All We Are // H.S.

Chapter 9

WREN

I decided that I liked the way Dean smoked his cigarettes, slowly, careful to enjoy every moment. I decided that I liked living alone because that's really how I preferred it. I decided that I liked reading books for free when the store was quiet, which was most of the time. I decided that I liked how the scar on my jaw was fading. I decided that I liked it when it rained and the skies were grey and thoughtful.

But most of all I decided that I liked Marlee.

"I'm so, so sorry. I'll never do it again." I groveled, unable to reach a higher level of disparity.

She rolled her eyes at me and stacked a book.

"I'm not mad. I just wished you would've told me." She explained, her voice full of forgiveness.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around her, squeezing my cheek against her arm. She laughed.

"I promise I will."

"Good." She agreed, leaning over the cart of books. "Now tell me about Harry." Her eyes were lit with intrusiveness and hunger. Obviously, school was causing her withdrawals from the lack of social excitement.

"What about Harry?" I questioned, not fond of the memories that night bestowed upon me. I panicked, thinking that Marlee knew about the kiss, but quickly pushed the thought away, classifying it as impossible.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I was just wondering the reason behind him showing up at my party drunk and covered on blood." She spoke, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh ya, that." I looked around the store to make sure we were alone. Dean was still outside just as I had suspected. He had been chain smoking out back for the past hour with frustrated looked etched on his flawless features. I wasn't even going to attempt to touch that.

"Have you seen Dean's face?" I spoke just above a whisper.

"Them? Again?" A frown fought with her usually smiling lips. Apparently Marlee was accustom to the fighting. I wondered how long the fighting had gone on and what it was about. I also wondered why I cared so much.

"Ya, that's all Harry told Niall." I said and shrugged. I tried my best to sound uninterested in the conversation about two boys with the compelling urge to kill each other.

"I'm guessing Niall cleaned him right up." She rolled her eyes.

"Ya... something like that." I agreed, feeling confused as always. "Why?"

She let out an exasperated groan. I had the feeling I was about to witness a long story.

"So Harry, he's just like, this huge mess." She struggled to explain.

"And that's whatever, but Niall just excepts it and puts up with all his trouble."

"So I take it you don't like Harry?" I teased. He reeked of difficulty and inconvenience. Not even his inculpable, chocolate waves could mask the inconsiderate persona that lurked beneath the surface. I didn't blame Marlee.

"Nobody actually likes Harry." She corrected.

"Well except for Niall." She grumbled to herself.

"Come on." I ignored the negativity spewing from her mouth and guided her back towards the task at hand.

With the two of us working, it didn't take much time to sort out the rest of the books.

I was starting to get the hang of things and had basically memorized the entire layout of the store. Biographies in the front, Sci-Fi in the back, and everything else in the mess of shelves in between. Easy enough.