I Want to Help You (CrankGamePlays x OC) [COMPLETED]

Back Home

We are ten minutes from my apartment, and it's silent in the car. I'm staring out the window, as usual, and I can't help but wonder if this is really happening. I mean, I got to hang out with and am now being driven home by Ethan Nestor.

"Hey, are you okay? You seem quiet." Ethan says, bringing me back to the present. I smile.

"I'm usually quiet in car rides. I like looking at the scenery. I wish I could draw it, but I'm only able to draw people and man-made objects. Nature has its own branch of physics, making it more difficult to put on paper." I say, watching trees roll by through the darkening light.

"Well, I thought you were sad." He says truthfully.

"Yeah, most people think something's wrong when I'm in the car. When I was nine, my friend's parents thought I didn't like them because I didn't talk to them during car rides. But we were in Florida, and the scenery was so gorgeous that I couldn't talk for fear of missing something." I smile.

"Miss something? What was there to miss?" He asks. Suddenly, I'm rambling to him about the periwinkle sky, going from blue to yellow at sunset, and the tall and vibrant palm trees always giving a perfect shady spot. And the flowing evergreen grass on warm, pale sand, that always was shifted in the wind, flowing like woven silk, and the creme sidewalk, full of people in colorful clothes with bronze tans and bright smiles. It was so so beautiful there. He smiles the whole time I talk.

"You seem very observant." He says after my ode to Florida.

"Yeah, I guess I am. It's kind of a curse. I'll be supposed to be focusing on an exam, but I'll notice that a girl is cheating using a pen that has a calculator on it." He laughs.

"Did that actually happen?"

"Yeah, she bought someplace out of the US. She got it taken from her, and didn't get it back. She got really angry at me. She tried to beat me up. I was thirteen. But she couldn't— back then I was never by myself; my brother went to school with me."

"Was he the same age as you, like a fraternal twin?"

"No, he's a year older. We went to the same school until he started needing therapy for OCD. It got really bad, so much so he was hurting himself."

"Did he move schools?"

"He went to a correction place, one for people who have severe mental disorders, when he was in eighth grade and I was in seventh. I haven't seen him since." I say, my voice getting quieter with each word. I feel tears beginning to prick at the corner of my eyes; I try to surreptitiously wipe them with the heel of my hand, but Ethan notices anyway. He puts his hand on mine, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze. I smile. "Thanks." We sit in silence, Ethan putting his hand back on the wheel to drive again. After a minute or so, Ethan's voice brings me out of my head.

"It this the place?" I look up at the building. It's tall and creme-colored. I've lived here since I was seventeen. Summer just started, I can't believe the three year anniversary of me moving out here is coming up.

When i wrote this I didn't know PAX was in August. For plot's sake, it is in early June here.

"Yeah." He pulls in, and parks.

"Can I walk you to your room?" I smile.

"Sure." We get out. I look up at the building and feel a wave of calm wash over me— I'm back home. I walk inside with Ethan at my heels. The lady at the desk waves and I return it cheerfully. We head into the elevator, and I click floor 10, the highest floor. We get out and walk to my room, number 103. I turn, rubbing my arm nervously. "Thank you so much for today, I had a really good time. I don't know what would have happened if I didn't hang out with you today. You didn't have to do that and it means a lot to me. So, yeah. Thanks."

"It's no problem, really— I had fun, too," He says with a dorky smile, "Hey, I was wondering... Mark mentioned to me he needs some new t-shirts made and wants a new design. He wants them in a new art style, something unique. When you flipped through your sketchbook, I saw some drawing styles that looked like what he's looking for. Do you want to make some t-shirt designs for Mark, Tyler, and me? We would pay you, of course," I gape. I'm being offered to work for my number one idols!

"Yeah! Sure!" I respond breathlessly. He smiles.

"Great! Mark'll be really happy, he liked your art a lot. Here, exchange numbers with me so I can contact you." I blush a small bit, and we switch phones. We put each other's contacts in and give them back to their original owners. I have Ethan Nestor's number! I smile up at him.

"So I guess I'll be seeing you later," I say with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess so!" He replies. "Well, I'll see you soon, then!" He waves goodbye walks away. I sigh happily, taking out my key to my apartment and walking inside.

I have a two-room apartment with one bathroom. The first room is mostly the living room, with a kitchen that has a small island that I use as a dining table. The next room is my bedroom. The second room is as small as a walk-in closet, so I store all my art stuff in there: canvases, finished paintings, etc. It's a bit small, but it's home. I feel something rub against my leg. I look down and smile.

"Hey, Phoenix." She purrs. Phoenix is my cat. She's almost pure-white, with pale brown fur on only her paws, tail tip, and ears. Her eyes orange-red, like the color of apricots— they also remind me of fire, hence the name "Phoenix." She's only a year old and weights about ten pounds. I pick her up, holding her to my chest and kissing her head. She rubs her face against my cheek, purring loudly. I smile. "How was your day, Phe?" She meows in response. She likes to talk, always chirping or meowing when I speak to her. I put her down and head into the kitchen. She follows at my heels, sprinting to her food dish. I take out the container and place a scoop in. She meows as if to thank me, and eats.

I take an apple from my fruit bowl and sit on the counter. As I eat, I go over my day. I do this to cope with anxiety, even though it can cause more. I drove to PAX with Kel, Rose, Ann, and Drew. We got there, ate, and then went to the Anime section. I missed signings, got ditched, and then hung out with Ethan. We played some games and went to the panel, where I got to meet Mark, Tyler, and Jack. Ethan and I hung out some more, ate, and then came home. I sigh. I'm too tired to unpack all of today.

I finish my apple and throw out the core. Phoenix comes to my feet again, winding in between my legs. "You tired too, Phe?" She blinks up at me. I pick her up and yawn. She yawns too. I laugh, walking to my room. "You're such a copycat." She meows again. God, it can get annoying sometimes— she's lucky she's cute. I place her on my bed; she pads her way to the right side, getting on the pillow and laying down. I get into my PJs before sliding under the covers and turning off my light. I put my phone on half volume in case someone needs me and roll onto my side, falling into instant sleep.

(A/N)

FINALLY!! I'M DONE WITH THE PAX SECTION >O< !!!

Yea, so you're finally hoooome! Sorry if you don't like cats, just turn it to a dog, bird, hamster, etc. But yea! Hope your day is/was great!!

Song: Bad Things, Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello

~ Salem