We Are Home

chapter 5

The drive to a restaurant in town was both awkward and filled with grumpy silence. I was in Brandon's, Jenna's boyfriend's, BMW, because he was junior with his license, and Jenna was currently in driver's ed, so she couldn't drive. I was stuck in the back seat, watching as Brandon kept touching Jenna's bare leg at every stoplight. Jenna's giggling never seemed to cease, scratching its way into my brain and making me want to clap my hands over my ears.

The white car smelled of new leather and wintergreen car freshener. In other words it smelled of sleazy, rich teenage boy. I disliked Brandon not because of his car's scent, or the fact that his entire outfit appeared to be preppy and designer, but because I hadn't the slightest idea why he would associate himself with my mean girl of a sister. I was also in a bad mood because I missed my friends, so I decided to text Charles.

LK: thanks for the present

CB: you're welcome.

LK: are you mad at me?

CB: why would i be mad at you?

LK: i left you

CB: i'm not mad. i am, however, going to visit you this weekend.

LK: :)

"Who are you texting?" Jenna asked from the front seat. Her tone implied that she didn't think that anyone would ever stoop down to texting me.

"None of your business," I said.

Brandon made cat claws and mock-hissed, making my sister slap him, annoyed. He laughed and rubbed her bare leg. Gross.

After painstakingly long drive, filled with Jenna's disgusting relationship, and only made better by a text conversation in which I told Charles about how huge the house was, how mean my sister was, and how cold my parents were, the three of us arrived at a quaint little restaurant. It was small and probably individually owned, like most of the things in this town, and looked like it had been there for a while. It had the look of a fifties diner, with shiny metal on the outside, and large red letters above it that marked it to be HAPPY LEE'S DINER.

"Finally," I grumbled as Brandon pulled the car to a stop in the tiny parking lot next to the restaurant.

I climbed out of the car with Jenna and Brandon. I let the two of them walk a few feet in front of me, with linked hands, because I couldn't stand the overwhelming smell of Jenna's perfume mixed with Brandon's strong cologne. I could now kind of see why they were in a relationship.

The inside of the restaurant was as retro as the outside was, filled with red vinyl booths and metal tables. A metal counter lined with high red vinyl stools sat at the back of the room. The place was decently filled with customers, most of whom were teenagers. Jenna and Brandon went to sit in one of the booths close to the counter. I followed them, and took a seat across from the two of them, crossing my legs. Jenna glared at me.

"Why did you even come here? Mom and Dad left you for a reason, you know," Jenna said. A scowl marred her face.

I was not about to tell her that I left because I couldn't stand living with my drunk aunt any longer, so I just scowled back at her. I didn't have to explain myself to Jenna.

A waiter came to our table. He was a teenager, probably around Brandon and my age. He had slightly curly brown hair, tan skin, and he wore a self-important grin that immediately made me want to throw something at him, a feeling not unlike the one I got whenever I looked at Brandon or my sister. Was there anyone in this town that I wasn't going to hate?

"Hey, Anthony!" Brandon greeted the waiter, doing some sort of boy (not man) handshake. I rolled my eyes and picked up a red menu. "This is Lena, Jenna's sister," Brandon introduced me. I glanced at Anthony to find him looking at me with a smile that he probably thought girls were attracted to. I didn't smile back.

"You have a sister?" Anthony asked Jenna.

"Long story that I really don't feel like telling," Jenna said to him. "Now can I get a Diet Pepsi with lemon?"

"Sure," Anthony said. "What about you guys, Brandon and Lena?" I turned over the menu to look at the drinks section.

"I'll take a Coke," Brandon said.

"Orange juice, please," I said.

"Anything for you, sweetheart," Anthony said, winking his brown eye. I tried my best to keep a disgusted look off of my face as he walked away.

"Yo, Brando!" A deep voice called from the entryway of the restaurant. Brando?

"Hey, Hawk!" Brandon said. He gave another boy-handshake to some blonde muscular guy in a leather jacket. Two other guys stood next to Hawk (what the hell kind of name was that, anyway?), each tall and muscular but looking like they were severely lacking in the brains department. One of them, a dark-haired, tan boy to the right of Hawk had the misspelled word "KIGN" in ink on his bare arm. Who misspelled "king?"

"This is Lena," Brandon said to the three boys. "Lena, this is Hawk, Tom, and Lewis." Hawk was blonde, tall, muscular, and arrogant in a very unattractive way. Tom and Lewis were both brown-haired, but Tom was freckled and slightly paler than Lewis, who was the one with the horrible mishap of a tattoo.

"Hi," I managed as I judged the guys.

"Hello," Tom said. At first I thought that he was speaking to me, but then I saw the way that his eyes kept flicking to my sister.

"Can we sit here?" Hawk asked Brandon. He didn't wait for an answer as he scooted into the booth next to me, then Lewis after him. I pressed myself as far as possible into the corner. Hawk smirked at me. Tom took a seat next to Jenna, and I caught the way that he faltered when their shoulders brushed. My sister seemed oblivious to the way that Tom was acting.

I felt my phone vibrate, but my leg was, unfortunately, half an inch away from Hawk's black-jean-clad leg. I was not about to reach into my pocket if it meant touching Hawk. At all. In any way.

"So you're new around here?" Tom asked. I nodded.

"I'm Jenna's sister."

"Cool. I didn't know you had a sister, Jenna," Tom said, turning to my sister. She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Tom," Jenna said. I felt sorry for the freckled guy.

"You guys goin' to the party tonight?" Lewis asked.

" 'Course," Brandon said.

"I guess I'll see you there, then," Hawk said. He grinned at me.

"I don't think I--" I began to say, but Jenna interrupted me, evilly.

"Of course my sis will be there, Hawk," my sister said, sending me a look that clearly said Your payback is just beginning.

Just then, our drinks arrived and my opportunity to protest was lost.

Please vote, comment, follow meeee!!!!!!! Please. I beg of you.

Also, if you notice anything that i could improve in my writing, please tell me, because I really want to know how to make my story better. Thanks!

- Lauren Emmy