I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in years. I looked to my left and smiled. Dean slept soundly, looking angelic.
After last night, it was safe to say I didn't hate him anymore. Sure, we fought a lot and he was still super annoying, but hate's too strong of a word. If anything, it was a dislike.
It scared me how quickly he came to my aid. It was even scarier how safe he made me feel.
I liked Dean from last night. He wasn't making fun of me. He actually told me something about his past.
And I guess I did the same.
His eyes popped open and he smirked. "Liking what you see?" I groaned, throwing a pillow at him. It seems like last night's behavior didn't carry over.
I untangled myself from him and stood up, adjusting my pjs. He had a lazy smile and I rolled my eyes before going to the bathroom. Moments later, he stood in the doorway, watching me.
His hair was a mess on top of his head. Strands poked out in all directions. I felt the strong urge to grab his head and fix it.
I handed him an extra toothbrush and scoot over so he'd have room at the sink. He started brushing his teeth and I tried to not stare at him as he did it, focusing on myself.
We both leaned in to spit at the same time. Luckily, he stopped and pulled away, giving me space. He went soon after, and then I started rinsing out my mouth and washing my face.
"You know, we could totally skip school today," he said as I applied moisturizer on my face. I gave him an incredulous look in the mirror. "I'm just sayin. With the night you had, do you really want to go today?"
He had a point. I really wasn't in the mood to go sit at school for seven hours.
"I'll tell you more about my past," he tempted me. He knew the debate was over. I was so desperate to find out about his old life. I don't know why, either. I guess I just wanted an explanation for why he was the way he was. "Come on," he continued, "I'll even throw in a free meal."
"Fine," I sighed dramatically, even though I was down either way. "But, you have to answer my questions for once."
"Anything," he smiled, almost taking my breath away. It was one of those genuine smiles he rarely gave.
He gave me a weird look as I just stared at him. I couldn't help myself! He just looked so... different when he smiled like that.
I forced myself to break out of my spell. "Let me guess, Mel's?"
"You know it," he grinned, walking back into the room. He grabbed his jacket and walked out the door.
"Wait!" I called out behind him. "I need to change."
"I know," he chuckled. "That's why I'm leaving."
Right. I mentally smacked myself and closed the door behind him, locking it. I didn't trust him to not barge in.
I got ready quickly, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He was waiting in the hall when I opened the door, fully dressed.
We walked out and awkwardly stopped in the driveway. He nodded to his bike and I frantically shook my head. There was no way in hell I'd be riding that.
He sighed and walked over to my jeep. I triumphantly smiled and slid into the driver's seat. I drove to the diner. The route was becoming much more familiar.
When we entered the cozy building, the same waitress was there. Her brows quirked at the sight of us. "Back again?" She asked me, gaining Dean's interest. I nodded and smiled politely as I ordered, this time getting a burger too. No one else seemed to be getting sick, so I hoped the burger was safe. She turned to Dean and a stern expression covered her face. "Dean, why aren't you at school?"
He awkwardly cleared his throat and glanced at me. The waitress shook her head and grabbed the menus from us.
"You know her?" I asked when she was far away.
"You came here recently?" He asked, ignoring my question. I nodded and told him about yesterday, and how I met up with Jaz. I left out the part of her sexuality and how I told her about the plan. Those were irrelevant.
She brought out our food quickly, like she always did.
I warily eyed my burger. I was still nervous thinking about food poisoning, but I knew it wouldn't happen. There's no way it could happen twice, right?
I took a bite and moaned at the taste. All fear was put past me and I regret not ordering this sooner. It tastes like a heaven sandwich.
Dean reached across and swiped his fry in my milkshake. "Hey!" I yelled. "Why don't you get your own?"
"Because I like yours better," he smirked, eating the fry. "It tastes better."
"Mhm," I replied sarcastically. He kept doing it, but I toned down my reactions. For some reason, I didn't mind as much.
"It's no fun when you don't react," he pouted after the fifth attempt. I shrugged, keeping my face as neutral as possible. I was laughing on the inside. He just looked so cute.
Ew, did I just say he looked cute?
"Okay, I know you've been dying to ask your questions. Go."
I grinned. Since he told me he'd tell me about his past, I had a list of questions reeling in my mind. "The most obvious one: Why did you transfer?"
"Well, after my third arrest, my parents couldn't take it anymore. They wanted me as far away from the gang stuff as possible. But, it wasn't easy. Deep down, I knew I had to cut contact. Well, they didn't like that. They threatened me, blackmailed me, etcetera. It was the final straw. We sought police protection and it finally got rid of them. Then, we decided to move here."
"Interesting. Next question-"
"Wait, interesting? That's all you have to say?" He looked partly amused, partly shocked.
"Yeah, because I know you're going to stop answering me soon and I need to ask all my questions," I rushed out. "What were your other charges?"
"So I had the battery charge, along with theft, and arson."
I wanted to react, but I knew I was on a time crunch. "Have you had any girlfriends in the past?"
This time, he smirked. "Already talking about exes I see?" I gave him a look. "I did, but... I was the type of guy who slept around a lot," he awkwardly avoided my gaze. I knew it!
"Hm, you sure acted all high and mighty when you said not all guys enjoyed sleeping around," I said snidely. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "How many guys did you beat up?"
He mentally counted. The longer he paused, the more nervous he got. "I lost count."
His phone rang, interrupting my questions. He sheepishly smiled and answered, bringing the phone to his ear. I watched him intently, trying to see who was calling.
"Hey..." He said awkwardly. "No, I'm okay. Yeah, I didn't come to school." He glanced at me. "Yeah. Yup. Yes. I will. Nope, I'm not doing that. No. Please stop. Shut up. Okay, bye." He hung up the phone quickly.
"Who was that?" I asked, leaning forward.
He shrugged. "No one."
And just like that, I was shut out again. Damn it.
I didn't bother asking any more questions. I knew he wouldn't answer them truthfully, if at all.
"If you don't mind me asking," he started, looking wary. Oh how the tables have turned. "Does anyone else know about your past?"
I pursed my lips and nodded. "Yup. My brother does, and Dylan does. Dylan is usually the one who keeps me company in those situations. And Justin?" I sighed. "Well, his new attitude is starting to scare me."
"How so?"
"I called him to ask if he was coming home yesterday and he snapped at me. I could tell his teammates were encouraging it. He's being completely disrespectful out of the blue. Luckily, Dylan was with him so I knew he'd be safe. That's also the reason I didn't call Dylan."
Dean slowly nodded, taking in all of my words. "So Dylan... what's the deal between you two?"
"Friends since elementary," I smiled at the memory. "We were in the same class and he was the only nice guy. We became friends fast and now he's like a brother to me."
"Ah, so no competition then?" He asked, then clarified, "I mean, between him and Drew."
"Oh, no. Honestly, I don't Dylan likes Andrew that much. I think they're only friends because of the team."
"Interesting..." he trailed off.
"Should we leave?" I asked, looking at our empty trays. He chuckled and nodded, sliding out. The waitress smiled as we walked past her. Free food again? I decided not to question it. "Hey, isn't your family concerned when you don't come back at night?"
He got into the passenger side and buckled up. "Ah, no. They're used to it..."
"Be honest. How many girls have you been with at school? Based on the nasty looks I get in the halls, I'm sure it's more than I'm thinking."
His face hardened and he looked at me. "You're getting nasty looks? From who?" He sounded protective and a little angry.
"Uh, basically the entire female population." I put the key in the engine and drove back to my house. "So, how many?"
"I haven't... uh... I haven't since I transferred."
"You're lying," I said immediately. "So what, they're just jealous of me? Wow."
"I mean, you said it yourself, I'm not ugly. I guess that attracts their attention. And no, I'm not lying. I've already told you once-"
"You only have eyes for one girl, I get it." I finished his sentence.
We drove in silence, except for the music playing. I thought about his answers. Now that I actually had time to process, I thought about how insane this whole situation was. Dean was an ex-gang member. The thought itself was ridiculous.
I wasn't scared of him, oddly enough. I don't think I ever was. But I definitely understood the appeal. He had this mysterious vibe around him.
"What's going on in that brain of yours," he stuck a finger out and poked my forehead. I swat his hand away.
"I'm thinking about you."
"Oh?" He sounded surprised.
"Yeah. I see why you have a fan club. You're the definition of a mysterious bad boy," I giggled as the words escaped my lips. "I'm having a hard time believing you're in a gang."
"Should I prove it?"
"How?"
"Oh, I could beat someone up for you. Maybe Drew?" He teased and I giggled at the thought. "Aw, but I don't want to hurt his pretty face," he said in a mocking tone.
My smile faded. "You really don't like him, do you?" I glanced over and saw him shake his head. "Why not?"
"He's a dick," he said automatically, earning an eye roll. I could tell he wanted to say more, but he didn't and I'm glad. We were having a good time and I didn't want to ruin it.
We pulled into my house and I sighed as I realized my parents still weren't home. This wasn't like them. If they were going to be late, they'd usually call at least.
"Are you okay?" He asked. I wasn't even trying to hide the fact that I was upset. "Hey, what's wrong?" He angled his body toward me.
"I'm just worried about my parents. It's not like them to extend their trip and not tell me."
He put a reassuring hand on my knee. "I'm sure they got caught up in something. They'll call soon." I nodded and released a breath. "Come on, I'll keep you company."
I smiled and got out of the car. After locking it behind me, I pulled out my phone. My eyes widened when I saw how full it was.
Dylan: Justin was a good boy :) He'll apologize soon.
Jaz: Hey, where are you?
Jaz: Mr. Cullen is asking about you!!
Jaz: Dean isn't here either
Dylan: Did you skip or something?
Dylan: Are you okay?
Dylan: Shit, I completely forgot your parents aren't home. Call me please!
Emma: Dylan and Jaz think you're mad at them, are you okay?
Will: Are you playing hooky with Dean? ;)
Dylan: I'm dropping Justin home after practice. You better be alive or I swear I'll kill you again.
I laughed at the last message and showed my screen to Dean. "I didn't realize everyone would miss me," I playfully said.
Then, I saw a voicemail notification from my mom. I unlocked the door and rushed in. I put the phone to my ear and played the message. Weird, I hadn't even noticed her calling.
"Hey sweetie, it's mom. I'm so sorry we haven't been in touch. I hope you aren't too worried and Justin's taking care of you. I just called to let you know an emergency came up here and they needed all hands on deck. I'm helping out and so is your father, surprisingly. He's taking care of some legal stuff. I don't know when we'll be back, but I'm going to keep you updated. Things have been super hectic so I can't go on my phone that much. Just send me a text to let me know you got this and take care of your brother. Love you, bye."
I sighed with relief. They were okay. I immediately texted my mom and let her know everything was good.
"My parents are okay," I told Dean. He visibly relaxed. "Something came up, but they're good."
"Good," he grinned. "What do you want to do?"
"Ummmm," I thought. "Oh! I could make brownies from scratch! They're so good." My mouth watered just thinking about the treats.
"Sounds fun." He led the way to the kitchen. I started pulling out all the ingredients needed, while he searched for bowls.
"Pantry, top shelf. There's measuring cups in there too." I nodded toward the door.
He opened it and walked in, then walked right back out. "Holy shit," he gasped. "That's huge."
"Out of all the things you're impressed with, it's my pantry?"
He went back in there and stayed for a solid five minutes. I began to worry, so I followed him in. He stood in the middle of the room, awestruck. I walked past him and started grabbing the things we needed. If I depended on him, I'd be here all week.
I smacked his stomach on the way out, forcing him out of his daze. I wish I hadn't though.
I was setting up the ingredients when I was smacked with a fistful of flour. I gaped at Dean, who had a smirk on his face.
"You little!" I grabbed the first thing in reach and threw it at him. An egg landed smack dab in the center of his chest. He looked down, then back at me. His eyes had a certain glint of mischief which made me uneasy.
In a flash, he was wickedly grinning in front of me. A thick blob of oil glided down from my hair to my face. Without thinking, I grabbed the pitcher of water and splashed it at him. Using his surprise to my advantage, I ran away from his as fast as I could.
He chased me and we lurked on opposite sides island. I'd pretend to go right and he copied me, but I'd swing left last second. I grabbed the packet of flour and swung it toward him. It completely covered his black shirt.
The doorbell rang, breaking us out of our game. "Time out," I yelled, walking to the door. As soon as I went to open it, I felt something on my head. He casually cracked an egg, on my freaking head.
My mouth was wide open, but I closed it before it could slip into my mouth.
I looked at the doorway and my smile faltered. "Drew?" I said in disbelief.
I watched as his smile faded. He looked at me, then my clothes, then Dean, then his clothes. Dean was still smirking behind me, patting the eggshells into my hair.
"Hey Bella," he said, putting on a fake smile. "I didn't see you at school, so I just came to check in."
My gaze flickered behind him to see Dylan and Justin, both trying to hide their smile as the scene unfolded.
"Yeah, I woke up late and decided it wasn't worth going," I lied. His gaze flickered back to Dean, and I'm sure he knew I was lying.
"Ah, gotcha. Glad to see you're okay. Um, see ya." He turned on his heel and walked toward his house, nodding to Dylan and Justin.
They approached us and I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. Dean and I started cracking up, realizing how ridiculous we looked. The two boys stared at us in amusement.
"Do I want to know what happened?" Dylan asked, giving us once overs. We both shook our heads.
Justin looked at me like I grew two heads. "So, is this him?"
"Who?"
His face fell. "Your boyfriend?"
I nodded, trying to hide my smile. Justin stood directly in front of Dean, giving him the most intimidating look he could muster. It looked dumb, considering Dean had a massive advantage in height, but I respected the effort.
After a minute-long standoff, Justin nodded at him and he returned the gesture. Dylan flashed me a look as he walked past me.
"I'll be upstairs," Justin announced, but Dylan grabbed him by the back of the shirt, preventing him from moving.
"Uh uh, what did we talk about?" He asked in a threatening tone.
Justin sighed before turning to face me again. "I'm sorry I was mean to you on the phone."
I patted his head with my flour filled hand. "It's okay, just don't do it again." He nodded and escaped before anyone else could stop him.
"You know, I spent the whole day worrying about you, and here you two are, having a food fight?" Dylan said seriously.
"It's my fault. I basically forced her into skipping school," Dean took the fall.
But Dylan didn't fall for it. "No, don't take the blame. I know Bella and she just needs one small push to skip."
"Well, I had a rough night and I didn't want to go," I snapped. His face fell and realized what I meant. "And I don't want you to apologize because I knew you were busy. Thank you for watching over him. I swear that kid is going through his rebellious phase."
"Don't sweat it. I'm gonna go to the game room. Meet me after you... uh... clean up." And with that Dylan disappeared as quickly as he came.
"Still want those brownies?" I grinned, walking to the kitchen. Dean chuckled and followed me. I figured we might as well finish before cleaning up.
No shenanigans happened as I made the batch. He was surprisingly helpful, doing all the mixing. I didn't have the heart to tell him we had an automatic mixer.
I poured the liquid into a pan and stuffed it in the oven, setting the timer. When I turned around, I nearly bumped into Dean.
He stood there, looking at me. "You have a little..." His thumb shot out and skimmed my lashes, making flour flutter out. My breathing got heavier. Instead of moving away, he trailed his thumb down to my cheek, and then my lips.
Trails of fire igniting wherever he touched. His eyes focused on my lips as he outlined them with his finger.
My eyes fluttered closed as I anticipated his next move.
Kiss me.
Wait, what?
Someone cleared their throat and Dean quickly put distance between us. I opened my eyes and tried to steady my breathing.
Dylan stood at the archway, staring at us. "I just came to grab some snacks."
"Yeah man, we just put some brownies in the oven," Dean casually said, completely ignoring the previous event.
My best friend slowly nodded and disappeared into the pantry. He came out seconds later, holding a bag of candy.
"Don't you think it's time to shower?" He looked straight at me, using his brotherly tone. I nodded, unable to speak. "Okay, I'm expecting you in the game room soon..." He left us alone in the kitchen.
"Um, you can shower in one of the guest rooms. If you need clothes, Justin should have some." I said, trying to act calm.
When I stepped into the shower, that's when I let my mind wander. Dean was going to kiss me today. And I wanted him to kiss me.
No, you just want to be kissed. It doesn't matter if it's Dean or Drew, I reminded myself.
Yeah, that was it. I was deprived of affection my entire life. I just wanted a kiss.
I wanted to get my real first kiss out of the way.
Besides, Dean was being uncharacteristically nice to me. It's normal to feel like this, right?
I tried to think about Drew's warm blue eyes, but a certain pair of green ones kept popping in its place.
Oh gosh, what have I gotten into?
A/N:
One of my favoriteeeeee chapters :)
Please point out typos if you see any <3
Love you all!!!