Y/N's POV

My father is still out when I wake up, thank God. I slip out of bed and get ready for school, wearing a nice outfit after showering and putting on a bit of mascara. I grab an apple and eat it just before I have to hop on my bike and go to school. 

Parking my bike in it's normal spot, I see a flyer that reminds me of tonight. The dance fundraiser. Ack. I didn't want to go, and no one had asked me. Until I saw a familiar face stride towards me. 

"Heyyy Y/N." Darren grins. 

"So, where'd you have to speed off to yesterday?" I ask, crossing my arms. 

"Ohh, you're mad." He nods in understanding. "Sorry about leaving, but I uh. . . I had a family emergency." 

My eyes grow wide. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be a jerk about it." I instantly feel horrible. 

He nods slowly. "Uh, it's fine. I was wondering. . ." He eyes the flyer awkwardly. "If you'd um, like to go to the dance with me? I mean, assuming someone hasn't asked you already. I-I mean not that someone wouldn't have, cuz. . ." 

"Sure," the word slips from my mouth before I can stop it, deciding Darren deserved a second chance. "It could be fun." 

"Right. . ." His normal personality resurfaces from under his brief nervous state. "You're a car girl, right?" He gives his trademark grin. 

". . . H-How did you. . ." He points to my backpack with a chevy symbol on it, and where my car-themed notebooks were falling out, and looks at my car phone case. I flush stupidly. 

"Yeah, you like cars too?" He nods, and looks at my phone intently for a moment, and pulls out his own to type something. Then he says,

"I know them so well, I practically am one." He winks at me. That was kind of a weird thing to say, but I laugh. "Really? What kind?"

"A bright red one." He breathes, "A corvette, preferably." 

I laugh, then stop short. I'd seen a red corvette somewhere recently, haven't I? The scrapyard! That was it. 

"Something wrong?" Darren asks, a little nervously. 

"Uh, no." I shake my head and give him a smile. 

"Okay, great. See my date later then," He winks, and walks off. 

"Date?" I laugh under my breath, shaking my head, and go to my first class, which was different than Darren's. 

Ten minutes in, I see something flash in my bookbag. 

Heya car girl ;) 

Did Darren just text me? 

Yep.

I'm in class right now! I text back.

So am I. 

You're not getting me in trouble again. Bye! I put my phone away, and pay close attention to the teacher to figure out what I missed her saying. 

When lunch arrives, and I've successfully avoided the Wicked Witch of the West and her flying monkeys, I find myself being called over by Darren. 

"Y/N! Over here!" He calls, waving his hands like a madman. 

I internally facepalm, but where else did I have to go? My feet carry me over, and I see Grim and Constance sitting with him. 

"Y/N, have a seat!" Darren grins, like he didn't just make that clear by hollering across the lunch room. 

I do, and smile. "Y/N, this is Grim and Constance--but she's a stickler for rules so you probably won't have any fun with her around." Darren huffs. 

"Just because I like keeping people in line doesn't mean I don't know how to have fun!" Constance argues. 

"It kinda does though. It kinda does." Darren turns to me. Then it hits me. "Oh," 

"Oh what?" He asks, and they all wait nervously, like the world is hanging on by a thread. 

"I uh, told Mrs. Turner the reason you left early was because you threw up, and you're supposed to stay--" 

"Out twenty-four hours if you throw up before returning to school." Constance recites swiftly. 

Darren pumps a fist in the air. "Really!? Ha, I shoulda thought of that sooner!" 

I can't resist bursting into giggles. "Really? Out of everything. . ." I giggle, and brush my hair out of my eyes, wiping away the happy tears. I needed a good laugh. I hadn't had one in so long. . .

Darren's grinning stupidly, his face a little red. I collect myself and sit up straight. 

"Si--Darren told us you like cars. Do you like dinos?" Grim's voice rings in my mind for a minute as I process this odd question. 

"Um. I guess so. Yeah, they're cool. What about you?" I ask, and he grins. 

"I loooove dinos. Wouldn't it be cool if there were robot dinos--hey!" Constance elbows him with a glare, and she covers, "Sorry about that Y/N, we don't mean to bore you."

"Oh, it's not boring." I chirp. "There's a robo dino at the museum down the road, you know." I nod. 

"Really? Cool!" Grim grins. I nod, and Darren interrupts. 

"Uh Y/N, did I hear you say that your favorite car was a corvette earlier?" He asks. 

I laugh and poke his shoulder. "You said it was your favorite, Darren. But Stingrays and Lamborghinis are tied as my number one." 

He grins. "I had a feeling you did." I roll my eyes as I eat a fry.

"Excuse me, but I just remembered Grim and Darren and I are supposed to work on our science project together." Constance interrupts. 

"We are?" Grim and Darren ask in unison. Constance glares at them. "Yeah, remember?"

"Ohh, yeah that one." 

"Yeah I remember now." 

"Gotta get to work--" They look at me awkwardly. As my face glows red, I realize that's my cue to leave. What Y/N, did you think this would last forever? I ask myself, getting up. 

"Yeah, okay. I just remembered I have stuff to do too so, bye." I start walking away, averting my gaze from Darren's broken looking blue one. 

"Y/n, I'm sorry--" 

I don't answer and set the tray back and walk out. 

❤❤❤

I avoid Darren the rest of the day, even though I can tell he wants to talk. Maybe I'd text him later and tell him I couldn't make it tonight. I might just do that. 

I pedal off to my job, and Rusty sees my long face. 

"You okay Y/N?" He asks, and I sigh. 

"You know that feeling when you thought people were there for you but it turns out they don't really care?" I ask with a sigh, not sure why I'm telling him this. He seems good at keeping secrets, but in a good way. 

"Yeah," He nods, smile dropped. "I do."

(1,118 words! Hope you liked! Until next time, my little flames! Ash)