Masterpiece | Christian Akridge

0.3

The tension in the car was very high. I was driving, with Jack sitting in the passenger seat, Christian behind him and Michael decided to tag along with his girlfriend Carson just to get out of the house.

Jack was glaring at an uncomfortable Christian through the rearview mirror. He would be fine if it weren't for Jack, because he knows everyone else in the car.

"So Michael, how's your gap year going?" Christian asked, breaking through the uncomfortable silence. Michael looked at him.

"It's going good. Just trying to spend some time with Carson and Tanner before I have to go." he replied.

Christian nodded and it became awkwardly quiet again.

Eventually we got into Dallas and were only a few minutes from the aquarium we were coming for in the first place (Jack's idea, although aquariums are usually for summer.)

"I can't wait to buy souvenirs and see the cute little fish!" Carson gasped, grabbing Michael's hand and squeezing it. He just looked at her and laughed light heartedly at his adorable girlfriend.

"Well, we're here." I said, parking in the lot and turning the car off.

"Good." Jack said, the first one to get out. He slammed the door shut and we all looked at each other, and shrugged.

By the time we had gotten our things and left the car, Jack was already inside paying for himself. I was walking beside Christian, thinking of what to say.

"This seems to be the first time I've seen you with some kind of button up on." I said, glancing at his grey hoodie.

"Oh, yeah. Well I figured yanno, I might as well dress warm now." he said.

"This isn't a date, you know that right?" I laughed. He looked at me, his pink baseball cap blocking the barely visible sun from his pale green eyes.

"I know, but at least I managed to get you to go somewhere with me." he said, then looked forward again. "Baby steps, Christian." he said more to himself that time.

"So you're pretty popular at school aren't you." I said, walking up the steps to the building. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Michael and Carson following close behind.

"I wouldn't say that. I'm on the baseball team, and you know how girls are about that. They just love baseball players." he smirked, winking at me as he held the door open. I immediately heard all the noises of people talking and I just looked at him.

"Walk inside Tanner, God damn." I heard Michael say annoyingly, shoving me the rest of the way.

"You're just a cocky little boy aren't you?" I asked. Christian shrugged and pulled out his money to pay for us, which he insisted on.

"I know what I want, and what I want, I get." he replied simply, squinting his eyes a bit.

"That's a very interesting theory, Akridge."

"And you are a very interesting person, Mancari. I can already tell you that this-" he pointed between me and him. "Is gonna go somewhere."