Chapter 28
" I hate shopping."
Rochelle Quinn's POV:
"What?" My eyes softened slightly as the barrier in his eyes faltered for a split second, showing the vulnerability and sadness lingering in his eyes.
"I don't know how to explain it." He ran his hand through his hair, "Your smell.."
"Are you trying to tell me I stink?"
"No!" He argued instantly, "No, I don't mean that. You smell like strawberries and...and jasmine, and so does your hoodie. The smell...it calms me. It keeps the nightmares away."
"Kenzie, I need my hoodies. It's fucking freezing outside." I shivered for the added affect, making a small smile decorate his face.
My small smile.
"Please, Rae." He looked desperate, almost like a small child begging their parents to get them something. "I'll swap you one for some of mine. Please. Please. I don't want them to come back."
"Okay, Kenzie, okay."
-&-
I thought back to the conversation that I had just a few nights ago, thanking the lord that today was the last day before Christmas break.
And if that wasn't the best thing, it's Christmas Eve tomorrow.
But to say I look and feel like death would be an understatement. I barely had any sleep and I ended up borrowing Kenz my favorite hoodie in return for 3 of his.
"Rocky! Have you heard?"
I held in a groan as Malias elated voice greeted me, it was 8am and I couldn't be dealing with her enthusiastic self.
"Someone got up on the wrong side of bed this morning." She remarked, noticing my frustrated expression. I sent her a death glare as a shot of pain flashed through my head.
It's too fucking early to be dealing with this shit.
"Fix me up with six, seven cups of coffee and we'll be good to go." I responsed sarcastically, shutting my locker door and walking away from her.
Unfortunately for me, she wasn't giving up.
"Wow, Rocky, wait up." I stopped and turned around, gesturing for her to speak quickly.
"There's a school dance, on New Years Eve. I thought we could plan our outfits together."
We're not even in school on New Years Eve?
She seemed to notice my confused expression as she continued, "They always host a Christmas ball for the school, but it's gonna be your first and last one because we're leaving high school soon."
"You're joking." I deadpanned, looking at her in shock. "What made you think that I'm even going?"
"You have to go, Rocky!" She exclaimed, looking at me shocked.
Oh god, give me strength on this Monday morning.
I huffed, "Fine. But I'm not wearing a dress." I walked away from her, internally groaning to myself.
"And you'll need a date!"
Fuck my entire life.
Fuck giving me strength, I need a bottle of tequila.
"I'll be your date."
I span around until I faced the dark haired boy lurking in the shadows. He noticed my attire - one of his black hoodies with a Blink-182 logo on the front of it partnered with black skinny jeans- and smiled.
"I don't remember asking you." I raised an eyebrow, obviously humored by the suggestion. I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows, tilting my lips up at his comment.
"And?" Kenzie shrugged, "You hate people; I hate people. You don't like anyone in this school; I despise everyone in this place. We're a perfect match, and it'll piss Jackson off that I'm going with the most beautiful girl in school." I decided to blank his last comment, an odd feeling arising in my stomach.
"You have a fair point." I acknowledged, considering my options.
"Unless you wanna go with Lia? Or maybe Wyatt?" He pointed out.
Fuck that. That girl doesn't stop smirking and Wyatt's just boring.
I narrowed my eyes at him, "Fine, fine. I accept your offer but it doesn't mean anything."
His lips stretched upwards in an arrogant smirk, "Of course not."
But for the first time, I felt like he was lying to me.
-|-
"I hate shopping."
"That's the fourth time you've said it in less than ten minutes." Kenz pointed out, raising an accusatory eyebrow at me.
I shrugged, "Can't help the truth, Gothy."
"Then just lie for once." He suggested idly, running his hands over the suit laying among the mannequins.
"I don't believe in lying." I commented instantly, dismissing his suggestion without hesitating.
I'm a shit liar anyway.
"Why not?" He looked fascinated now, taking his attention away from the suits and focusing on me.
"People only lie when they're afraid of someone finding out something." My eyes didn't falter as a indecisive emotion flickered in his. "What's the point of being afraid?"
"But couldn't I argue that you're afraid of people learning about you? Like whatever Bulldog is? Are you afraid of that?"
His eyebrows furrowed with interest as he didn't realise how much his words affected me.
Am I afraid of that?
Yes.
"I never lied about it Dracula." I say while digging my nails into my palm. "I just don't like talking about it."
"Will you ever talk about it?" His eyes showed a collision of emotions all in one: Curiosity, pain, suspicion, hope.
"Will you ever talk about your childhood?" I fired back, crossing my arms over my chest and sending him a pointed look.
"Maybe." He replied nonchalantly, "Will you?"
"Maybe."
"Wanna play truth or truth?" He asked hopefully, placing a black suit over his arm while walking over to the dress section.
"Truth or truth?" My eyebrows raised unconsciously at the suggestion.
"Truth." He smirked at me, flinging a couple of dresses over his arm.
"Hmmm. What's your favorite color?"
"My favorite color?" He paused for a second, "Black."
"Course." I kissed my teeth, unable to stop the smile appearing on my face. "Truth."
"Can I ask you something that I've been wondering?" I nodded at the question, suddenly intrigued on what he wanted to know. "What the fuck are the Taco Gods?"
I started laughing at the interested expression on his facial features, "It's a long story."
"I have time?"
I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from laughing again. "One of the first times I was drunk, I was talking shit and I went to ask Alec, " If God was real, do you think he'd like tacos?" But instead I ended up saying " Do you think the Taco God is real?" And being the drunk, humorous teenagers we were, we couldn't stop laughing for a long time and Alec kept bringing it up so it just stuck."
He chuckled, "You sound like you had a lot of fun when you were younger."
My expression faltered slightly, "Yeah it was alright."
"Your turn, Dracula. If you had to date anyone in that school, who would it be?" The curiosity overwhelmed me as I realised he never shown an interest in anybody.
He took a while to answer, "There's this girl I know. She's curvy, with dark hair and eyes. Not too tall but not too short. She's so smart and so beautiful but I don't think she'd ever get with me."
"Aw, Kenzie, any girl would be lucky to get with a goth like yourself." I punched his shoulder lightly, smiling up at him.
"Why are you in such a happy mood?" He asked disbelievingly.
"It's Christmas time, we might as well act happy even if we don't feel it." I shrugged.
"Fair enough." He handed his card to the casher as she put all of the clothes in the bag. "So, Ms Quinn, who was your first kiss?"
"Original." I deadpanned, rolling my eyes at him. "Ivan."
He froze, "Ivan?"
"Yeah." I nodded my head, not finding too much bother in the revelation.
"But I thought-" He cut himself off, shaking his head.
"What?"
"There was a rumor a while ago. Everyone started saying he was gay.." Kenzie drifted off at the last word.
"Yeah he is." I continued as I sensed the question about to leave his mouth, "We were young, he was questioning himself so he asked if he could try so we did. It's not a big deal."
"Fair point." He passed me the bags, putting his wallet into his back pocket. "Do you remember that day in school when we stopped Jackson and Kace from hurting Sam?"
"Yeah I do." My hands fisted over the bag handles.
"He hit you too, so why'd you try to stop me when I was hitting Jackson?"
I answered without hesitation. "Even though he hurt Kade and I really don't like him, I'm not a coward. I will fight alongside anyone if they're in their corner alone."
*_*_*_*_*_*
I hope you're all having a wonderful time today and thank you for taking time to read this chapter!
All my love,
Alaska x
QOTC: What's your favorite season?