AN My sister is a strange, strange person. (S-footbela-S)
CHAPTER TWO
They sped down the highway as the sun slowly set to their left... gold and orange tones lazily mixing with the indigo that heralded the onset of night. Caleb sneaked a glance at the girl sitting next to him as she gazed thoughtfully at the quickly passing scenery and noticed the way she bit her lip in consternation. "I can slow down, if you want." Caleb said, breaking into Rory's train of thought.
"Huh? No. It's okay… it's just…" her voice trailed off and she bit her lip, thinking carefully about her next words...
"What is it, Rory?" he asked gently as he shifted in his seat. Was she regretting coming along tonight?
"I just… I'm a long way from home, that's all." She replied quietly as she gave him and the car she was in a brief once-over. "Yes… A very long way from home…" They sat in silence, letting her words wash over them.
"So," He said while trying to get his eyes back on the road instead of keeping them trained on the stunning girl beside him, "This is your first time away from home, I gather? Where are you from?"
"Stars Hollow when I was a girl… and then I moved to New Haven when… when my mother died." Caleb swallowed uncomfortably as she looked near tears when she mentioned her mom.
"So the two of you were close?"
"As bubblegum and the bottom of a desk." She replied wryly, breaking the somber mood inside the vehicle. Despite her near flippant response, her tone suggested that the topic wasn't open for discussion and Caleb was more than happy to oblige.
"So, are you sure it's okay with your friends if I horn in on your boy's night?" she asked as knots started to form in her stomach, she had never been good with those kinds of places or the people who usually went there.
"Of course… but what makes you think we're all guys?" He said, sensing her discomfort.
Rory rolled her eyes in response, "Oh I don't know. It's just a feeling I guess."
He turned his gaze from the road to gaze at her expression as she spoke and sent a lazy smile back at her. "You guess?"
She opened her mouth to release a retort but her reply was drowned out by the deafening roar of a massive ten-wheeler's horn coupled with the screech of tires on the slippery asphalt road.
Meanwhile…
"Geez, what's taking Caleb so long?" Reid complained leaning lazily upon the pool table.
Pogue rolled his eyes at his friend's obvious annoyance, but had to concede, "It's not like him to be late for anything."
Tyler, the youngest of their group, said nothing as he quickly sunk two more balls. He was immersed in his own problems at the moment and didn't know whether Caleb being late was a reprieve or not. He knew he was going to have to relate his latest dreams again… but he had had the most disturbing one yet the night before and didn't really feel up to talking about it.
"What's on your mind Ty?" Reid asked his partner-in-crime, noting his obvious discomfort and the dark half-circles that had formed under his eyes.
"Nothing…" Tyler replied automatically, his voice coming out mechanical and raspy. "I'm gonna go get a drink. Do you guys want anything?"
Both older boys shook their heads and continued their game of pool. Tyler quickly made his way over to the bar and ordered a drink from Nicky. He downed it in one gulp before ordering another to give himself time to calm down. Reid knew him too well and this was one time it wasn't a good thing.
"Hey, what's up with Tyler?" Pogue asked Reid after making sure the boy in question was out of earshot.
"I dunno man… he's been acting weird lately." Reid said shooting his friend a concerned glance.
"Kate overheard him and Caleb talking and she said it sounded like Tyler was really worried about something. According to her they stopped talking once they spotted her." Pogue supplied, hoping they could piece together Tyler's problem.
Reid stood in silence for a while before whispering: "Maybe it's his dad."
"What? No way in hell Reid… Ty's dad is too much of a straight arrow to get mixed up in any kind of mess." Pogue said lowering his voice.
Reid just shrugged his shoulders and was about to say something but shut his mouth when he spotted Tyler making his way to them, phone clutched to his ear. "Caleb got into an accident on the way." Tyler told them. "He needs us to pick him up."
"What? Why can't he just Use?" Reid asked frustrated, he was winning the pool game after all.
"He's with some girl. She was knocked up pretty bad and he had to heal some of her wounds. He doesn't have enough strength to Use again tonight." Tyler replied while dragging Reid out of Nicky's.
"Ooh, interesting…" Reid said his interest piqued. Pogue blew a kiss at Kate who was with a couple of her friends before exiting the bar right behind his friends.
"Caleb said he needs to have the car taken to the shop." Tyler replied getting into his hummer.
"Ah, trust Caleb to be anal about something like this." Reid said getting into the passenger seat.
Tyler just shook his head at Reid's dramatics and started the car. After about ten minutes, they spotted Caleb and a brunette girl leaning against a sleek silver sports car that looked like it had been an extra in Tokyo Drift.
Tyler and Reid got out of the Hummer just as Pogue arrived on his bright yellow Ducati. "Took you long enough." Reid said tauntingly to Pogue.
"Thanks for coming." Caleb said as they checked out the damage on his car. "Ouch." The three said after seeing how messed up the passenger side was.
"Guys, this is Rory Gilmore." Caleb said, "She's a transfer from Chilton Academy. Rory, you remember Pogue and Reid?"
Rory nodded to the two of them obviously still shaken up by the accident. "And this is Tyler Simms." Tyler smiled at her and she returned the smile with an added polite nod.
"C'mon let's go. I already called the guys at the shop to pick your car up." Pogue said, hanging up his phone.
"Are you sure we should leave it here?" Rory said, speaking for the first time. "I mean, shouldn't we wait for them to get it?"
"Nah, Ipswich is a pretty small town. I doubt anyone would try to steal Caleb's car. It's too attention grabbing." Tyler said opening the back door for Caleb and Rory before hopping into the driver's seat.
"Okay." Rory replied but, before getting into the enormous black hummer, she turned to look at Caleb with a little tinge of uncertainty and fear in her gaze.
His eyes gave nothing away… but she could still remember just a few moments before when they had been as black as night.
AN Sorry for the long wait. Next chapter will be at Nicky's. It will also explain what happened to Rory and Caleb during the accident. Till then : ) –iamextraordinary-
S-footbela-S-the delay is all iamextraordinary's fault
iamextraordinary-is not. you had me editing and editing and editing!
S-footbela-S-not my fault you're OCD.
iamextraordinary-whatever.
