thank you soooo soooo much for all the reviews and such!
I'm glad you all liked my last update. I honestly expected people to hate it lol
NinjagoLover61-9 and Xenocide20: Thank you both for all your reviews! You're both so sweet!
Xenocide20: this is actually my first time writing an OC as a main character so i totally appreciate that! I usually don't like OCs getting together with canon characters but this idea wouldn't leave my brain so i just had to write it. I'm glad you like her! I was a bit worried that she wouldn't be good
I'm thinking about having Shelby's friends make an appearance in a later (much later) chapter. Would you guys be interested in that? I originally had started planning a sequel where it's the summer after this fic occurs (so right before senior year) and Shelby and her family are going on vacation back to Iowa for a visit and they bring Ravi along and he gets to meet everyone and see what her life was like before they got to NY. But now im not sure if I'm doing a sequel so I might just have her friends show up in this fic instead
One more thing: the next update might not come immediately. I wanna update another fic of mine and plus, this next coming week is gonna be pretty busy school wise
They stayed in that hug for who knows how long.
Ravi couldn't remember the last time he'd been hugged. It might have been by his mom or Jessie. At one time, Luke had ruffled his hair affectionately (of course, that was when he believed Ravi had helped him after a series of bad luck that Ravi, himself, had created on purpose for revenge), but that wasn't a hug. Just now, Shelby's arms had been firmly around him, her face pressed into his shoulder, whispering comforting things. She hadn't pushed him away seconds later or urged him not to cry. It wasn't like that at all. She'd let him cry it out without any judgement on her part.
It'd felt... nice .
It'd been so long that he'd gone without feeling that physical affection. Similar to that of a person who had been withheld food for a significant period of time. He craved it, yearned for it and now that he experienced it-he wanted more of it. No , a sense of stubbornness came over him, pushing back with great forcefulness. Don't fall for it. You're being naïve. She's just trying to get on your good side and then she stab you in the back like everyone else has. You just think you want more of it. You just like the attention she's giving you. Don't you see how that sounds? Do you really want to be known as an attention seeker?
When she let go, Shelby mentioned how she was simply starving (that wasn't true, but he didn't vocalize that) and that she'd seen the most adorable little diner on the way to the party and asked him if he was hungry. She hadn't eaten beforehand and even though they'd agreed to eat prior to going, they ended up not.
"Not really..." The thought of food was nauseating. He didn't think he could stomach water, either.
"You should eat," Shelby advised . "You haven't yet, have you? Ooo, how about some ice cream? I could go for some. Chocolate sounds good. We could get a sundae or a cone or oooo! Do they make garbage can sundaes here? We should totally get that, it's so good!"
"Do they make what?" he blinked.
"Garbage can sundaes," she said like it was the most normal thing in the world. "I guess not, if you don't know. I really like it. It's got ice cream and different cookie and candy toppings. Ooo! I should make it for you sometime!"
The door softly chimed . Ravi was taken to an old-fashioned themed diner that he wasn't aware existed. It was tucked away in the corner on the side of the town that he hadn't visited before, less than a mile from where the bridge was located. It was like something pulled out of a fifties movie; the black and white checkered floor, a jukebox in the corner that seemed to be in mint condition, although he wasn't certain if it would still play anything; a counter that wrapped around and could seat almost ten people and all along the walls were memorabilia from that time period.
"We shouldn't be in here," he muttered.
"Why?" Shelby was busy admiring the place.
"We're wet ," he gestured to them both. The rain had slowed down out there but it was still coming down and even with them attempting to dry off somewhat, they were still tracking water inside. He dreaded to think of how the employees would react. They were going to get yelled at and kicked out for this, surely.
"No, we won't," she said, revoltingly chipper.
"You do not know-"
"Excuse me!" Shelby said to an older woman who came out from the door that led to the kitchen, plopping down in a chair at the counter to open up a gossip magazine. She wore a waitress outfit that looked like it belonged with the general atmosphere of the place and perhaps most stereotypically of all, she was loudly smacking her gum. "We'd like a menu, please."
The woman glanced up from her magazine in surprise. Ravi couldn't blame her. The restaurant was mostly deserted except for them. She slammed her magazine on the counter top. "Ernie!" she hollered. Ravi jumped. "We got customers! You better not be there cookin' with your pants off again."
What in the world?
She flashed them a saccharine smile, doing a complete one-eighty. "Ya'll pick anywhere you want. I'll be there in a jiffy to take your orders once I get me some menus."
"Okay!" Shelby said, brightly. "Hope you don't mind us being all wet. We got caught in the rain."
"Not a problem, darlin'," the woman waved it off. "I'll get Ernie to clean that right up. Lord knows he lounges around enough as is." She was muttering the last part to herself as she disappeared into the kitchen with a flop of the door.
He and Shelby chose a booth that was in the corner, sitting across from each other. She hummed along to the tune that was playing from the speakers overhead, idly looking over the miniature dessert menu that was next to the napkin holder and salt and pepper shakers. "Oooh, they have cake. I love cake. Should we get regular food or dessert? I can't decide. I want both. What about you? What are you gonna get? Have you been here before? I haven't. Isn't this place cute? We have a diner that's kinda like this back home. Course, ours has a deer head mounted on the wall. That was Billy's-the owner's-catch. He goes hunting a lot. Have you ever been hunting? I have. It's so fun! Elliot and I went with Billy a couple times. Poor Billy, I hope someone else is going with him so he's not all alone. Oh, have you decided what you're getting yet?"
The woman came back, Maybelle is her name tag said, which she hadn't been wearing when they first came inside. She dispersed the menus to them and took out a note pad, ready to write their order on. The gum smacking was taken down a notch, where it could barely be heard. "What are we starting out with, dears?"
"Coke please," Shelby requested.
Maybelle nodded, then looked to Ravi. "And you, darlin'?"
His gaze flickered down to the table. "Oh, erm, hot chocolate I suppose. If you have any."
"Sure do," Maybelle affirmed. She tore off the paper she'd been writing on. "I'll get those for you two and give ya'll a few extra minutes to decide."
They were again alone.
"I wonder where she's from?" Shelby remarked, her eyes wandering over to where Maybelle was getting their drinks ready; one white ceramic coffee cup and a plastic, yellow-ish cup. "Not from around here, I'd say. She doesn't sound like she is."
She was still gabbering, but it was softer, less intense than usual. Ravi didn't like it, despite his ears relaxing from having to hear her practically shout amid her excitement. He found it to be patronizing, because it was plainly obvious as to why she was doing it. She wouldn't have been doing if he hadn't...if he hadn't tried to ...
She poked him on the hand, startling him. He hadn't realized he was so deep in thought. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"
"Nothing," he lied.
Just leave me alone
Please
That's all I ask
It isn't that hard
"It doesn't look like nothing."
"Well, it is," Ravi said, pointedly, hoping that would be the end of the discussion.
It never was.
"Here you both go," Maybelle set their drinks down, handing them each their cup and mug respectively. Shelby thanked her and so did he, albeit quieter. She took out the note pad again, pen in her other hand. "Are you both ready to order yet or do you need some more time?"
"I think we're ready," Shelby said. She glanced down at her menu. "May I have the cheeseburger, please? Oooh and a slice of chocolate cake, please?"
"Of course," Maybelle smiled as she wrote it down. "Would you like fries with your burger, hun?"
"Yes, please."
"Alright. And you, dear?" Maybelle was looking at Ravi this time.
"Erm," he felt his face redden. "Oh, erm, nothing. I'm not...I'm not hungry."
"You sure?" Maybelle said, lik she was studying him. "You're lookin' a bit peaky there."
"I'm sure," Ravi muttered.
"Alrighty, if you're sure." Then to Shelby, she said, "your order will comin' right up. Shouldn't be too long, long as Earnie doesn't fall asleep at the grill again and sets the kitchen on fire."
Ravi blinked.
Shelby giggled.
"Oh, I'm just messing with ya," Maybelle said. "Ernie hasn't fallen asleep standing up." Ravi didn't know what to say. "Now put some blinders on him and some soft music and the man will sleep for days."
"Isn't this place great?" Shelby grinned.
Oh, yes
Quite charming
The strange waitress and the cook really set the mood
"How come you didn't order anything?" Shelby asked him as she took almost a handful of sugar packets from the container to put into her soda. "Aren't you hungry?"
No
"I'm fine," he said, eyeing as she stirred that rather large clump of sugar in her drink. "That's a lot of sugar."
"That's the idea," she said. "I like it sweet."
It isn't sweet enough as it is?
It looked disgusting. He wrinkled his nose, reminded of how he'd seen people in Central park pour an unnecessary amount of sugar into their already sweet tea. She took a sip, letting an out a satisfied mmm .
"Yummy," she said.
Gross, you mean
Oh, what do you care?
You're not drinking it
He was beginning to feel chilly from the air condition that had cranked on. One would think, considering it was autumn now, that the heat would be on instead. "Are you cold?" Shelby had noticed him shiver. "Do you want another hug? That'll warm you up. I like hugs, don't you? They're so special." She sighed happily, probably imagining that she was getting hugged or something as equally strange.
"No," he said, firmly.
She simply smiled again.
"Why did you take me here?" It was a question he had on his mind since they arrived.
Shelby sucked on the straw that was in her drink. When she was done, she said, "To eat."
She's lying!
"I don't believe you," Ravi said in a hushed tone, in case Maybelle or the cook, Ernie were listening in.
And it was then that he realized the truth. He figured out exactly why she'd brought him there and it wasn't to quench her hunger. She was trying to blackmail him! Yes, that was it. She wanted something to gain from all this, knowing that he would be desperate for word about his... attempt not to get out for everyone to know.
Do you even hear yourself?
She just stopped you from dying
Do you really think she wants something from it?
I do not know
But I'm not going to risk it
Man, you're pathetic
"What do you want?" he crossed his arms.
"What do I want?" she repeated, bemused.
"Do not insult my intelligence," he ignored that inner voice telling him he had no intelligence, "I know you want something."
"For what?"
"Didn't you drag me here for a reason?" he huffed. "You clearly want something in exchange for keeping this a secret. I suppose you want me to do your homework or to hang out with you."
She peered over her glasses at him for a long time. "You're silly," she eventually said.
He didn't appreciate that.
"I don't want anything," she took her jacket off and laid it over the back of the booth. "I'm just making sure you're alright."
Why?
He scoffed.
She tried to place her hand on top of his and he pulled it back before she could. That didn't offend her, of course. No, she went back to smiling that infuriating smile at him like she was a therapist and this was their session. He despised that. Even more now. "Stop looking at me like that!" He whisper-yelled.
"Like what?" Oh, she was trying to play dumb now.
Does she really need to playdumb?
He glanced over to ensure that Maybelle wasn't listening in, before he leaned in closer to her, "You believe for some reason that you understand me and you do not! You are mistaken. You don't me nor do you know much about me."
"I know you're sad," she said, softly. He didn't know she was capable of speaking at such a volume. "I know you don't smile a lot or laugh." His lips thinned and he buried his face in the palms of his hands, not knowing what else to do. It was uncomfortable hearing...hearing the truth from someone else. "Do they know?'
"Who?" It was his turn to act with ignorance.
"Your family," she clarified. "Do they know you're sad?"
Do they know...
They're the cause of it
"It doesn't matter."
"Course it does," Shelby nodded to her own words. "Does that mean they don't?"
How did she-
"It doesn't matter," he repeated.
She made invisible circles on the table with her index finger. "You should talk to them about it."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Have you tried?"
Of course not
I know better
I do not wish to be mocked or laughed at
He scowled. It was weak. But there. "Must you ask so many questions?"
"I'm sure if you told them how you feel they'd understand," she said.
Not everyone is like your family
They won't care
They'll probably tell me I'm being dramatic
" No they won't."
"That's sad," she commented when she finally spoke up again. She'd taken another drink of her much too sugary soda. "I'm sorry."
"Don't," his eyes hardened. "Do not pity me. I don't want it."
"Why would I pity you?" She looked over at the stuff on the wall again. "It's sad. I'd be sad if I didn't talk to mine."
"You're never sad," he said, admittedly a bit fed up.
"I was sad when we moved," she said.
"Yes, but that's different!"
She did that head tilting thing again. "Why?"
He really was frustrated now. "Because you aren't sad like everyone else! You don't cry or get quiet or anything! It's like you aren't human!"
"I've cried."
"When?" he retorted.
"Before we moved," she revealed. "I didn't wanna leave everybody."
"Impossible."
"Why?"
"Because you're always so ridiculously happy," he threw up his hands.
"Even happy people cry," she said. He said nothing. She lightly kicked his foot with hers. He was not in the mood for footsies of all things and he made a face at her. He was thoroughly unprepared for the question she presented him with. "Are you gonna tell them?"
Are you insane?
"No. Absolutely not." As if he'd ever do that. He could see it now; one of his siblings would most likely say that he'd supposedly tried to do it all for attention.
"Shouldn't they know?" Shelby said, foolishly.
"It's none of their business," he said, fiercely. "And you cannot tell a soul about this. Any of this."
She nodded seriously. "Don't worry. I can keep a secret. I'm a good secret keeper. I once kept a secret for two years, twenty-four days and fifty seconds, or maybe it was fifty five seconds... anyway, I kept track. And I didn't tell anyone until Caleb told me I could. So don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I won't say anything, even if someone tries to pry it from me."
"Fine, just remember-"
"If they try, I'll put a napkin in my mouth," she said like that would be doing him a great honor by doing it.
"That really isn't necessary."
"I did that once." Of course she did. "Vicky, she was in the same class as me, was tying to find out Caleb's secret and I wouldn't tell her. So I put a napkin in my mouth. I didn't eat it. But it made her go away!" She said, enthusiastically.
I would go away too...
"Just...just don't tell anyone," he said, tiredly. Not just in an emotional sense. He was exhausted. Severely so.
"I don't think that's what you want."
How would you even know?
You don't
"I think you want them to know," she said, casually. "You wanna know they care."
I'll give you a hint
They don't
End of story
He felt like exploding. "You honestly have some nerve."
"Don't worry," she told him, "I care. I'll always care."
You cannot guarantee that
Shelby's phone went off. She retrieved it from her jean pocket. "It's my dad," she said to Ravi, a smile coming onto her face. He'd deny it until his dying breath, but he was reluctantly envious of Shelby's relationship with her dad. "Hi, daddy," she said, happily. "Oh, yes!" She paused, turning her cell phone over to tell him that her dad said hello. "Yeah. Yeah. No, we're not at the party anymore." Ravi's head snapped in her direction, feeling himself growing tense. "We're getting some food. Do you want me to bring you guys some? Okay! Great. We might be back early. I dunno. We'll see. Bye, daddy! I'll see you later."
She put her phone away.
"Thank you," he didn't really want to say it, though. "For not saying anything."
"I told you I wouldn't. I'll pretend to eat a napkin for you if I have to," she nodded.
"You really don't have to..."
She giggled, then sobered up. "This might be silly to ask-" Aka, it was probably stupid to ask. You're being a bit harsh, aren't you? "But are you okay?"
"I don't know," he was being truthful. He didn't know. He felt mostly numb, which seemed almost...wrong. He'd just tried to do that and he was acting like what he'd attempted to do was mundane. Was this common or was this just another reason that pointed to something being wrong with him?
I think we both know the answer to that
"That's okay," Shelby said. "You don't have to."
Maybelle came by their table, holding up Shelby's food. She placed it down, advising her to be cautious because the burger and fries were hot. The cake looked moist and the icing creamy. Shelby beamed and thanked her. Ravi didn't expect her to put a slice of cake in front of him.
'I...I didn't order anything."
"Like I said," Maybelle smiled kindly, "you look peaky. Figured you could use a little pick me up."
"Aww, that's sweet," that came from Shelby.
"Oh, erm. Thank you," Ravi said.
"Of course, darlin'. Enjoy, you two."
She was about to leave, but Shelby stopped her.
"Are you from the south? You don't sound from around here."
Maybelle grinned, her chest puffing up in pride. "Born and raised in Louisiana. Came here for college and stayed ever since. Thought I'd start up this little thing to show these city folks how us country people do things."
"That's so cool!" Shelby exclaimed. "I'm from Iowa. I just moved here."
"Well, isn't that something? I ain't never been there, but I've heard good things. Isn't that the potato state? Oh, wait. No, no, that's Idaho. What's Iowa known for?"
"Cornfields," Shelby said, matter-of-factly. "We gots loads of 'em."
Maybelle was going to respond when they heard someone yowl in pain. She rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath. "I swear I can't leave him alone for five minutes. Well, holler if you need anything. More food, refills. I gotta go take care of that. Tootles!"
"Have you ever dipped a fry in chocolate?" Shelby asked.
"No..."
"Me either! But Emily tried it on a dare and liked it! Isabella thought it was gross, but Emily swears it's great." Shelby took one of her fries and swiped it along the side of the cake with all the icing on it, chewing on it. "Ooo, I like it! It's like dipping a fry in a milkshake but less soggy. You wanna try one?"
"No, thank you." He didn't want the slice of cake that he had, much less some half baked concoction by this friend of hers. "I'd rather not."
"Okay!" Shelby popped a couple fries into her mouth. She was gazing critically at him. "You look sad again. What's wrong?"
Other than my demolished social life?
You didn't have one to begin with
You know what I mean! They're all going to see those pictures...everyone. I cannot go to school on Monday. I just can't
He sighed. She wasn't going to take a non answer. She'd try to get it out of him with any force necessary-or, more accurately, by repeatedly bothering and nagging him to tell her until he finally did. "You saw what they did. Those...those pictures are probably everywhere by now. I cannot go to school on Monday. They're going to laugh at me."
He pushed his cake around on the plate with his fork, moodily.
"If they do, I'll say something," Shelby promised.
"Why bother?" he didn't see a point.
"I told you; you're my best friend and I'm not letting you go through anything alone."
They heard an aww coming from where Maybelle was standing at the counter, with her hand on her chest where her heart was. "If that ain't just the sweetest thing. You're a lucky boy, darlin'."
Great
Now even a stranger knows how pathetic you are
Anyone else?
Anyone at all?
"Ravi?"
He glanced at her.
"I know you don't think anyone cares, but that's not true. I do."
She smiled warmly.