WE'VE ALL GOT HEARTS

Chapter 4

After talking for a little bit, we discover that neither of us live very far away from the other, so we can walk home together. No, Holly is not the stereotypical badass who owns a motorcycle and uses it to get his girl. He seems to like this whole 'walking' thing much better.

"So, what kind of music do you listen to?" I want to make conversation on the ride home.

"Um, it's kind of weird stuff. I doubt you've ever wasted your time listening to it."

"Try me."

He takes a long drag of his cigarette and exhales. "I like Nana Grizol and Defiance, Ohio a lot. Oh, and Andrew Jackson Jihad."

My eyes widen. "No way. Nobody listens to them. I love that kind of music! What's your favorite song?"

A grin has paraded itself across his face. "I like 'Cynicism' by Nana Grizol a lot. And you?"

"I like 'Anxious and Worrying' by Defiance, Ohio."

I smile like the idiot I am until we get to my house. "Well, it's been real. Thanks for taking me home and having a great taste in music." I send a very poor wink very jokingly in his direction.

"No problem, babe," he says, returning the sarcastic gesture. "But, honestly, thanks for tutoring me, or whatever. I thought it was going to suck."

"Well, I'm glad it didn't."

We both stare at the ground, each of us looking up occasionally to check the actions of the other. It must've been a solid twenty seconds of silence before he broke the silence.

"Goodbye, Ivy."

"Bye, Holly. See you tomorrow."

"Sounds good." He starts walking off in the direction of his house, but then turns around and yells, "Hey, do you want to walk to school together tomorrow?"

"Sure! See you tomorrow!"

I can't wipe the grin off of my face as I watch him walk away. Maybe I was just seeing it as I wanted, but it seemed like there was a little joy in the way he was walking.