Chapter 11: You're Weird

"Ooh, turn it up," Gracie says excitedly to Cole, who is sitting in the passenger seat beside her.

Gabs, Aaron, and I are all sitting together in the backseat of Gracie's mom's SUV, Gabs on the left, me in the middle, and Aaron on the right, and Adrian is sitting in the third row.

Lucky him.

Cole called shotgun before I could, and I swear I would've murdered him if Aaron hadn't shoved me into the car.

I huff just thinking about it.

Cole complies with Gracie's request and turns the radio volume up, and Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time by Panic! At the Disco sounds through the speakers.

"Champagne, cocaine, gasoline

"And most things in between

"I roam the city in a shopping cart

"A pack of camels and a smoke alarm!"

Gracie and I belt out the lyrics at the same time, along with Adrian from where he's sitting in the third row.

"Turn it off," Gabs groans.

She hates Panic! At the Disco.

I don't know why—I personally and absolutely love them and all of their music—but she does.

But, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Even if that opinion sucks.

"Get their album out of the glove compartment," Gracie instructs Cole. "I love them, like, they're absolutely my favorite song people ever. Gabby hates, them, which is weird, but, okay. I remember hearing their first song, and I was like, I love it, and I've been listening to them ever since, and—oh my gosh, look at that puppy, it's so cute. I've always wanted a puppy, but my parents don't think I'm responsible enough. I don't know what kind though. Maybe a Maltese. Or a Husky. Yeah, I like Huskies, they're so adorable and fluffy and I love them so much. Do you think if I ask my parents one more time, they'll say yes, I mean..."

Gracie continues on and on as Cole searches for one of the albums with a soft smile on his face. He even turns his head to stare at Gracie as she talks and gestures wildly with one hand, the other remaining on the wheel.

The weird thing is, he's not trying to interrupt her, he's just... letting her talk.

I admit, there have been times where I've interrupted Gracie, and Gabs does it all the time—more recently than in the past— but everybody else she's ever talked to has always tried to interrupt her monologues with things about themselves.

Cole, he's just... listening.

Gracie's eyes are shining, her cheeks are flushed with energy, and she looks excited and happy and herself. She's never like this with anybody except people she knows because she's always afraid she'll talk too much.

I love seeing her like this with people she doesn't know; Cole actually listening to her and keeping up with her abrupt changes in topics makes it ten times better.

I guess Cole sees me looking at him and Gracie out of the corner of his eye because he turns his head and makes eye contact with me. Upon noticing the happy grin on my face, his smile turns into a scowl and he goes back to looking for the album.

He thinks I don't see him still sneaking peeks at Gracie out of the corner of his eye.

I give a soft chuckle.

"What's so funny, Cassie?"

"Nothing," I say, shaking my head as I turn to look at Aaron.

He studies my face with a smile. "You know, you really can't sing."

Ouch. He's right, but, damn, a little uncalled for.

I scowl at him. "I didn't notice."

"How could you not?"

His happy laughter brings my smile out, and, I'm guessing, he's happy to see it because a grin appears on his face.

"Why did I agree to this?"

The muttered sentence from Gabs causes me to freeze, the smile still plastered on my face.

Aaron's smile drops as he takes in my expression. "Why do you look constipated?"

I ignore him and turn to face Gabs.

"What did you say?"

She turns her head to look at me, her eyes wide and a shocked look on her face. "What?"

"What did you say?"

She covers up her shock and attempts to look unbothered.

"I didn't say anything."

Bitch, I heard you.

I hold back the snide remark, but let the smile fall off my face. "No, seriously, what'd you say?"

She shakes her head and I see her jaw clench.

"It's pretty obvious you said something, so why don't you tell me what the fuck it was?"

"I didn't say anything," she grits out through clenched teeth.

My temper flares.

Okay, I wouldn't say I have anger issues, but I have a relatively short temper and am rather quick to anger. But no anger issues here, nope, none at all.

Besides, Gabs is being a bitch; we've done this for years, and if she didn't like it, she should've spoken up the first time.

She doesn't get to go along with this for three years and now all of a sudden complain. All the little things she's done in the past that I've found a problem with comes flooding back into my brain, and I speak without really meaning to.

"You know what? I'm tired of your bull—"

"Okay, Cassie, let's switch."

I whip my head around to face Aaron, my hair whipping around to hit Gabs. Oops, but I'm not sorry. "What?"

"We're switching seats."

"Why?"

He shrugs. "Because I don't want the window anymore." He leans in closer, strands of his ink black hair falling into his eyes, and lowers his voice. "And because I don't think you actually want to say what I think you were about to say."

I narrow my eyes at him, but his words don't fall on deaf ears.

As much as I hate the fact that Gabs is acting this way, she's still one of my best friends, and this trip means a lot to both me and Gracie, and I'm not going to ruin it just because I don't like what she's saying.

I take a deep breath and nod at Aaron.

He tells Gracie to stop at the gas station coming up on our right.

We all get out and I immediately go into the station, not waiting for anybody.

I enter the building, and the air conditioning hits me, and I slowly walk through all the aisles, looking for something to snack on.

I'm so fucking hungry. I didn't eat lunch because I was napping with Aaron, and then I didn't even have a snack or drink some water because he kidnapped me and held me hostage.

My first instinct is to scowl at the memory, but then the way he looked and smiled at me comes rushing back, and I smile softly instead.

"Whatcha doing?"

I snap my head to the right to see Aaron standing at the end of the aisle, hands clasped behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"You sound like Isabella from Phineas and Ferb."

He cocks his head to the side. "What?"

My mouth falls open. "You've never seen Phineas and Ferb?"

How could he not have seen Phineas and Ferb? That show was the greatest one of all time. I—"

"Please tell me you're kidding," I say, interrupting my internal monologue.

"Sorry," he says as he walks closer. "I'm really not." His green eyes search my face with amusement.

"I don't think we can be friends," I say. "How have you not seen Phineas and Ferb?"

The light in his eyes dims. "My childhood wasn't like yours, I guess." He's silent, remembering something, and it's almost like he's forgotten I'm here.

"Aaron?"

He snaps back to attention and I watch as the light comes back, though it's not as bright as it was before.

"I believe I owe you food, right, Cassie?"

"What?" I blink.

"You won the race, didn't you?"

"Um, well, yeah, I guess."

He nods at me. "So, what do you want?"

I think, my eyes drifting up to ceiling.

"Oh," I exclaim excitedly as a thought enters my head. "Lunchables."

"You're such a kid, Cassie."

He likes it though, because his eyes are twinkling and a grin is on his face.

And I don't really know how to feel about that.

Which, like I said before, scares the shit out of me.

"Come on." He turns around and speaks over his shoulder. "Let's go get you some Lunchables."

Cue the smile.

---------

He bought me ten.

Ten fricking Lunchables.

Okay, so they're not all for me, but still.

He bought me ten.

That's a ridiculous amount of Lunchables.

I rip one open, grab a cracker, put two pieces of turkey on said cracker, and then put another cracker on top.

I bite into it and chew happily with a smile on my face, bouncing in my seat.

God, I love these.

Aaron chuckles from where he sits between me and Gabs.

"You're weird, Cassie."

"If being weird means I get to eat these, then fuck it," I shrug. "I'm weird. I'm the weirdest weirdo out there."

I shove the rest of the cracker in my mouth, doing my best to not let crumbs fall on me or the car.

Gracie giggles. "Can you make me a cracker sandwich?"

"With cheese?"

Gracie makes a face. "Ew, no. Their cheese is terrible, and I would rather not die today, I mean, we're going to a theme park and it's going to be so much fun, it would be really bad if I just died because I hate nasty and processed cheese and, like I said, I would rather not die today. Like, if it was any other day I would probably welcome Michael Myers with arms wide open, heck I'd probably take his knife and stab myself to save him the trouble, but, like, not today, you know? Besides, who would want to kill me, I'm literally the most awesomest person alive."

Cole chuckles at Gracie's words.

I would be making faces at him if I wasn't sitting behind him, and if he wasn't listening to Gracie go on and on about her taste in guys.

"I want to kill you," comes a muttered voice from the other side of Aaron. "And I'd probably enjoy it, too."

I eye Gracie and see her eyes trained on the road, her jaw clenched.

Gabs may have muttered it, but it's clear that she wanted everyone in the car to hear.

Gracie's monologue stopped—in the middle of her saying that Cole's eyes are the cutest one's she's ever seen—and now she's silent.

I think tears are pooling up in her eyes, but I can't be too sure.

I look around Aaron to glare at Gabs, and notice that everyone else's eyes are on her too.

She looks at each of us in turn, minus Gracie.

She doesn't even spare Gracie a glance.

"What?" Gabs says in confusion. "What did I say?"

A scowl forms on my lips and, like last time, the words are halfway out my mouth before I can stop them.

"You are the most conceited, party-pooping bi—mmph mmph mmph."

Aaron's palm covers my mouth, blocking my words from escaping, and stares into my eyes.

I narrow my eyes at him, basically telling him he needs to move his hand.

He rolls his eyes and gives me a look that seems to tell me that I need to get over it.

I sigh against his palm, giving him a short nod, and clench my jaw once he removes his hand from my mouth.

I turn to pointedly stare out the window and cross my arms across my chest.

I'm so fucking upset, I wouldn't be surprised if steam is coming out of my ears and my face is red.

Gabs is being mean for no reason. I don't know what her problems have been recently, but I'm about to become one of them if she doesn't find a way to fix it.

All of us were having a great time, laughing and smiling and joking, and she had to swoop in with her pissy self.

A voice in my head tells me to grow up and get over it. Why am I getting so upset about this?

Immediately, flashes of Gabs' attitude towards Gracie fill my brain, and my irritation hits a peak.

That's the problem.

Gabs has been acting uncharacteristically rude to Gracie recently, and I didn't know I was letting it bother me this much.

Okay, so, now that I know what's wrong, I can talk to Gracie and Gabs about it, solve the problem, and, hopefully, everything will go back to the way it was.

Key word there being hopefully.

I have this strange feeling that I'm going to mess everything up, and the voice in my head is telling me not do it, but I've never been one for listening to that voice in my head.

Wait, isn't that supposed to be my conscience?

...I don't listen to my conscience.

Yeah, now that I'm thinking about it, not listening to the voice isn't the best thing in the world.

Damn.

Maybe that's why freshman year was such a bad year.

---------

Gabs is avoiding me.

I've been trying to talk to her ever since we've got to this dumb theme park, but every time I get close she strikes up a conversation with Adrian or Cole or Aaron or spontaneously has to use the bathroom.

Convenient, right?

I let out an irritated sigh and Aaron, who is walking on my right, turns his head to glance at me while we walk.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine," I say curtly.

I feel his gaze on the side of my head, studying me, but I resist the urge to meet his eyes.

He looks away and I let out a barely audible sigh of relief.

I wasn't sure how much longer I could've held up.

"Ooh," Gracie exclaims excitedly, turning to Cole and grabbing his arm. "Can we go on the ferris wheel?"

He laughs and nods at Gracie, causing her to squeal with what I can only assume is sheer happiness.

Gracie grabs his hand and runs off in the direction of the ferris wheel, dragging a laughing Cole behind her.

I smile at the sight.

I love seeing Gracie happy, and, now that I know she's going through some stuff that she's trying to figure out—without my help, which I'm still a little upset about—I think that she needs a little extra happiness in her life right now.

I'm not exactly jumping for joy that she's finding said happiness with and because of Cole, but, hey, beggars can't be choosers.

"What do you think, Cassie?"

"What?" I say as I turn my head to look at Aaron, more than a little confused.

"Gabby wanted to go on that rollercoaster," he points to a set of tracks high above all the others surrounding it and smirks. "And I wanted to know what you think."

I'm terrified of heights.

Okay, it's not heights exactly, I'm not scared of being up high, I'm scared of falling from a relatively long way off the ground.

So, not scared of heights, I'm scared of death.

Which is weird because I actually want to die multiple times a week because of school, but, like, I don't want to die because I'm painfully breaking every bone in my body.

Falling down the stairs and breaking my neck is more my style.

"Cassie?" he asks, the fucking smirk still on his beautiful face. "You scared? We can go on something else."

I immediately shake my head. "No, it's fine."

He eyes me, his expression conveying clearly enough that he doesn't believe a word I said.

"Really?" he asks skeptically, the smirk falling off his face.

"Yep," I say, nodding my head. "Really really."

I snicker to myself at the unintentional, but still completely hilarious, Shrek reference I just made.

"You're weird," Aaron says with a smile on his face as he repeats what he said earlier in the car.

"You love it," I say absentmindedly as we get closer and closer to the line for the rollercoaster.

My heart speeds up exponentially as I turn my gaze upwards to the rollercoaster tracks, my neck straining from being tilted back as far as it is.

The cart thunders over the tracks and I almost stop breathing as the screams of the people riding it reach my ears and the terror takes over.

I'm able to slightly calm myself down once I register that the screams were those of delight and not complete, absolute, scared shitless screams.

We get in line, which thankfully—or maybe not—isn't that long.

I try to take deep, calming breaths as subtly as I can as Aaron, Gabs, and I get closer and closer to the front of the line.

"You okay, Cassie?"

Okay, so maybe I wasn't as subtle as I thought I was.

"Totally fine," I say, trying to convince him and myself.

"You sure?" he asks, stopping me from getting my wristband scanned by one of the ride operators, concern etched all over his features. "We don't have to go on it if you really don't want to."

For one of the very few times in my eighteen years of life, I consider backing out.

I'm scared.

It's damaging my womanly pride to say that aloud, but it's true. I'm absolutely terrified.

I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm shaking like a leaf, but I don't think it's completely working.

All of my efforts to conceal how I'm really feeling have no effect on Aaron.

I'm not sure how to feel about that; I'm not sure how to feel about any emotion concerning Aaron, and I hate it. He makes me feel all over the place, and I hate it.

"Cassie. Are you sure?"

I hesitate, but reach a decision that I already regret and wish I could take back, giving a decisive nod.

"I'm sure."

Damn me to hell.

---------

Are you scared of rollercoasters? For the record, I wasn't—mostly because I was too short to go on all of the "scary" ones—but now, it's a different story, if you know what I mean.

--Rose