Ch. 14: Calm Before the Storm
CHLOE PRICE'S POV
Aaron still hadn't come back from visiting Max by the time it hit one am. Curious, and maybe a little worried, I checked my phone. No missed calls or messages. I shook my head, putting my hands behind my head and staring at the ceiling. If Max was with anyone else, I'd get aggressively jealous. While I'd prefer to be there with them, whatever they were doing, I trusted him enough to not go hardcore protective mode.
The next morning, I woke up to Max's personal ringtone. I'd only changed it because she hated the song. I didn't like it either, it sounded like something Victoria would listen to and she had no taste. Ready to tease, I grabbed my phone and answered.
"Max, if this is a booty call, my shift ended hours ago."
"Um…"
It took me a moment to realize it wasn't Max who answered, but Aaron. I shrugged. He was still an easy target for teasing.
"So," I began with a wry smile. "I'll bet you had all kinds of fun last night, huh."
"I don't know if I'd say that-"
"You fuck her?" I asked, laughing when I heard him almost drop the phone.
"O-Of course not," he stuttered.
I could clearly picture his embarrassed face, pink cheeks and averted gaze.
"She kissed you first, I won't let her pop your cherry," I said with a mischievous tone.
He fumbled with the phone again. It would be much more fun to tease him in person, so I relented for now.
"Joking aside, I assume you need me to pick you up. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"O-okay," he mumbled.
"See you later, cutie." Grinning at the chaos I just caused, I immediately hung up. "I'll just let that one stew for a bit."
After a quick shower, I put on some fresh clothes and began my rescue mission. Humming my very own theme song – one that had been a core part of my life's soundtrack since I was ten – I drove to Blackwell, anxious to see what his plan of escaping the girls' dorm would be. It was SO. BORING. Aaron just… walked out of the front door, ready to go. I hoped Max would fling him from the window wrapped in a futon, landing in the back of my truck.
No such luck.
The lack of dramatics didn't faze me. There was still plenty of opportunity for my world-class playful mockery.
"Thanks for picking me up, Chloe."
"What, no kiss hello?" I asked with a smirk. "I had the house to myself today, I was going to spend it naked."
That did it.
In three seconds, he turned as red as a tomato. "N-n-n-naked?"
"Naked. Nude. Birthday suit," I said, each synonym making him fidget.
"Yeah, I… I got it the… first time," he muttered.
"Aw, little Aaron is nervous." I chuckled at his awkwardness. "Is the thought of seeing me naked exciting?"
He opened his mouth, then closed it again as he realized whichever answer he gave would cause trouble. His stomach grumbled loudly.
"Come on," I said through a laugh, patting his shoulder. "I'll get you breakfast."
I'd teased him enough… for now. Besides, it'd be so much more fun waiting for him and Max to be in the same place and continue this.
"Two Whales?" he said, eager to change the subject.
"Two Whales," I confirmed.
He practically leaped into the truck. I joined him and turned the key. Things got really interesting when the radio blasted to life. Apparently, someone changed the station while I wasn't looking. Smart money was on Max, not that I had any money to bet. I was about to switch it off when a song came on.
"After all it was a great big world, With lots of places to run to."
"OH MY GOOOOOOOD!"
Aaron jumped out of the truck and started to dance… oddly similar to how Max danced – which, was to say, not well.
"Yeah, and if she had to die, Tryin' she had one little promise, She was gonna keep."
I watched him for a moment, then decided to join him. We stood in the driveway, dancing like lunatics. Not a care in the world.
"Oh yeah, all right, Take it easy baby, Make it last all night, She was an American girl."
Halfway through, Aaron fell on the ground, laughing. "God, I love that song."
I fell next to him, exhaling deeply. "Mind telling me what that was?"
"American Girl by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers," he replied, a glint of unrestrained happiness dancing in his eyes. "Been a while since I heard it."
"I meant the dancing," I corrected. "You dance like Max."
"Like a girl?"
"Like an inflatable tube man."
"Ah."
We enjoyed the song in the background, looking at the sky. It was still pretty early, the sun a warm golden orange. A question popped into my head, one I just had to ask right then and there. I turned my head to look at Aaron.
"Do you love Max?"
The question caught him off guard. His expression cycled through various emotions, trying to figure out what the right answer was. I waited, curious to hear what he really thought.
"I don't know," he eventually said with a sigh. "All I know is… whatever I feel around Max, I feel around you, too."
I felt my face get hot. "Well now, little Aaron Watson is a two-chick man."
"Please stop," he pleaded. I responded by rolling on top of him, kissing him, and rolling of the other side. "The hell was that?"
"I believe in some cultures it is known as a kiss."
"Okay, but why?"
"I'm not too good with the mushy stuff," I explained, "but I definitely like you. You're part of the Price Approved Club. Membership is hella exclusive."
"Th-thank you," he turned to me with a smile.
I smiled back, then got to my feet. After brushing myself off, I offered him a hand.
"C'mon, pancakes await."
With only a moment of hesitation, he took it.
AARON WATSON'S POV
The diner was cleaner since the last time I was there, and the pancakes were simply divine. I didn't expect any less, not after tasting Joyce's cooking. It reminded me so much of my mom's cooking.
"Y'know," Joyce said as she approached them, "if you're up for it I can get you an application here. You look like you'd be a good bus boy."
"Mom," Chloe rolled her eyes, "if he does that, he'd be considered a normal person."
Joyce flicked her on the forehead and retreated back to the kitchen.
"It might not be a bad idea," I said thoughtfully.
"Do what you want," she said, "I'm going to wash the syrup off my fingers. Unless you want to do it, that is."
"Um…" was all I could utter before she poked my nose and left for the bathroom.
Propping my head on my hand, I stared out of the window. Arcadia really was a small, sleepy town. As close to nature as anyone could get. My eyes locked onto a car across the street, body tensing. I knew that car. A sense of dread consumed me from the inside out, my heart feeling like it was going to burst out of my cheat. My stomach churned.
"Oh, fuck. No…"
"Hope you didn't miss me too much." I felt a hand on my shoulder, breaking me from my trance and making me jump. "Let's get back to the junkyard. We can wait for Max-a-million to get out of class."
"Sounds great…" I said, eyes still fixed on the car.
Grabbing her hand, I dragged her out of the diner. I thought she might say something, ask me what was wrong, but she didn't. She just followed me. We walked together in silence. Somehow, I resisted the urge to run, run as far away as I could. If I made it obvious that I'd see that car, then…
An engine started. Panic flooded my body. I squeezed Chloe's hand hard, breathing uneven.
"I'm not going back. Never ever again."
I repeated it over and over again in my head, a mental vow.
"Hey, you ok?" Chloe finally asked. "You're kinda making my hand go numb. And the truck was in the parking lot."
Mustering all the strength I could, I looked at her. She stared into my eyes intently.
"Something about those vibrant blue eyes calms me."
I took a deep breath and loosened my grip on her hand. Before I could let go completely, Chloe rubbed my hand with her thumb. It actually helped steady my already shot nerves. I tilted my head towards her, my voice quiet yet clear.
"The blue Toyota behind us…" my pace quickened instinctively, "it's following me."
Chloe glanced at me briefly. "Why would someone want to follow you?"
Thank God, she played along. If she'd looked back, she would have scared the driver off.
"Because… the person driving that car is my sister," I whispered shakily.
She was quiet for a few moments, and then spoke up with a low voice. "The next alley is a shortcut to the junkyard," she motioning to it slightly with her head, "but right next to it is the jewelry shop. There's always a guard in there, you know to stop people from stealing shit."
"Why?"
"Because if she follows us in," she smiled, something between reassuring and determined, "she's going to feel the wrath of Chloe Price. And someone's gonna need to clean up."
She winked at me, which made me feel better. Only a little. At least I wasn't alone this time. We went inside and blended in by looking at the fake plastic jewelry we could realistically afford, trying on necklaces and bracelets and rings and such. And then...
"Hey, asshole."
The new yet familiar voice was derisive and aggressive, sending shivers down my spine. Old memories resurfaced, things I wanted to forget. Pain, torment and suffering. The past I so desperately tried to flee from and bury.
"Turn around."
Sorry for the wait. I'd like to thank my co-authors for their help. Peace.