Chapter 18

Two Weeks Later

Landon's POV:

"What are your plans for this afternoon?" Marv asks me out of interest while he prepares to take his shift at the garage.

Dean answers for me, "Hanging with his best bud."

Marv frowns, making it obvious that he hates Dean. Ignoring Dean's remark, he turns to me for an explanation. "Hanging with him over that girl you've been seeing for the last two weeks?"

"I believe her name is Gorgeous," Dean corrects him.

I whack him upside the head. "Shut the hell up, Dean." If he carries on, Marv is going to kick him out of the garage for good. If that happens, I'll have no choice but get into a brawl with my boss and potentially lose my job. "Her name is Sarah," I tell Marv. "She actually asked to spend the day with Dean. She wants to get to know him for some reason. I still don't get why."

"Because I'm awesome," Dean chirps, a snarky grin on his stupid face.

"Because she's invested in your life," Marv says to me with an actual smile. "She sounds like she's really trying to connect with you and the people you care about."

"I don't care about anyone," I reply, crossing my arms over my chest, daring anyone to say differently.

Marv chuckles and slaps me on the back. "Alright, Kitler. I believe you." He grins a second later, collecting himself. "You should still ask Sarah out officially. I mean, making her yours. Isn't that what you want?"

I nod. "I'll ask her soon." When I feel ready.

"Good. I'd like to see you happy," he says before pushing me toward the front door. "Now get, your shift ended a few minutes ago."

"You just want Dean out, don't you?" I ask him knowingly. He never rushes to take his shift – this is a first.

Marv nods, owning up to it, earning my respect. "Yup."

"I'm not even offended," Dean replies casually, failing to take the 'hint' and get the hell out.

I grab Dean by the collar of his shirt and yank him out of the garage with me. "Got ya!" I yell over my shoulder at Marv, finally removing myself and the problem kid from the garage.

*~*~*~**~*~*~*

I glance between Sarah and Dean who are both laughing at another one of Dean's dumb jokes. They've spent the entire afternoon like this. I think Sarah's the only one who appreciates him and the stupidity that comes with him – they're a package deal.

"Well, well, well..." Dean trails off with a menacing smirk, "look who's actually shedding a smile. Finally grew feelings, eh Lan?"

I like that Sarah likes Dean. She's been making an effort with my sister too. It's...new. I like it. I like her.

I shrug and stare out at the hills before us -- Dean's dad's farm is peaceful. "Maybe," I confess, owning up to it.

"What a loser," Dean mocks me, seeking a reaction.

I shrug a second time. "Whatever." For once, I'm not affected by his insults. I don't even feel remotely annoyed. It's almost like I'm becoming immune to his idiotic antics, at least, with the help of Sarah's calming presence.

Sarah shakes her head at Dean, failing to hide a smile. "You're terrible," she tells him, aware that he's trying to get me irate.

"Me? You know Landon, right?" He jokes.

"Landon's sweet," she argues, causing me to grin – first time I've ever been called sweet by anyone.

Dean laughs, finding her words hilarious. "Yeah, this raging lunatic in anger management classes," he points over to me, failing to see the panic in my eyes, "is 'sweet'," he ends in sarcasm.

Sarah crinkles her nose in confusion, brushing a strand of blonde hair from her face. "Wait. What do you me–"

"He's not so sweet when he's out street racing," Dean cuts her off abruptly, meaning well. "You should see him; he tries to ram you off the road."

I shake my head at Dean. I'm killing him internally with my piercing glare. I should have told the moron beforehand to keep his trap shut. I haven't got around to telling Sarah about my temper issues and my side job.

"You're joking, right?" Sarah asks Dean quietly.

Dean laughs loudly. "I wish! He's a violent, ruthless, fighting machine. He talks with his fists. He–"

Sarah turns to look at me, hurt evident in her expression. "Landon, please start talking or I'm going to jump to assumptions and I don't want to do that without hearing from you first."

I sigh in unease. "It's all lies."

"Landon..." she drawls pleadingly.

"It's all true," I groan, feeling the urge to repeatedly ram Dean's head into a brick wall. "In my defense, I can't control my temper. I don't choose to be this way."

"Yeah," Dean backs me up with a grin, still not realizing the situation he's put me in, "he can fix anything but himself."

Sarah stands up and touches her forehead in frustration. She stares at the farm animals grazing before fixing her gaze on me again. "I don't know what to say," she says to me quietly.

I immediately detect the disappointment in her tone. "Neither do I," I admit. This is exactly why I don't mention my temper to just anyone. People run from me before even knowing me.

"I've been down this road before, Landon. I'm not prepared to get involved with a violent lawbreaker again. I thought you were a good guy," she continues, harsh in her words. It's the first time that I've seen her angry.

I've been insulted many times before but hearing it come from Sarah is almost painful, maybe because I thought she was different too. I thought she could be the one to look past all my flaws.

"He is a good guy," Dean whispers into the silence when I don't say anything. "If you think he's not, then you don't know him."

This is why I keep Dean Wyatt around. I forgot that he has some good traits, not many but some.

"You were right. I really am a bad judge of character. I'm tired of being dragged down into messes that are not my own," Sarah tells me, brushing Dean's words off as if they mean nothing to her. "I want to see you fix this one, Lan."

I internally wince. Hearing what I just heard is worse than a punch to the gut.

I helplessly watch Sarah turn and leave. She heads straight over to her Ford and gets in without so much as a second's hesitation. It reminds me of the day I watched my mother leave and I don't like the anger and pain that is brought to the surface at the reminder.

"I'm sorry, dude," Dean apologizes, meaning it. "I didn't know that she didn't know."

I shrug, letting it go. "It is what it is."

I don't chase after people anymore because they don't come back.