Red Light, Green Light

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I found myself back in my room while a cluster of thoughts sprinted in my mind. My body tensed up as I closed the door behind me in a wave of emotion. The phone residing on the nightstand mocked me with its contents. It was face down with the charger still intact. The floor against the side of my bed was my new nesting ground as I placed the phone in my hand.

My reflection glittered in the deep black screen.

Even from the small surface, I could see such agony in my expression. Hitting the power button wasn't even my intention, yet my home screen replaced my face. And there it was, the infamous message staring back at me. In the back of my mind, I hoped that it was a mirage. It was definitely real.

What did Mom mean when she said he was fighting for us? After what he did, he didn't deserve custody, and no respectable court would give it to him. But, the fact that he even wanted it gave me some sort of hope for his soul.

He was my dad and maybe I should have heard him out. Was that betraying my mom, though? I should have stayed with her, he wasn't safe. I never thought I would have to make that choice. Before I was wishing for a text like this from him. But, it was there and I didn't know how to act.

Above it, there was a missed call from no other than Banks. I didn't even notice it before with everything going on.

"Hey, hey," I repeated trying to steady my voice from all the shakiness that was trying to overcome me. "Screw it," and I called him.

"Hey Daya, I called you," he cut himself off when he heard my ragged breathing.

"What's going on?" He inquired.

I huffed, "Stupid family crap. My brother and I got into a fight, everything's weird," I was trying to calm myself down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He almost sounded nervous to ask. From the little I gauged about him, he didn't seem to ever be off his too-cool-for-anything act.

"I don't know what to say without sounding like I should be put in a mental asylum." That wasn't a joke but I heard a little chuckle from the other side of the line.

He decreed, "I'm cool with a little crazy, patient zero. I'm coming to pick you up, okay."

"If it's too far out of your way, we can reschedule my admission. Is it just you or should I expect a crowd?" My voice cracked a little.

"You have me all to yourself." His voice was low and raspy, even through the phone.

I bit my lip, "I must be a lucky girl."

I could practically hear him smirking on the other side of the line. "Text me the address and I'll be there soon."

I put two fingers to my head and saluted, "Roger that." Thank God he couldn't see how stupid I was over the phone.

"See you then," I imagined him running his fingers through his hair as he paced in his room trying to find a clean pair of jeans. Or standing in front of the closet to determine which monochromatic shirt he should wear today. It was probably dirty and filled with sporty stuff. Or maybe I was wrong and he's a secret neat freak and actually hated sports. Maybe his room held all the memorabilia that really mattered to him.

"Bye, bye Banks," and I pressed the red phone symbol.

As I walked down the hall, my feet stopped in front of Dennis' door. I knew there was a slim chance of him wanting to speak to me, but it felt icky leaving things uncertain. Standing in front of Denny's door, I took a deep breath before knocking.

"Whoever it is, go away," he said, and I marginally opened the door anyway.

I held onto the side of the door, "Are you going to school? I think we should give mom some time to rest by herself."

He looked up from his computer, "You're worried about mom now? Who's taking you," he asked.

I ignored his first comment, "A friend from school."

He nodded, "I'll just drive there on my own. So screw off, Little Miss."

I stood there for a second with my mouth wide open, but I couldn't find the words to say. His room had one less person when I left. I went into the bathroom and looked at myself again. That mirror and I have been through a lot together. It's seen me at my best and worst.

Presentable, I thought.

The girl in the mirror stared back at me as I practiced smiling. She didn't think it was normal either but I had done this since I was little. All I wanted to be was the same as everyone else back then.

But, I realized I was. Everybody was just as insane as I was. Maybe I was just wanting to be cookie-cutter and boring. I thought that was better than being mentally ill and scared of other people's shadows. That one didn't look too fake. I ran my finger through my hair.

After going through a couple of hairstyles I landed on a braid and went back into my room. My anxiety even bothers me when doing my hair. Which hairstyle was going to make me blend into the crowd more? I didn't want to live like that. I grabbed my bag, and phone, and headed for the staircase.

Then, I stopped myself in an accelerated fashion, in front of my mother's room this time. I knocked on my mom's door, and let myself in when she didn't say anything. Of course, she was sound asleep on the bed that the three of us were in not long ago.

Quietly, I walked back out and downstairs. Banks wasn't there yet, so I sat on my step and pulled my phone back out. My dad's message was a train riding through my mind.

Suddenly, I felt the urge to go through the pictures on my phone. There were so many, but I stopped on one of my dad and I on Father's Day this same year. I had no idea what was in my future at that time. I still didn't know what the future held. He wanted to take us to a baseball game, even though Denny and I couldn't know less about the sport. It was his day after all.

As I scrolled through pictures of that day, there was one of Mom and Dad kissing and smiling. They looked so happy and in love, but it must've been false, right? And after that was a reaction shot of Dennis looking grossed out per usual.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice a car pull up until I heard a honk. I looked up and saw the now infamous red '55 Chevy Bel Air.

Jay lowered his window and shouted, "Day, do you need a ride?" How could he ask me that so nonchalantly? Just like old times.

I walked up to his car, "Someone's coming to get me."

He put his car in park, "That's my gig. Are you trying to replace me already?" His tone said he was joking but his actual words skewed differently.

I muttered, "I think you traded in that job to be someone else's personal chauffeur."

"Can we talk before your ride gets here?" He bleated in a voice that drew sympathy out of me.

"They'll be here soon. I'm just-," I pushed my shoulders forward and crossed my arms.

He looked around the neighborhood. "I can be brief. I saw the video." All Liv and I did was argue, everyone else had to be over it. Except the ones involved apparently.

"Yeah," I tried to mask my fear in short words and phrases.

He recited, "Yeah. I... I never wanted to hurt either of you."

I took a step away, "I'm tired of hearing your spiel. If you haven't broken up with her by now you aren't going to and I was stupid to think that you would. Let's just drop the whole thing, because I'm tired of it. Aren't you? Can't you feel how toxic this is?" He moved to get out of the car but I wouldn't let him.

"No," I said as he reached his arm out the window towards me. I moved back, "Stay right where you are. Instead of chatting it up with me you should drive off and find her!"

"Day-" I couldn't let him start up again. "I need time alone. Away from you and all the drama that comes with you!"

He clenched his fist and then released them, probably hoping that I didn't notice.

"You mean Liv," he frowned.

"No, the third girl you have in your pocket! Yes, Olivia Saint-Charles! Your actual girlfriend! Jay, she's been trying to blackmail me to keep away from you this whole time!"

He leaned back in his seat, "Is that why you've been ignoring me?"

"You did that by yourself," I grimaced at him.

Through his rearview mirror, he noticed a big white truck pull up behind us. "I promise she won't do anything to you."

"I don't believe your promises anymore," I growled before I turned around and looked between the two vehicles. His giant truck transcended over Jay's small vintage car. Banks put his head out the window, his eyes were covered by sunglasses even though it wasn't that bright outside.

Wordlessly, Jay drove off and caused me to jolt. My chest was heaving as I ran back to get my bag and towards Banks window.

"Hey," I said as I looked up at him.

Over the top of his glasses, he ran his eyes over me and commented, "Morning, look at you," as he turned his rock music down.

"I didn't take you for a Radio Head type of guy," he looked effortlessly cool as he bobbed his head to the low music.

"You know I'd love it, but I can't let you sit on my lap while I drive. Hop on in." He jerked his head to the side.

I tried not to blush as I ran to the other side of the truck. "Who was that?" He tried to sound casual, but I knew he wasn't happy to see me with him.

"Jay, he saw the video and wanted to talk about it." I tried to say the words so quickly he couldn't comprehend it.

He quirked his eyebrow, "Did he upset you? I'll catch up to him and ram his bumper?" It could have gone either way, but I was going to take it as a joke.

I huffed, "No need, I promise. I feel like I made it clear to him that I want to leave the boy drama alone."

He turned his music completely off. "Am I included in the boy drama?" He used air quotes around 'boy drama.' I promised Piper that I would make myself clear with all of them. How did I go from zero to three boys in a matter of days?

"Kind of," he put one of his hands on his chest opened his mouth, and pretended to be offended.

"Don't! You witnessed what happened with Celia yesterday. I didn't even have more than one friend for a full day before I messed it up." I took a second to observe his truck. It was nicer than I thought it would be.

I slumped in my seat. "You didn't mess anything up. Celia doesn't own me. Are you warm enough?" He turned the heater up a small quantity.

"That feels nice. Now, I need to tell you... something that um. I need some time... you know time." I moved my hands around.

"I'm aware of the concept of time, yes." He smirked at me like he just couldn't help himself.

His face was just so cute, it was distracting. "I... I don't know how to tell you."

He looked over at me, took off his sunglasses, and then turned back to the road. "Probably because you don't want to say it." I could see the school coming up in the distance from his window.

"Daya, I'm not the type to hide how I feel, so I'm just going to say it. I like you. I'm putting it out on the metaphorical table here. Whatever you decide to do with that is up to you." My mind was confused by his statement. We really just met. How could he know that? But I couldn't deny I felt something too. Something slightly more than annoyance.

We arrived at a stop light. He looked over at me with his water-like eyes, "I'm not expecting anything from you, but I want you to know that."

The green light flashed over both our faces as he smiled at me. He pulled his eyes away from mine and started driving again.

"Why did you tell me that?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

He shrugged, "I try to be honest. You deserve to know, so you can make the best decision with all the facts."

"Those are all the facts?" I leaned closer to him.

He adjusted himself in the seat, "The other facts may be considered graphic."

I laughed, "Do I need to get you a parental advisory t-shirt?"

We arrived at school and parked near the gym. "No, unless you think it'll look good on me. But, I think I can guess what you want slash don't want to tell me."

I gestured toward him, "Shoot your shot."

"Too much is going on for you to have a relationship right now. Am I right?" He looked almost pitiful as he spoke.

I put my mouth in a straight line, "You got it on the first try." He leaned on the armrest in between us.

"It's not just Jay. Do you remember what I said about the family emergency last night?" I asked him.

He tensed up slightly, "You said there was one but you didn't clarify."

Banks put his hand on top of mine, which was sitting pretty in my lap. His presence was so calming and he was so easy to talk to.

"That family emergency trickled over to this morning too. My um... parents are getting a divorce. My dad wasn't the best to my mom, and he left us. It's been excruciatingly painful for my family. It hit all of us in different ways. Because on top of that, I have an anxiety disorder that I have to deal with. And I have a Jay problem going on."

I tried to continue, but I stopped anyway. I started playing with his fingers and rubbing circles into his palm because I didn't want to look up at him. I felt vulnerable enough just saying that to the dude and it made it just that more real.

He interlaced our hands together and then apart and back together. I watched the delicate dance in my lap, and he watched me.

"Daya," he grinned.

I attempted to look at him without moving my head at all, just my eyes. "That's not all, but I want you to know the facts. So, you can make an educated decision. I have a lot to deal with. I get it if it's too much and you want to back away."

His soft pink lips touched my cheek, "Hmm, I still like you."

My face turned red with a blush, "Banks." He quirked his eyebrow again.

"Well, we have daddy issues in common," he laughed. "My dad isn't around much either. They never got married but I remember him being in the house when I was younger. He was pretty much around just to knock her up three times and dip. He left me, my mom, and my younger brothers."

"When my mom got a boyfriend he decided to come around just to make sure she could never really move on. But, it doesn't bother me that he's gone. It pisses me off more every time he shows up and my little brothers are so excited to see him and he's just there to see her." His voice got quieter as he kept going.

He put his head on my shoulder and I could feel his breath on my neck. "Thanks for telling me," I declared and I meant it. I instantly felt closer to him.

He put his chin on my shoulder, "It felt nice to tell someone. I don't talk about him much. He's an asshat."

I rested my head on top of his. "Me too. And I'm happy you didn't freak out."

His breath was warm against my neck and caused me to shiver. He leaned closer and his lips brushed the side of my neck. One soft kiss turned into multiple as his lips burned into my skin. My head was spinning, and I couldn't focus on anything other than electricity running down my body. Not even the fact that he was kissing my neck before we'd even had a normal kiss. And that I let him. It was a big deal to me.

The bell ring was heard inside the car, but he didn't stop and I didn't make him. A moan plummeted from my lips, and he rubbed my inner leg with ease and without hesitation. My mouth was parted, my eyes were shut, and my chest was heaving. He removed his lips from my neck, and after a few seconds, I opened one eye to look at him.

"I'm going to have to get you to class," he had a smug yet sensual look to him.

"We can just stay here. I like it here," My voice was breathy as he quirked his eyebrow again.

"Intriguing, I would love to, but I have a game today and they won't let me play if I'm not in class."

He turned the car off and moved to get out. "Boo," I said as I sat in the same position thinking about what I had just done.

"When basketball season ends, we can skip every day. Plus I'm thinking about quitting." It was almost like my limbs had forgotten how to function. I sat there like a dazed weirdo as he opened the door.

"I know you like my truck, but you can't stay in it forever," his voice lingered in my mind.

"Oh yeah, I... I'm just going to," I moved out of the truck in the most awkward way possible. Ugh, why did I have to be so odd? As I was punching myself in the gut, he snuck up behind me and lifted me into the sky.

"Ah, let me down," I laughed as he spun me around in the brisk air. He put me down and swayed with me.

I turned around in his arms, "You better not tell anyone what happened." A laugh was still in my throat, but I was being serious.

"You're so tense, relax. I won't tell a soul, but you may want to put your hair down." I touched the side of my neck and formed an 'o' with my mouth.

"Banks," he chuckled a laugh that came from deep within.

"Come on, we have to go," he picked me up again and ran toward the entrance to the school.

He put me down before we got to where the bulk of the people were. "You're still going to my game tonight, right?"

My giddiness took over and I said," Yeth." I immediately covered my mouth and said," Yes," through my hand.

"You are so adorable," he simply put his arm around my shoulders.

"Stop, someone might see us," I removed his arm.

"Too late. Are we in a secret relationship now? Do I need to start leaving anonymous notes in your locker?" I shook my head and turned away from him.

"I think you're mixing your teenage movie tropes. The relationship can't be a secret from me either. That's a whole different trope, the cute stalker that wouldn't get away with it if they weren't cute." He started undoing my braid while we were walking.

"That hickey is extremely noticeable," he whispered into my hair.

I gasped, "Thanks to you! Am I going to go to the bathroom and find nothing there?"

He kissed my brown locks, "Do you want to take that chance?"

I shook my shoulders, "Just take it down," I said like I was annoyed. We stood beside my first-period door at a respectable distance that he was objecting to.

"Go, I don't want you to be late," he reached around and pulled my hair to the front.

"Can I get a hug before I go?" He had a quite cuddly look about him, but I declined.

"I'll see you soon," I squeezed his hand and then walked into class a whole lot happier than I did yesterday.

*Sorry this one is so long. I couldn't figure out where to cut it. Anyway, thank you so much for 6k!

Any wild card predictions for the rest of the story? Funny, weird, or serious entries are all welcome!

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