Hey guys, kinda short chapter but the next one is very eventful. Thank you guys so much for 100+ reads and 50+ votes! So thankful! So thankful I get to share my goofy story with people, even if it a smaller audience! Love you guys! Okay you can read now :))

Chapter 9: Dunkin
I am currently texting on my IPhone with the background of rifle shots filling my ears.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," my little brother Charlie huffed, throwing down his controller. He frowned at the winner, his arms crossed. Weston smiles back, giving the air victory fist bumps. "Player 2 Winner", the shooting game says out loud. I roll my eyes at the two.

"It's alright little bro, rematch?" Weston asks Charlie. Of course they clicked from the start. How could they not have, Charlie makes friends so easily. I envy that about him, how he just radiates positivity. Reminds me of dad. Anyways, at breakfast they were constantly whispering jokes about me, talking about my eating habits, or Charlie telling Weston embarrassing stories. Now they have been playing video games for the last hour. I didn't even want to play, still trying to get over my headache. Even though I could have totally crushed both of them.

"Uh, uh, uh" I shake my head finally tuning into their conversation.

"What? Why can't we play another round?" Weston asks.

"Because I need dunkin, and you have to take me to pick up my car from Kennedy." I tell him, getting up and grabbing my things. I throw a cardigan over my tan tank top, fixing my sweats and throwing on my old white converses. I attempt to tame my wild hair by putting it in a low, messy bun. Even if I wasn't feeling like absolute shit I still wouldn't care about my appearance.

I grab Wendy's keys off the counter and rush out the door. I start the car hoping to warm it up. Frick I swear it got cold overnight. But then again, I'm cold when it's 70 degrees outside. Weston joins me in the car.

"Are you okay?" He asks, eyebrows furrowed. How could he tell?

"Not really, head hurts like shit, body hurts like shit. I am never drinking again." I exaggerate, knowing that last part was a lie. Weston lets out a low chuckle. Putting a hand on my leg, rubbing circles with his thumbs. He starts his car and pulls out of my driveway, the low rumble of the engine vibrating the space around me. I zone in on the hand on my thigh, the touch puts my body at ease, tingles riding up my leg from the contact. I hide my heated face with my hand.

"It's funny, because I don't even remember last night...how does your head not hurt? When did we get home? Did I do anything stupid?" I begin to ramble trying as hard as possible to not focus on the large hand still resting on my lower thigh.

He laughs at me again, "First I don't drink," his amusement leaves his face, "second, we got home at around 3 in the morning, and lastly no you didn't. You aren't a crazy drunk, you're a.. talkative drunk. You kinda spill your guts." He looks at me with a weird face. Oh no. What did I tell him. Did I confess something I would never admit, did I tell him secrets, does he know about my past.

"Like what." I say slowly.

"Well you told me about your dad. You told me about the stars and Jane Austen. You told me about what you wanted to be when you grow up, all about Stanford and volleyball. You spoke about your childhood, and the park.." he pauses trying to think about what else happened, "Oh, you told me Levi was gay, which I already could tell even without him saying it at lunch yesterday... oh and on the ride home when you were passed out asleep, you called me hot." I gasp. No I didn't !

"No way!" I tell him crossing my arms.

"Yep, your exact words were, 'Oh Weston you are just so hot'," he raised his voice an octave in the imitation. Alright now I know he is lying. I don't even think like that, "you are just so hot," yeah no, not me. Sure I have thought something similar to that but I could tell he was lying by the playful look in his eyes.

"Bullshit." I laugh at him. He laughs along with me. The sound that filled the car, our laughs merging together was a beautiful sound in its own way. It brought a large grin across my face when we both finally settled down.

"Okay you got me there." I remember what he said earlier.

"Wait you don't drink, I thought you had a cup-" he cuts me off.

"Coke."

"Oh..but what about the party two weeks ago."

"Root beer."

"Hm, why don't you drink." His face goes cold the way it does sometimes. The walls that he occasionally builds going back up. But I could tell in his eyes that were trained on the road, there was a crack in his façade. I could tell he would tell me something, at least.

"All I'm gonna say is, alcohol is the devil." He isn't wrong. I could understand why he thought that, alcohol gets abused all the time. People think it can't kill you, so why not. But they don't realize that if it doesn't kill you it kills your emotions. You become bound by the liquid, using it as an outlet. They love not having to feel, and I'm sure he has had some experience where someone had used it as an outlet too. It's just sad because he has been hurt from that someone.

There is a hint of paint behind his hazel eyes. I grab the hand resting on my leg that I have become so accustomed to. The warmth and sensations beneath the hand still just as electrifying as it was during contact. I give his hand a light squeeze.

"I don't know what happened, but whatever it was, I'm sorry Weston."

He squeezed my hand back, taking comfort in my words. He quickly shook his head releasing the thoughts in it and pulled his hand from mine to turn the wheel. I instantly missed his touch, the place where it once was, growing cold. He pulls into a parking spot and looks at me.

"Want some money." He pulls out a twenty.

I push his hand away, grabbing my purse, "a coffee isn't twenty bucks." I hop out the car and walk in standing in the line for a beverage. I feel a presence behind me, I could already tell who it was.

"I'm paying for myself," I say loud enough for the presence to hear. Weston chuckles, leaning his arm on my head. I may be tall for a girl, but the 6'2" guy in front of me used his own height to his advantage. I elbow him in the stomach and he instantly pulls his arm away, bending over in pain. But his contagious laugh let me know he wasn't really hurt. I step up to the counter ordering my plain, toasted almond coffee. He gave me a look of confusion but then his face morphs to pride.

"What's that look for?"

"Nothing just surprised you didn't get a 'basic girl' drink. Kinda happy you didn't too." He then starts to order a few donuts and a sweet tea.

When he's done I start, "you mean get those gross drinks that are either insanely sweet or cold. Yeah not this early in the morning. I'm still trying to get rid of this headache." He nods and we wait for our drinks as he munches on his mini donuts. I steal one from the box in his other hand and quickly put it in my mouth before he can protest. He scrunches his face, "hey go buy your own."

I raise an eyebrow, "even if I wanted to, you wouldn't let me, just like how you sneakily payed for my drink." He smiles wide, "true." We grab our drinks when they are ready and head back out to the car. He stops me before I go to my side. He grabs my empty hand and puts his keys in them.

"Your turn to drive." No way. I practically jump up and down in excitement skipping over to the driver side. I can't believe he is letting me drive his car though, he almost beat up Levi the other day when he asked if he could drive us all back to school. But yet he is letting me drive. Thank god my mom taught me how to drive a stick.

I pull out of the parking lot and head on my way to Kennedy's house. When I look around me and see no cars in my area, I look at Weston. I question him for permission, he laughs and nods his head.

At that point all the windows were down and I practically floor it. The bright red corvette speeds down the road. The wind whips through my hair, the noise filling my ears. I howl at the rush that the car provides me. I grip the steering wheel hard. My blood boils in a good way and I'm on the edge of the leather seat. I could care less about the cold air pouring into the car, my mind and senses completely overwhelmed with the rush and joy of the car I am driving. I peer out of the corner of my eye at Weston. He is gripping the sides of the car, bracing himself but a playful smile is plastered on his face. It's breathtaking, even more so than the blur of my surroundings. He looks so happy, one of the moments when I see him at his best. I know the moment is fleeting so I take it in. All of it.

—

On my drive home by myself I think about my day and what I am doing tonight. I grab Taco Bell feeding my desperate stomach. Today was fun, last night was fun, well the parts that I remember that is.

If it's Saturday night, I know for a fact Lev and Kennedy aren't doing anything. They would probably just end up watching some Netflix show like Outer Banks anyways and stuffing their faces. I had planned on doing the same. But now I have an urge.

You know what, I wanna go out tonight. Regardless of my usual preference of staying at home rereading one of the thousands of books I have, I am not living a character's life tonight. I'm writing my own story. I quickly grab my phone at a red light and Group FaceTime my two bestfriends. I don't look at the screen, just simply talk to them.

"Be ready by 8. We are going out tonight bitches! Bring a date, text whoever. We are going clubbing. I'm bored of being by myself all the time so tonight we are gonna live it up!" I scream the end into the phone. My two bestfriends are shocked. Kennedy breaks the silence with a squeal, "okay I'm gonna invite a guy and Sam, she can bring her guy," which is Joey I think to myself. She pauses, eyebrows before looking back at the phone with a smirk. "You know what, I'm not gonna bring a guy, I'm gonna play the single card tonight." She laughs and squeals again. I laugh at her.

"Yay, but I can't bring my guy, you guys already know why," that's right, he isn't.. public yet. Poor Levi. I could tell he was excited to go out but wouldn't have a lot of fun wishing he was with his own special someone.

"Sorry Lev," I tell him.

"It's fine you can be my date," Kennedy tells him excitedly. He nods, "you bringing Weston?" I hadn't even thought of him yet. But that sounds like fun to be honest.

"Oh, yeah I can. I'll text him when I get out," I inform Levi pulling into my driveway.

"Okay gotta go."

"See you tonight Ror," my best friend's say in unison. I hang up the call, and walk inside pulling up my texts.

Aurora (Captain) >>

-the gang is going out tonight. Wanna come?

He replied within seconds.

Weston (bestfriend) >>

-Of course. Pick you up at 8? I'll drive so you can get wasted again. 😂

Aurora (Captain) >>

-I said that wouldn't be happening again 😤

Weston (bestfriend) >>

-Only kidding. See you then.

I didn't reply, but He knows I saw it. I couldn't help the goofy grin plastered on my face as I thought about all the fun I would be having tonight.
—

Hey guys, I know. Short. But the next chapter is gonna be wilddd. Oh and I may or may not have eaten a whole 1/2 dozen donuts. No regerts (snickers hehe). Anyways, if you liked the chapter vote or share, so other people can read it to! Message me or comment what you think of the story so far, I love feedback and suggestions. All, I hope you guys are all healthy, anddd much love,
Emma<3