Unconditionally ? Dinger Holfield

01 ; "Take a picture, babe, it'll last longer."

ELLA GROANED AS HER alarm clock rung loudly in her ears, she quickly slapped her hand on the clock—Ella wasn't a morning person, never was and never will be.

"I hate school." the brunette muttered as she pulled back the blankets of her bed, letting the cool air of her bedroom surround her.

Getting up, she quickly put on her outfit she had picked out the night before; black dress with a denim jacket and her worn out boots. It was her routine to get up, get dressed, and then do her hair and makeup.

"Princess!" A voice yelled, she instantly realized it as Dinger due to the nickname and voice, the nickname originated from the time they met—Ella was wearing a dress that made her look like a princess.

Ella rolled her eyes and walked out to the hallway to see Dinger and Bobby at the end of the steps, "I regret giving you the spare key."

Dinger put a hand to his heart in fake hurt as Ella made her way down the stairs and ruffled Dinger's moussed-up hair as she got to the bottom, "Suck it up, pretty boy."

"What about me? Am I not pretty?" Bobby pouted with puppy-dog eyes, Ella laughed.

"I don't know, ask Laine." Ella said, she opened the door to the house and exited as the boys followed.

Dinger put an arm around her shoulder as they begin to walk towards their school, people joining them as they began to walk, Laine joined them Bobby quickly giving her a kiss.

Dinger and Ella looked at each other and fake gagged causing Laine to laugh and Bobby to roll his eyes and teased the two, "You two are just mad because you can't get anybody."

Dinger scoffed and pushed Bobby with his cane, a few months ago his mom ran over his leg in her Volvo and broke his leg, "Ella and I could get anyone we wanted."

"But you only want each other." Bobby whispered only Laine heard him and nodded her head in agreement, they didn't realize that Ella had heard him and basically turned into a tomato.

Dinger pulled out a cigarette and put it between his teeth, he pulled out his lighter and lit it and took a long drag. Ella watched him from the corner of her eye and she got confused as her heart began to beat faster as she looked at him smoking.

She thought it was attractive when guys smoked, but she never thought of Dinger as being attractive when he smoked; but he was and that confused her. She never really noticed how attractive he was until just now.

His auburn hair sticking up into small spikes due to the amount of mousse he used, an earring in his left ear, his bright blue eyes that were carefree, his full pink lips that seemed to always be in a smirk. Dinger wasn't the smallest person, but he wasn't the most muscular either, he always wore the same army jacket with a torn up shirt and jeans, topped off with his worn out sneakers.

"Take a picture, babe, it'll last longer." Dinger whispered as they neared the high school.

Ella rolled her eyes while taking the cigarette from his hand, she took a long drag and blew the smoke in his face. As they got to the steps of the high school, Ella dropped the cancer stick on the ground and put it out with her foot.

The brunette felt eyes burning into her skull, she looked up and saw Dinger staring at her, a grin spread across her face, "Take a picture, babe, it'll last longer." she then gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked off.

"Damn." Bobby said causing Dinger to turn around with a questioning look as if to say 'did that just happen'.

Laine giggled from beside the two boys and started to walk away (to find Ella) before commenting, "She's feisty today."

Dinger's cocky smirk appeared back onto his face as he hit Bobby's shoulder, "Just how I like 'em."

•••

"Ella!" Laine called as she caught up with the short teen.

"Yeah, Laine?" Ella asked as she pulled out her english book and her pencil case.

"What happened back there?" Laine gestured back to the front doors, her eyebrow was raised and she had a small smile on her face.

"Honestly," Ella closed her locker and let out a light sighed, "I have no fucking clue. I just-I don't know, I flirted with him, we do that a lot but I kissed his cheek.. I kissed his cheek. I don't know what came over me. Oh god, did I just ruin our friendsh-"

"No, it didn't, trust me." Laine cut off Ella's nervous rambling, "You two are close enough that it isn't weird."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Ella let out a relieved sigh and ran her hand through her hair, "Good, I can't lose him."

"You won't," Laine noticed Dinger and Bobby walking towards them from behind Ella, Dinger lifted a finger to his lips—motioning for Laine to keep quiet, "So, you gotta a date to the dance, yet?"

"No, I don't." Ella sighed and shook her head, twirling her hair between her fingers, "I'll probably go alone, again."

"I highly doubt that. Someone has to ask you, you're basically the prettiest girl in the whole school." Laine smiled flashing her pearly white teeth, she earned a laugh from Ella who shook her head 'no'.

Ella opened her mouth to speak but arms wrapped around her waist causing her to squeal, jump slightly, and almost drop her book—she instantly knew who it was, "Dinger!"

Dinger laughed, "You get scared so easily." Ella turned around, still in his arms, and slapped the boy's chest.

"You are an ass." Ella turned around again and crossed her arms with her book secure to her chest, Dinger couldn't see the smile that was slowly being etched onto her face, only Laine and Bobby could.

"Awe c'mon, princess! You know I didn't mean to scare you." Dinger said as he nuzzled his face into the brunette's neck.

"I hate you."

"Oh, you love me."