A/N: Hey guys! So sorry it's been so long but I've had a ton going on! Anyway, not one of my best chapters but I hope you guys enjoy!
"Morning!" Tori calls, leaning out of the window. Eve waves through the open door, taking a few extra seconds to slip into her shoes. Once that's done, she closes the door behind her, locks it and pockets the key. Her parents had already left an hour before and she had been in the big house by herself.
As usual.
"Are you okay?" Tori asks as Eve makes her way down the driveway. Eve nods, remembering her almost-drowning incident from yesterday.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little sore, I guess," she answers, reaching the van. Tori nods, leaning over to swing the door open for her.
"That's good. In that case, ready to meet Kelly?" Tori asks as Eve climbs in the van. Once settled, she looks to Tori with a confused expression.
"Kelly?" she repeats, wrinkling her nose. "Who's that?"
"Oh, Kelly owns Storm Chargers, that sports hop down by the beach," Tori explains, backing the van out of the driveway. "I have a part time job there, along with everyone you met yesterday."
"Oh, so the whole gang," Eve says, trying to smile. Inside though, she feels a little left out. True, it's not their fault that she moved away and they moved on with their lives but it still hurts just the same.
"Yup. You can see your savior there," Tori teases as Eve blushes and fiddles with a hair band on her wrist.
"Tori," she mumbles, heat rising in her cheeks. Unknown to Tori, that's exactly what she is thinking of. She wants to see him again.
She can't exactly think of a reason why, but she just has this feeling that she needs to see his blue eyes and sun kissed hair to make this anxious feeling go away.
And on top of that, the dream from last night is still running through her mind. She doesn't know why, but there's just something about it she can't let go of. It may be just a dream but it feels so much more real than that. A strange sense of apprehension had filled her that morning when she woke up, the dream still etched clearly in her mind.
"Welcome to Storm Chargers!" Tori announces, pulling up to the store. Eve gazes at, trying to see if she remembers. After a few moments, she shakes her head.
"I don't recall this being here," she comments as Tori stops the car. They get out, slamming the doors behind them.
"Well, it hasn't been here too long and besides, we didn't really come this way when we were younger," Tori says as they walk towards the tan building. In the glass window, there is a ling of surfboards, in all different colors. Bikes are parked right outside the entrance, giving it a feel of popularity. The wind blows the white cover, making it flap.
When they get inside, they find it's already crowded for being 11 o'clock in the morning. An auburn-haired woman, running the cashier, rings up a pair of motocross gloves to a blond, burly man. Two girls are over by the helmets, discussing the pros and cons of the different types. Three guys are fawning over the rack of bikes, examining the pieces of metal.
"Hey Tori," the auburn haired woman says as Tori pulls Eve up to the register. Tori gives the woman a smile as Eve awkwardly shifts from foot to foot. She's not good with meeting new people and it's even more awkward when her friend is already well-known to the stranger.
"Hey Kelly," Tori answers. "Wow, it seems busy."
"Oh you have no idea," Kelly says, wiping a few strands of hair off her forehead. "But this is only the beginning. It's not even noon yet!"
"I know," Tori nods. "Hey, have you seen the guys?"
"Dustin said he was going to be late. But the others are in the back room." Kelly inclines her head as she puts change into the register. Tori smiles at her.
"Thanks." Tori beams, then starts to walk away then remembers the girl in red standing next to her. "By the way, Kelly this is Eve. Eve, Kelly. Eve was my best friend before she moved away."
"It's nice to meet you Eve," Kelly says, putting her hand out for her to shake. Eve smiles shyly and shakes Kelly's hand.
"It's nice to meet you too," she says quietly, feeling a little slighted by the way Tori said 'was' instead of is. But it can't be helped.
She guesses she's just doomed to be people's second choice no matter what.
I just want to be someone's first choice.
"Come on Eve, let's go see the others." Tori grabs Eve's arm and starts to pull her towards the back. Eve nods, knowing even if she refuses, it will go unheard anyway.
"What's up guys?" Tori asks as they open the door to the back room. The boys inside look up at the entrance of the two girls.
"Hey Tor," Shane says, setting down the box he was holding. Eve looks around the room. It's a pretty small room, with only two medium-sized windows on the far wall. There are wire racks on the two opposite walls, filled with merchandise. And the floor is scattered with articles and boxes overflowing with more stuff.
"Hey Eve," Blake says, coming to stand closer to the girls. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, thanks," Eve answers, giving him a small smile. It's sweet of him to ask. She didn't think anyone would care. People usually don't.
"If you're looking for your hero, he'll be here in a minute," Dustin states, grinning at Eve. She feels herself start to blush hotly again. This is the second time today that someone inferred that Hunter is her 'hero'. It's a little embarrassing, actually. But not wanting to start any waves, especially with people she's just met, she shrugs it off.
"Great," she says instead as Shane picks up another box and seems to be struggling with it. "Do you want me to help you?"
"That'd be awesome." He looks at her with admiration. "Thank you." Together, they lift the heavy box back onto the fourth shelf of the rack.
"No problem," Eve responds, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Hey guys, Kelly said-Eve, it's nice to see you." They all turn around to see Hunter standing in the doorway of the back room, a clipboard in hand.
"Hey Hunter," Eve says quietly, nervousness charging through her bloodstream. He looks no different from yesterday but she feels there's a slight difference in the air. As soon as she sets her eyes on him, the anxious feeling from before vanishes, replaced instead with the adrenaline from the dream last night, along with something else she can't describe.
"Are you feeling better?" he inquires. Eve nods, swallowing back her strange feelings.
"Yes, I am, thanks. I really don't know how I can thank you again," she says earnestly, meeting his eyes with her own. Hunter shrugs.
"I already told you, it's fine," he insists. "Don't worry about it."
"Come on Hunter, isn't the 'hero' supposed to get some sort of reward?" Dustin teases, raising his eyebrows. Blake rolls his eyes at his older brother.
"Dude, you've been reading way too many comic books," he tells Dustin. The boy in yellow grins sheepishly.
"So?" he retorts. Eve smiles awkwardly, not sure what to do in this situation.
"Ugh, you guys are so immature," Tori sighs, putting her hands on her hips. She turns to Eve, a smile on her face. "Anyway, what-"
A beep suddenly goes off, interrupting Tori's sentence. She looks down and Eve notices for the first time, a weird watch-type thing on her wrist.
"Oh sorry Eve, but I have to go," Tori apologizes. She starts out of the room with the guys following her.
"Yeah, it's our, er break time," Dustin says enthusiastically. Blake nods and waves at Eve as they start towards the entrance.
"Um, okay," Eve says, confused by their strange actions. She sighs quietly, tired of feeling everything or nothing. Hunter is the last one to leave and he gives her a small smile.
"Sorry Eve, but we'll be right back," he tells her as he joins his friends and heads out the door, leaving Eve standing in the empty back room, as empty as she feels.
Sad eyes, empty heart.