The Rendezvous // Thomas Sangster

Everything is Gray

"I'm not carpooling with you." I glare at him.

Thomas stands before me in a button down shirt and dark pants. It's the first time I've seen him out of his usual flannel and t-shirts. His hands are stuffed in his pocket and and his cocoa eyes are dark. They study me, where I stand in the door of my trailer.  A tiny, unmistakable smirk is carved into his face, plainly showing his dimples. 

"I don't see why you wouldn't carpool with me." He says smoothly. 

"Because if you and I carpool then you'll end up trying to get me to play Would You Rather or Twenty Questions or some other stupid game."

"You don't know that." There's a hint of a smile on his face.

"Oh, trust me, I do."

Finally, Thomas says, "Okay, well, how about if I promise not to make you play any 'stupid games'." 

I squint at Thomas, attempting to read his expression. 

He grins, "Come on, it'll be good for the environment and all that."

I huff, relenting, "Oh, fine."

His grin widens, "Perfect."

When we first met, I would have never imagined I would be carpooling with Thomas - and much less going to play poker with him and his dubious friends. However, now I can't say that I mind now. There's been some shift in Thomas and I's relationship since that night at work. We don't hate each other anymore. I can't explain our relationship, really. I wouldn't go as far to call us friends, despite his invitation to play poker, and despite the fact that it's been easier for him to make me laugh these days. Really, I'm doing this just to spite Thomas, but I don't care. 

I glance down at my attire. Long sleeved, dark purple shirt and jeans. Comparatively to Thomas, I look casual.

Worried, I ask him, "Is my outfit okay? Should I change?" 

He looks me up and down, "No, you're fine."

I leave Red sleeping on the floor in my trailer and lock the door behind me. As we walk to Thomas's car with the gravel crunching underneath our feet, Thomas mumbles, smirking playfully at me, "Still insisting on locking that thing?"

I roll my eyes at him, "Every earthly thing I own is in that trailer. Yes, I insist on locking it."

As we get into his car, which smells like fresh leather, Thomas stares over at me, "You know, if anyone really wanted to break into your trailer, it would not be difficult. The locks on trailers are always weak. Besides, what's a criminal worth if he doesn't know how to pick locks?"

"Whatever." I smirk, "It's like you said - who would want anything in my trailer, anyway?"

He shrugs, putting his seat belt on before he starts up the car.

We drive out of the campground as I ask, "Where are we going, anyway?"

Thomas half smiles, "The closest thing Seal County has to a casino."

After about fifteen minutes of driving out of the forest and through the town, Thomas passes over an enormous bridge. I recognize it as the dam for the paper factory here in Seal County. Shortly after we pass over the bridge, Thomas pulls into the lot of a two story building that's right next to the dam. The building is painted a sleek black and gray, and it's windows and front doors are tinted black. There's a man outside with his arms crossed over his chest and a hard look on his face. 

I stifle a giggle, "There's a bouncer?"

Thomas smirks, shrugging as we get out of the car. I'm surprised by the number of cars in the lot. Seal County doesn't exactly seem like the type of place where a lot of people would gamble. Yet, the parking lot is filled with various vehicles, and as Thomas and I near the doors where the straight faced bouncer stands, we can hear music thumping from inside.