Living Arrangements

Chapter Seven: The Other Side

CHAPTER 7: THE OTHER SIDE

The motorbike was sleek and modern and quite honestly, looked like a death trap. It was also very much in the way of Caroline's car. She huffed in annoyance, gaining Drake's attention from where he appeared to have dozed off in the passenger seat. He glanced in the direction she was looking in and a large smile spread over his face.

"My bike." Caroline's father exited the house and headed down the driveway towards the car. Drake slipped out of his seat and slammed the door behind him, heading towards the hazardous vehicle. Since there was no chance of her moving her car whilst the bike was there, Caroline joined them.

"I managed to swing it down at the dep. You've got your license back." Her dad congratulated Drake, who was smoothing his hand over the seats and the handles as if to check everything was the way he'd left it.

"Wanna celebrate?" He turned to Caroline excitedly, his enthusiasm so infectious that she immediately smiled. Then she laughed.

"Not on that thing."

"I'll be inside." Her father walked back down the drive, sensing his presence was no longer required and Drake raised his eyebrows challengingly at Caroline.

"You're scared of a motorbike?" Caroline rolled her eyes, holding back the nervous laugh that threatened to escape her lips.

"Of course not." She lied through her teeth and Drake smiled knowingly.

"Well then, what's the problem?" He threw her a helmet, which she caught deftly. Unusual, considering her usual lack of athletic talent.

"No problem." She slipped the helmet over her head out of pure stubbornness and Drake smirked as he swung his leg over the other side of the bike.

"Hands around my waist." He instructed and Caroline obliged, regretting her choice as soon as her hands knotted at the bottom of his chest. His abs were hard beneath her fingertips and a shiver racked through her body. A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest and she blushed.

"You ready to go princess?" Caroline nodded, not bothering to protest against the use of the nickname she'd somehow gotten used to. The bike revved to life beneath her and she whimpered quietly, her grip on Drake tightening subtly.

* * *

Shockingly, the bike ride was pretty enjoyable. When Drake slowed to a stop at the edge of the beach cliff, Caroline almost didn't want to get off. Except for the fact that it was beginning to get extremely stuffy in the helmet. That, she couldn't wait to get rid of.

"See, it wasn't hideous, right?" Drake smiled at Caroline hopefully and she shrugged reluctantly in confirmation. He rolled his eyes amusedly in reply and waited for no further response before walking ahead of her along the path to the beach. Caroline momentarily debated staying where she was in annoyance at the simple assumption she'd follow him, but seconds later realised how petty that would seem and stepped forward.

The beach was empty and looked much prettier than Caroline would have expected at this time. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange-pink glow over the sand and the sea sparkled a bright turquoise-blue. Sand spilled over the sides of Caroline's sandals and over her toes and she kicked them off, digging her toes into the ground as she followed Drake to the edge of the water.

"Wanna go for a swim?" Drake glanced back at her, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and Caroline raised hers in response.

"Since we both know that neither of us have swimsuits, yet only I seem to be bothered by that fact, I'm gonna go with no."

He sighed sadly, but also as if he'd been expecting her answer, which, Caroline thought, he probably had.

"Fine, we'll go for the boring option." He gave in quickly with a roll of his eyes and continued walking.

"Talking doesn't have to be boring." Caroline argued pointedly,

"especially if you ask interesting questions." He looked at her curiously from the corner of his eye and she shrugged sheepishly.

"For example, Drake, how did you get into prison?" Even though she was avoiding his gaze, Caroline saw, maybe even sensed, him stiffen beside her, his muscles growing tense and his lips pursing into a thin line.

"Surely you already know? Your dad being the sheriff and all..." He trailed off monotonously and Caroline glanced slyly at him, attempting to judge what his reaction might be if she were to press further.

"There's two sides to every story Drake, I want to hear yours." He met her glance and amongst the grateful smile in his eyes he was trying to hide was something else. An undefinable expression that Caroline had never seen before.

He sighed and Caroline shook her thoughts from her head as he began to speak.

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Hey guys, long time no talk. I have been uploading fairly frequently (I hope) but I haven't really being doing these author's notes. That's pretty much because I have been writing these chapters in what little spare time I have to write with school and graphic designing and ya know... a life. So when I have time to finish a chapter, I pretty much upload it quickly and then am done with it.

So there's my excuse lol. Hope you enjoy and sorry for leaving it on a bit of a cliffhanger, anyone wanna have a guess what his story's gonna be? Kinda tricky since I've not really given any clues but oh well...

Enjoy :)

- Lena