's just say I'm glad he's my friend.
"I'm ready to go the hell home." I laughed out.
"Dude same." Colt said laughing and stood up.
"Hunter, you ready?" He was talking up some girl that walked past.
"Yea." We said bye to Colt and headed back to my house. I went straight to collapse onto my bed and figured fuck it, and texted Ansley not expecting an answer from her.
Me – I miss you.
Ansley – Great. This is exactly what the hell else I need right now.
Me – What's wrong.
Ansley – Everything.
I sat up straight on my bed and FaceTimed her. Shocked as hell that she answered the text let alone the call itself; it looked like she was at the hospital and I could hear yelling in the background.
"Ignore the idiot, but it's been a long fucking night." She said with a bite to her tone.
"Is that Aiden? He all good?"
"Oh, he's fantastic, pretty sure he at least fractured his hand, but apparently he won so he doesn't give a damn." She closed her eyes. "Were you at Libby's?" I nodded. "When this fight happened?"
"Yea." I nodded again. "I don't know what happened though it all went down really fast. One second everyone was good the next Jenkins was jumping over the table."
"Jesus fucking Christ."
"What time are you done work?"
"Two, so if I get this jackass out of here in twenty minutes, I'll be good."
"Can I meet you somewhere?"
"Emotionally I don't think I can handle anything else right now."
"We don't have to talk, you can just like yell at me or something about your day." I smiled. She bit her cheek trying to hide her own.
"Fine."
"I'll pick you up."
"Okay. I've got to go. See you in a bit."
"See ya." The screen went black and I gave myself a pat on the back. I walked out of my room and lightly knocked on the guest room door.
"Yea?" I opened the door and walked over to my Mom lying on the bed.
"I've got to run out for a bit. Nothing crazy, or anything that is going through your mind right now. I just have a friend that needs some help."
"Okay, call me if you need help." I nodded and headed out without a second thought and drove straight to the hospital.
Me – Parking garage, fourth floor.
Ansley – Be there in a minute.
I took a deep breath before getting out of the car and shutting the door. The sound echoed through the quiet garage. I leaned against the door, as the ding of the elevator echoed and quickly grabbed my attention. Ansley walked out and she looked stressed as hell. I met her halfway and just wrapped my arms around her, feeling her entire body mold and relax against mine made me crave the feeling of our bodies together. I reluctantly pulled away and smiled at her brushing some of her hair behind her ear.
"Come on, let's just go drive around."
"That sounds perfect." I slid my hand to hers and we walked to my car. I opened her door shutting it once she was in and jumped into the driver seat before taking off into the night with no destination. She turned in her seat to look at me. "How old were you when you learned how to drive a manual?" I laughed.
"What?"
"I can't just sit here in silence, no matter how comfortable it is, and I miss talking to you even though I'm still mad at you, and it has been like six or seven months since we've hung out or whatever." I smiled.
"When I learned how to drive, it was in a manual. Requirement from my Dad."
"Is he like super into cars or something?" I nodded.
"He is, we all are. He said it was a dying skill that everyone should know how to do. So, Hunter, Hannah and myself were taught and even had to take our tests in one." I laughed.
"Seriously? Ugh, Jordan and Aiden both know how but they both refuse to teach me. Jordan used to have whatever car he has now just in a manual before he upgraded. He kept telling me I was going to break it so I wasn't allowed."
"You told me that, and I recall telling you that I'd teach you."
"Uh, this car is too pretty for me to drive and possibly break." I laughed.
"It's just a car."
"It is not just a car, I don't know cars but I know you have wheels and it's low, and these fancy seats and god only knows what else because I can hear the turbo thingy." I laughed again.
"It's an expensive hobby, a cheap car with expensive modifications." I smiled still chuckling a bit. "Here give me your hand." She put her hand out, I took it and placed it onto the shifter and she was staring at me wide eyed. "It's fine." I laughed. "Just don't fight what I do." I pushed in the clutch and downshifted into 5th.
"Don't you have to like...oh never mind." She shook her head.
"What?"
"I didn't see you push in that other pedal." She giggled, and I downshifted again as we came up to a stop sign.
"I'm serious, you can try it."
"Uh...definitely not on the street." I nodded and left the stop sign and pulled into the mall parking lot that was about a quarter mile down, stopped the car, pulled the e-brake, and got out. She didn't move so I poked my head back into the car.
"You ain't goin to learn by sitting in the passenger seat sweetheart." She hesitantly got out of the car and looked over the roof at me.
"Hayes, I don't think this is a good idea."
"I think it's a great idea, you had a rough night. I promise you this will help." I smiled cheekily and nodded to urge her to come over to the driver side. She finally did, shook her head at me and slid into the seat. I shut the door and spoke to her through the window. "Adjust the seat so that you can reach all three pedals."
"Aren't you getting back in?" Panic laced her voice and I laughed nodding my head.
"I want to make sure you can see and reach first."
"Don't make short jokes right now sir." I laughed again before walking around the front of the car and getting in the passenger seat.
"Foot on the brake?"
"Yes."
"Put down the e-brake." She did. "Alright, push in the clutch pedal."
"That's the one all the way to the left right?" I tried not to laugh.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Okay, in."
"Put it in first." She put her hand on the shifter and just sat there for a second. I put my hand over hers and put it in first. She nodded. "Get out of your head, don't think so much." I laughed and she let out a shaky breath. "You're going to start taking your foot off the clutch slowly, the car is going to bog down, you'll hear it I promise. When it starts to bog, I want you to take your foot off the brake and put it on the gas and at the same time you're letting off the clutch you're going to push the gas simultaneously." Her eyes went wide and I laughed again. "We're on a flat surface, the car won't go anywhere until you make it. If you stall it's going to jerk the car pretty hard, it's fine, just push the clutch in restart and try again. Ready?"
"No." I laughed again.
"Just try, worst thing that can happen is it'll stall."
"Is that really bad?"
"It really isn't, I promise you're not going to hurt it if it stalls." She nodded a few times.
"Okay." She did exactly what I told her to and we started moving. "Oh my god! I'm doing it!" I started laughing at her excitement. Looking over at her wide smile, it was just contagious, she was gorgeous.
"Want to go into second?"
"I guess!"
"You're going to push in the clutch and pull the shifter straight back, then slowly let the clutch out."
"That's it?"
"That's it, and you won't be able to stall unless you come to a stop." She shifted into second and another excited squeal left her. "Told you it was easy. Now when you want to stop brake and clutch, put it in neutral and you're good to start again."
"Wait what's neutral?" I laughed.
"Push the shifter up, but not like you're going into first. It'll wiggle around only a tiny bit in my car though because I have bushings and stuff so it's a lot stiffer than most." She looked over and smiled devilishly.
"Yea, yea I get it." I laughed and she stuck out her tongue before doing another loop around the parking lot and coming to a stop.
"I can't believe you let me drive this." I shrugged.
"It's just a car."
"Yea, but knowing my brother...how many people have driven this car."
"Just you." She bit her lip smiling wide, and let out a cute giggled.
"Thank you. You were right, this really did help a lot." I shrugged. She laughed shaking her head, pulled the e-brake back up and got out of the car. I rubbed my hands down my jeans and got out as well, walking over to her.