Fighter

Chapter 15

I was awake.

For the first time in a very long time, I had woken up early. Before my alarm. Before Colton could show up on my front porch.

I laid there in bed, watching the skies light up through the open window. Despite it being dawn, there was hardly any light. The clouds loomed with their dark colors. They promised rain. I felt my mood sink.

I was ready by the time school was about to start. I heard Colton's truck as he roared up the quiet street. Daniel had mentioned something the day before, telling me about Colton's plans. How he was going to show up again and offer a ride to school.

There were a lot of smartass remarks on the tip of my tongue as I opened the door to meet him. He was shocked to see me, that was easy to tell. His hand in midair, right about to knock on the wooden door. I stood in the doorway, staring back.

I felt something mean trickling at the back of my throat, daring me to say it. But somehow, I couldn't. I stared at him, his eyes matching the grayness of the clouds behind him. He was there, standing on the porch. I didn't ask. He didn't need to come. But there he was.

I said nothing.

I really didn't need to anyways. His surprised state was very short lived, and he quickly regained himself. "You're up early." Maybe his shock wasn't completely gone.

"And you're here," I said. "Again."

His hesitation was much shorter the second time. "Want a ride?"

I looked up at him. "Yeah, I do."

My response shocked him more than seeing me ready and dressed in the six o'clock hour of the morning. Did he expect a fight? A struggle? A no? I honestly had too. I wasn't sure what came over me.

He stared at me for a moment longer. It grew awkward really fast. I shifted uncomfortably, sliding the backpack strap higher onto my shoulder.

He shook it off, whatever thoughts had him floored. He turned around and stepped off the porch. I shut the door behind me and followed.

Climbing into his truck that morning didn't feel like had the day before. I felt more comfortable, more myself. I sat in the passenger seat next to him, watching him turn the key in the ignition, bringing the car to life.

We were driving down the street in silence. It was a comfortable silence. He had the windows rolled up, the heater pumping, and the radio on very lowly. I couldn't recognize the song playing or any of the words the singer said.

He cleared his voice. I peeked over at him from behind my hair. "Do you want to get coffee?"

Wait, what?

"I didn't realize you'd be ready so quickly," he explained when I didn't say anything right away. "We have some time before school starts."

I hadn't known Colton for very long. And yet somehow, he knew me pretty well.

Once he brought up the possibility of coffee, it wasn't a question. We were going.

It was warm in the coffee shop, as it always was. There were only a few coffee places in this small town, but this store was my favorite one. It was small and never very busy. And the coffee was strong.

We were sitting at a table.

"You like your coffee black?" Colton asked with some surprise in his voice.

I gave a small smile, suddenly feeling a little shy. He didn't order anything, so he just sat directly across from me, staring. Hammering me with questions.