A New Ride Begins

Chapter Fourteen

One Week Later.

So, technically, I should've been gone two days ago. Nero made sure to let me know I've missed the deadline for my time in Charming by calling my phone continuously. You would think he would get the message seeing as I never answer.

After a while, I shot him a quick text and let him know that I'm fine. I know that it won't deter his calls, but I don't want to have to explain myself to him or anyone else.

The last seven days have flown by quickly. In the morning, I'm searching out the Messengers and trying to join their club. I'm part nervous, part excited, and fully committed.

I've spent the last week holed up inside Ellie and Kenny's house during the day, and training with the boys at night.

Fortunately for them, I already know how to wield a gun, not that I had ever shot anyone before or anything. Nero made sure both of us boys took gun safety classes in high school. We would often have target practice behind the barn as somewhat of a bonding experience. Wendy hated it, but Nero always said it was best that we know how to protect ourselves safely, with a full knowledge of how firearms worked.

Kenny came back the day after he got shot and hobbled around the house for a few days before he regained his freedom and could ride again. While he was around we spent a lot of time together. We would watch Jerry Springer re runs, smoke pot and pig out on whatever we could get our hands on.

Luckily, Ellie went shopping and there was more to eat than just pop tarts.

I've even managed to get him to come out back to work in the yard with me.

There's nothing more amusing then a man of Kenny's build potting daffodils in an undersized lawn chair, with his massive bandaged leg propped up on the fire pit in front of him.

El worked at St. Thomas Hospital as an E.R physician. Disappointedly, she spent a lot of time working. Yet, somehow, we managed to develope a sort of routine with each other over the course of the week.

I'd hear her alarm sound from her room down the hall every morning at 5 am. I roll off the couch and start a pot of coffee for her while she showers and gets ready to save lives. Then, I sit with her in the kitchen. We make small talk for a little while as she drinks her coffee and then she hurries off to work and I go back to sleep.

Then, when I wake up again, I hang with Kenny or work in the yard. She gets home around 6. One night she brought dinner home with her, but most nights I cook.

(Yes, I can cook. Just don't spread that shit around. I already get a hard-enough time about it from Ken.)

Then, around 8 or so, I disappear with the boys, usually coming back late. Sometimes El's up, but most of the time she isn't.

While my relationship with Ellie remains platonic, I can feel something brewing there. At least, I like to think there is. Everything about the way we are together seems right, easy. Now that I'm staying in Charming for a while, I can't help but wonder if maybe things between us will eventually shift into a more romantic type of relationship.

I'm aware that I am, supposedly, too young for her. There's a definite age gap between us that most people would consider strange. But the thing about me is, I don't give two shits what people think about us. I didn't care when it was my Senior year English teacher, and I don't care now, when it's Dr. Ellie Winston.

Luckily, throughout the week, I've also learned more about who my parents were. The boys would randomly bring up old war stories involving Jax, or fondly recall a time Tara wasn't a complete bitch to them. Through the club, I get to pick up more and more pieces of the lives they lived here, and with each tale I feel the void in my heart fill a little more.