"-So, I'm basically obsessed."
"I'm sure."
I smirked down at the exasperated look on Molly's face as I pulled the door open to the local burger joint . Her head was tilted towards the orange sky, hair swinging down her back.
"You're a horrible brother."
"I'm sure."
She stomped a foot like a four year old and trounced into the diner petulantly. I followed her into the air conditioning.
Leaning my hip against the counter, I listened as Molly talked to the cashier on the other side, while I pulled my cell from my pocket and scrolled through the list mom had given to me for the order. I recognized her from school and if their conversation was anything to go by they had been in the same History class.
"-You have to try out next year."
"I really don't know if I want to give up all that free time-"
"Molls, you think we could order sometime tonight?" I saw her shoot me a glare out of the corner of my eye before huffing and re-addressing her friend.
"Text me when you get off work tonight okay?"
"Yeah, sure. Hey, Cole." I glanced up and took in the blush and fluttering eye lashes. Molly's face was a twisted look of disgust.
"Nicole!" I coughed a laugh, looking back at my phone. I moved to stand next to Molly and smiled indulgently at "Nicole."
"Hey. Can we get two number fours, one with pickles one without, and a number six."
"Two Cokes and a Gingerale as well please."
"And an order of the apple turner over."
"Make that two!"
I glared at Molly.
"You have the extra change for that?"
A smug smile spread across her face as she reached into her pocket.
"Do you? Mom didn't tell you to order that in the first place."
I rolled my eyes and turned back to Nicole, whose eyes were still trained on me.
"Is that all?" her voice was breathy. I was beyond amused and shook my head, grinning at her.
"Yeah, thanks." She ducked her head, the blush rolling over cheeks brightly. I took my wallet out and handed the cash to a disturbed Molly.
"Why don't you finish taking care of this?"
"Thank you!" She snatched the money from me and basically shoved me out of the way. I moved towards the pick up counter, eyes fixed on the menu hanging above me.
"You're quite the ladies man, huh?"
Kaye's voice startled me. She was standing at the very end of the counter, leaning over it with her elbows propped on it, supporting her chin which was tilted my way. Her hair was out, reaching her shoulders, the browns turning into gold at the ends, something new she had added around Wednesday this week. She wore a pair of jean sorts, a plaid button down wrapped around her hips, and a top that was off white and showed off her lower stomach.
"Stalking me?"
"You wish." She grinned shaking her head. A young guy in the year behind me came forward with her order then, reciting it as he stuffed the food and condiments into a brown paper bag with the diner's logo on it. He couldn't take her eyes off her chest. What was with the kids here? They were horny little buggers.
"Thanks Lance." She gave him a coy smile and then turned and walked towards me, the twerk of her lips turning into something a lot more sheepish and genuine.
"It seems I'm not the only one charming the staff around here."
"Of course not, I'm very charming when I want to be."
"Cole, is the order up yet?"
Kaye glanced to my left and continued to smile.
"This your sister?"
"Uh, yeah. Molly, this is Kaye. She's Mr. Hamilton's granddaughter."
"Nice to meet you Molly."
"You too, I love your hair! And your piercings. Oh my god, did they hurt?"
Kaye laughed and glanced at me. My stomach, for some reason unbeknownst to me, dipped like I was on a roller coaster.
"Thank you. They did, but not as bad as some that I've seen my friends get."
"I really want to get my cartilage done."
I scoffed, raising my eye brows as I glanced incredulously as Molly.
"Good luck convincing Mom of that."
She stuck her tongue out at me. Kaye laughed. When I looked back at her she was shaking her head.
"What a very big brother thing of you to say."
"You have no idea."
Kaye looked down at Molly with a look I couldn't quite place, but it made Molly grin back.
"You're really lucky to have a brother. It gets lonely being an only child sometimes."
An only child. I hadn't known, but it should have been obvious. Mr. Hamilton was the type of grandfather who would definitely talk about all his grandchildren if he had more. I didn't know very much about Kaye, I realized with startling clarity then. We sat together for hours, we saw each other basically every day, but I hadn't learned a thing about her. But she knew things about me.
"- you should come with us sometime. It's a lot of fun!"
"What?"
"I was telling her about Crow Lake. She should come with us next Saturday when we go!"
Kaye was watching me expectantly.
"I've never heard about that. Is it a local hang out?"
"No. It's... uh, my mom and dad used to take us there when we were younger. It's more like a family secret."
Kaye smiled.
"Not so secret I guess if I were to tag along."
"No, not really-"
"But that's okay!" Molly was smiling wide, all teeth and bright eyes.
"You can be an honorary Martin for the summer! Before you go back to California."
"Jeeze, haven't you been listening? That's where Kaye lives when she's not here with Mr. Hamilton. Don't you guys work together?" Molly had a way of making me feel like I was the younger sibling at times. I shook my head looking over my shoulder and stilled. The store front was littered with tables for four and six, and a large window that looked out into the street. I spotted Mac, Tommy, Nathan and Haley making their way up the street, laughing and talking with each other. Tommy seemed to be regaling them with one of his stories. Completely oblivious to me, just the way I wanted it to stay.
"Molls. We have to go." Molly lost all the playfulness in her face when she heard the tone of my voice and glanced towards where my eyes were strained. Colour drained from her face.
"What's wrong?"
"We just have to go." I looked back at Kaye, she watched me.
"How did you get here?"
"I walked. I'll be fine-"
"No, c'mon, we drove. I'll drive you home." I made my way to the pick-up counter where a couple of bags rested. Looking inside I saw that it was our order.
"Let's go." I said over my shoulder, making a dash towards the back exit, as I heard Mac's voice behind me and Haley's laugh. Molly had grabbed my hand on my right and Kaye's body heat seeped into me on the left as we left the air conditioning, for the cooling night.
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Just Bent
Teen Fiction"Something so completely beautiful shouldn't hurt you so completely. Sometimes it just does. I met her when my life was falling apart. She was falling apart too, but she picked up my pieces instead. Being good with words helps. Being bad with feelin...
