Sorry for the late update, I was having a bit of trouble getting into FFN. I was able to Monday, but I was a bit busy and unable to post. I should be able to start posting more consistently now that finals are done and school is almost out.
Read and enjoy. Review with any constructive criticism or anything else. I really appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far.
It was around 10:00 on the Saturday of Winter's birthday. Cress was stressing out, she wasn't sure about a lot of things. Juvenile as it was, she worried that Winter wouldn't like her present, a small set of silver hoops that had actually been pretty expensive. She was also concerned that she was too dressed up in her summer dress. She had already changed a few times and was trying to be quiet.
Her father had come home really late last night. When she had asked him why, he had mentioned something about letumosis then disappeared in his room. Her blood had run cold when he had said letumosis, she'd never heard of it before but something about it seemed ominous. She had barely restrained herself from mentioning that she had seen it before.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her away from her thoughts.
Thorne: Are you ready?
She was a little confused. While no time had officially been sent, she had assumed they were eating lunch. 10:00 seemed a little early.
Cress: It's kind of early, are you sure you're on time?
Thorne: Believe me, I know what I'm doing. If you're ready, come one out. I'm at your house.
Cress: Ok, I'm coming. I need to tell my dad that I'm leaving.
Thorne: Your chariot awaits.
She set her phone down, then grabbed her purse and stuffed it in there. She grabbed the immaculately wrapped present and slid her feet into some sandals. Quietly, she opened her door and crept into the hallway.
When she opened his door, he was already awake.
"What is it, Crescent?" Her dad didn't normally call her that, and she started to worry a little bit.
"Um, I'm leaving. You know, for pizza with my friends?"
"Do you need me to drive you?"
"Oh, no, I'm good."
"Are you driving yourself?" He seemed to know she didn't want to tell him about Thorne and was calling her bluff.
"No… Thorne offered me a ride. I know you aren't very comfortable with me driving myself…" She began to edge her way out of the room, hoping to avoid any awkward questions.
Like that would ever happen. "Are you dating this Thorne?"
'No, no, no. I am not dating him, we are just friends. Remember Jacin and Winter? They're friends of his and introduced me." She was really in a rush now. "Look, Dad, I have to go…"
Before waiting for a response she left, hurrying down the stairs. Outside, the day was already warm. Thorne's car sat in the driveway. She knew nothing about cars, so had no idea what type it was. It looked nice though.
He rolled down the window before she could even reach the door, and said, "Wait, hold up, don't get in yet."
"What-"
He rolled up the window before she could even complete her sentence. She stood there, tapping her foot before he let her in. He reached across the passenger seat and opened the door.
"I think that was really unnecessary," she said but right when she finished a song came blasting through the speakers.
"I found the song. One Day, Imagine Dragons. It's the song you were singing along to in the gym."
She laughed as he pulled out of her driveway. Thorne began to sing along, and it was clear he had been listening to it alot. He was definitely not an amazing singer, though Cress wasn't sure if he was doing that on purpose.
He took a pause to tell her, "Sing along, Cress!"
"Don't worry, I think you can handle the whole show. I don't think I'll sing." Cress said with a laugh. Despite herself, she soon was lip singing along with Thorne and the song.
When the song ended, Thorne paused the music on his phone. "I'll make you a deal. You get to pick all of the music for the rest of the day if you sing along. Otherwise, you will be subjected to the boring political podcasts that my dad always forces me to listen to."
"Oh please don't."
"I'm gonna play them if you don't sing along. Seriously, you get the way better end of the deal. You get to pick the music, and sing along without any remarks from me. I promise I won't say anything." His voice was serious, with a lighter tone underneath.
"Fine. Give me your phone and I'll find another song. Are you opposed to Disney?" she asked with a small smile on her face.
"Maybe? Depends on which one, because I refuse to do Frozen." Thorne insisted.
"I thought you said I got to pick." He groaned, and Cress laughed, though she didn't actually select a Frozen song. Instead, she started to play "I see the light" from Tangled.
She didn't actually sing along, just whispered along with the lyrics. Thorne didn't say anything though.
When the song finished Thorne said, "Man, I don't think I've seen that movie in a really long time."
"Whenever my aunt Amanda would come over she would watch it with me. She said it was my mom's favorite movie when they were kids." When neither of them said anything for a while she picked up his phone and found another song, Unstoppable by The Score
When the lyrics of the song started Thorne cried out, "I know this song! One of my old friends loved it and would play it all the time." He began to belt out the song. Cress sang along as well, though allowed Thorne's volume to cover up her own voice.
They continued this way for a while. If Thorne knew the song, he would sing along, and Cress could actually sing because he was louder. If he didn't know the song she would just whisper along with the lyrics.
Eventually Cress began to wonder how far away the pizza place was. They had been driving for at least twenty minutes. Just when she was about to ask, Thorne pulled off the road and down a smaller side road. On one side of the road there was a beautiful garden, filled with winding pathways and flowerbeds. Eventually they pulled up to a building that was decorated as a quaint cottage.
"I think we are here, M'lady. That's Jacin's car right there so I bet he and Winter are here. You want to go inside?"
"Yeah let's go in. But before we leave I want to walk around the gardens." Cress desperately wanted to see the beautiful flowers and fountains up close.
"I'm sure Winter will too. She'll probably drag the rest of us with her since it's her birthday." Thorne opened his door and stepped out on the gravel.
Cress got out on her side as well and they made their way to the building. "I don't think I want to go with the whole group. It'd be more magical if it was quiet, and I somehow doubt all of your friends can be quiet." She didn't mean for it to come out harsh though it did end up sounding a little critical.
Instead of being offended though, Thorne just laughed. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go inside and let everybody know that we're here and then we can go and take a look."
When Thorne opened the door for them a wave of hot air hit Cress. It smelled amazing. Like the best pizza she had ever smelled. She hoped it tasted as good as it smelled.
She was looking around at the small sitting room, when Thorne suddenly roughly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.
"What…"
"Shhh.. I'll explain when we get outside," he whispered in her ear.
When they did make it outside Cress turned with an eyebrow raised expectantly at Thorne.
"Jacin and Winter were um… sharing an intimate moment."
"They were kissing? In the middle of the pizza place?" Cress asked incredulously.
"Yeah and normally I would call them out on it and embarrass them, but it's Winter's birthday so we'll let them be. Do you want to go look at the gardens now?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess." Cress was still slightly confused.
They turned and walked across the gravel parking lot. Just before they entered the garden another car pulled up. The window rolled down and Kai leaned out of the driver's seat.
"Where are you guys going? Is this the right place?" he asked with a curious glance at both them and the restaurant.
"Oh it's definitely the right place. Winter and Jacin are inside, but I wouldn't recommend interrupting them. Wait a few moments before you go in." Thorne said.
"Oh." Kai's eyes widened in understanding. "Cinder, do you want to just wait in the car?" he turned to her in the passenger's seat as he said this.
"Yeah, I'm good with that." she said in an uncaring tone.
"Well, Cress and I are going to go check out the gardens. See you guys inside."
They both headed their separate ways. Cress and Thorne found one of the pathways
and started on their little adventure.
"Do you want to play some more music?" Thorne seemed to feel uncomfortable with the silence.
"No, I like the quiet. That was the whole point of coming out here without everyone." Cress pointed out.
He nodded, though didn't say anything. Eventually, they reached the center of the garden and stopped at the largest fountain. It was a woman clothed in a fine gown and had her face covered by a veil, who held her hands out and the water poured from her hands, as if she was giving life itself.
"This place is kind of eerie. You want to go back?" Thorne had started edging away before she even had time to respond.
"Yeah, let's go back." she quickly agreed then hurried after him before he could get too far away.
The rest of the gardens remained beautiful, but Cress couldn't help feeling a little bothered by the statue, it had been so demanding, almost.
When they got back to the shop everybody else was there and it was almost 10:40, still a little early for lunch in Cress's opinion. Everyone was waiting in the foyer area.
When they walked in Iko whispered something to Cinder, who groaned and shoved her away. Everybody else gave Iko a look; Jacin's was particularly icy. Cress just looked at the floor even though she didn't know what it was about.
"So what are we doing exactly? Are we going to eat lunch this early or hang out or what's the plan…" Cress trailed off unused to speaking without any prodding.
"I was thinking that we could hang out here for a bit and order when we're ready, but I guess it's up to Winter." Jacin said, looking at her.
"That sounds good to me, I guess. Are you sure the restaurant will want a bunch of teenagers to come and take up valuable space without ordering for a while.?" Winter was conscious of others as always and she did make a good point in Cress's opinion.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it, the owner is Ze'ev's mom, she loves me." Jacin said smugly.
"Just like all the ladies in the front office. You're a real ladies man, my guy," Cinder elbowed him then duck when tried to rub her hair.
"Jacin! I shall take you up as my protege! Teach you the arts! It sounds like you have natural talent," Thorne said, wagging his eyebrows suggestively at Jacin.
Winter laughed her quiet musical laugh while Jacin groaned, "Thorne, there is no way I need your help, I'm the one with the girlfriend."
Everybody was laughing except for Cress. And Iko it seemed, who whispered once again into Cinder's ear.
Cinder stopped laughing immediately and half yelled in irritation, "Iko, we told you to stop it!"
Jacin too, glared, but somebody else cracked a joke and everybody soon moved on. Cress was beginning to feel guilty for being part of the group of loud and raucous teenagers, normally, if she was part of any group, it was the quiet sensible one.
Soon though, a middle aged woman, perhaps Ze'ev's mother, with just barely visible laughing lines, came out and led them to the main part of the restaurant. It was quite empty, and Cress only saw one couple in the whole restaurant. She felt a little bad for the small business, but maybe this was normal. Business might pick up during lunch and dinner, when pizza made more sense for a meal.
They were seated at a round booth in one of the corners. Cress made sure to sit on the edge so she could get out easily, but Thorne made her scooch over and he took the edge spot. Unfortunately, Iko followed and pulled Cinder down with her, so of course Kai then sat. He ended up on the edge with Cress on almost the other side of the semi-circle.
"Don't you want to sit next to the birthday girl? You'll get more attention that way, I'm sure," Thorne remarked.
Iko responded smoothly, "Yes, you are correct. But, unfortunately I am not on speaking terms with a certain Jacin Clay due to his not telling me the location of the party."
"You could just sit on her other side," Thorne pointed out.
"No, that's still too close to him. I get enough attention next to you, Thorne. You certainly call enough attention to yourself." It was clearly an insult, but Thorne almost seemed proud of it.
Kai said, "I think everybody in this group calls attention to themselves on different levels. Thorne and Iko, in every aspect. Jacin, at least around us, is really sarcastic, along with Cinder and I. Maybe not so much for me. Winter is up there with Thorne and Iko, but in a different way. Everybody just pays attention to her. I don't know about Cress though."
Cress really didn't know how to feel about that. She didn't like feeling excluded, but just a few moments earlier she had been thinking along the same lines.
"She calls attention to herself in a lot of different ways. She barked at Anthony after biting his finger. Broke her arm, too. That's something people pay attention to. This probably fits in with Winter's category, kind of, but she's really talented at-" Thorne didn't finish, cut off by a sharp jab to his ribs from Cress's elbow.
"What is Cress so talented at?" Winter asked, cocking her head like a confused dog.
"Nothing," Cress said hurriedly.
He harrumphed, but Cress whispered quietly, "You promised." He didn't say anything else.
Iko, however, did. "What? I want to know!" she whined like a child.
"Iko, it's nothing she's just really good at choosing music." Cress narrowed her eyes in suspicion."The whole drive up here, I let her choose, and I barely felt the time fly by."
"No offense, Cress, but I'm not sure Thorne has great taste in music. Not sure he's ever chosen to listen to anything by his own free will." Cinder said.
"That is true." Thorne announced emphatically.
Just then Ze'ev appeared, of all people. He held several large folders in his hands that were probably the menus. Cress had forgotten it was his mother who owned the restaurant.
"Um.. Hi, guys. I have your menus?" He sounded way too unsure for someone who was the employee. Especially someone who was as tall and bulky as he was. Easily one of the biggest people in their school.
"Ze'ev! What's up!" Thorne called extremely exuberantly, especially since Cress had thought it was Jacin with the ties to Ze'ev.
"I'm your server/waiter for you guys today. What do you want to have for a drink?" he asked as ignored Thorne and passed the menus to Jacin, who began to hand them around the table.
"I just want water," Cress said, when he looked at her, the only one not scanning the menu.
"I want Mountain Dew," Thorne was the next to order.
Everybody else ordered and Ze'ev disappeared but soon reappeared with the drinks. After that he went to the table that the couple had just vacated and began to clean up.
While Cress had been studying her surroundings, everybody had been bickering over whether or not pizza should have pineapple on it. She definitely thought it shouldn't but didn't dare to enter into the conflict.
"It's sweet! That shouldn't be on pizza!" Cinder half yelled in irritation.
"It's sweet, that's what makes it so good to put on pizza, it's a blend of flavors, sweet and savory. You should be more open to flavors," Iko said matter of factly, in a way that made it seem like the argument was done.
But of course, Thorne had to jump in. "I agree with Cinder, just, no. Pineapple pizza is an abomination."
Everybody was soon involved again. Only when Winter asked Cress what her opinion was did she speak, "I don't have a preference," she lied, "But I think the easiest way to solve this dispute is to order a pepperoni pizza. Cheese people can just pick off the meat, and pineapple people can live without."
"I'm ordering. So we get at least one pineapple pizza," Jacin pronounced.
"And, order a pepperoni," Kai voiced, always the diplomatic one. "I think Cress is right about that. It would satisfy everyone."
When no one voiced any opinions, they decided to order a small pineapple pizza and a large pepperoni.
Only then did Cress glance at the menu, and she realized, "This stuff is kind of expensive."
"Don't worry about that, Cress. I'm paying for everything." Jacin reassured her.
"Jacin, that's a lot of food for all of us. Are you sure?" Thorne said, and Cress was marginally surprised as she had assumed that he would gladly take free food.
"I already made it clear that I was paying. Don't push me."
Winter waved Ze'ev over, and gave him a dazzling smile when he came like a trained dog.
"We're ready to order. Small pineapple pizza, a large pepperoni, and refills for the drinks." She smiled sweetly again.
"Of course. Who needs a refill?" Thorne, Jacin, Winter, Iko, and Cinder all handed him their half empty glasses. Soon, Ze'ev had his hands full with them.
The drinks came soon, and the pizza soon after that. Cress's hopes had been true. It tasted just as amazing as it smelled, better even.
The conversation drifted everywhere. For the longest time Iko went on and on about her cousin's upcoming wedding. Apparently, all the guys were very invested in decorating. Jacin knew the most about flowers, and was forcing them to look up pictures of flowers so they would admit that his bouquet design was much better than what the actual bride had chosen.
"Lilies and hosta leaves are okay, yes, but it could be so much more," Jacin insisted.
Iko, who had apparently forgotten she was not speaking to him, cried, "Yes! Orchids would be much better."
"No, white roses mixed with something more colorful. I think violets would look good. Or a lightly colored flower, something baby blue or peach."
"Cinder, back me up," Iko begged.
"I want my bouquet to be peonies," Cinder said quietly.
Everybody went silent and Cress felt there was something she wasn't getting. "What?"
"Peony was the name of my little sister. She died a few years ago." Cinder said.
"I'm sorry…"
"Don't be. She wasn't even supposed to live for twenty-four hours. But she proved them all wrong. Made it five years." Cinder spoke proudly.
"Sweetest little girl I ever met." Thorne uttered.
"Faced everything with a smile." Jacin added.
"I wish you could have met her. Later, I'll show you some videos of her." Cinder looked almost close to crying, but not sad. Happy, for the five years she did get.
"Well, thanks Cinder, for stealing the show. I think you won for the best bouquet." Iko said, but smiled despite her words.
They continued on, having an amazing time. Cress was surprised that she felt so comfortable with all these people.
A phone rang out, gradually getting louder. Everybody paused to check their phone to make sure it wasn't theirs. Cress dug hers out of her bag. The screen was lit up, and her father's contact picture was hovering in the middle of the screen. She didn't say anything as she accepted the call.
"Crescent, where are you?" His voice was tight with tension and she worried about what was making him stressed.
"Dad, I'm still at the pizza place. Why?" Everyone else was silent as her dad answered.
"What? Dad, no, I didn't drive here-I don't" The phone buzzed as he interrupted her.
"No- Dad I'll figure something out, I'll be there soon, it might be longer if I have to walk." She hung up before her dad said anything else.
Cress took a deep, ragged breath, loud in the silence. "I have to go guys," she said as she struggled to get past Jacin and Winter on the opposite end from where she had originally gotten in.
"Cress, wait, what's happening?" Thorne called after her as he too, tripped and stumbled over Winter and Jacin's feet who did their best to get out of the way.
"Nothing-my aunt is in the hospital, and I don't know why, but my dad is stressed out, and wants me there, so it must be bad. I have to be there, but I didn't drive so-" she stopped talking and cupped her face in her hands, and took a breath.
"Cress, I'll give you a ride." Thorne said this like it was nothing, no big deal, but Cress still worried that she was asking too much.
Cress scrunched up her face, trying to keep tears from forming. "Guys, I have to go, I'm sorry."
"Cress, no, don't worry about it." Winter stood up and gave her a gentle hug.
"Bye, oh shoot, wait, Winter," Cress fumbled around in her bag for a bit until she found the small present, "Here's your gift."
She turned to go, but waited for Thorne, who had stopped and was talking to Jacin. "Here's some money to help cover the bill," he handed over a folded bill to Jacin who took it begrudgingly.
They left, and not a word was said between them until they reached his car. "Cress, it's going to be okay." His voice was quiet as he started up his car.
"How do you know that?"
"You don't even know why she's in the hospital, it could be very far from life threatening. Besides, everything is okay in the end."
When they reached the hospital Cress tried to get out immediately, but Thorne stopped her.
"Do you want me to come in with you?"
"No, you can go home, or back to the pizza place or wherever." Cress turned to leave one again.
"Hey, call me later. Remember, everything is okay in the end."
She ran across the parking lot and entered the building praying that those words would prove to be true.