Love Me Not

Chapter 5

My feet carry my to the closest place I know, Mockingbird coffee where I have a shift later tonight. Although my shift doesn't start for a while I know that I can count on a certain someone being there.

"Hi sweetie!" The specific person hollers at me while wiping down a table.

"Oof" exits my mouth as a even tinier someone runs and grabs me by my legs. "Hello, my sweet little rose! How are you doing?" I say as I pick up the little bundle of joy.

"Good!" The blond thing exclaims in my ears while hooking her arms around my neck.

"Good!" My voice repeats while bouncing her up and down causing her pigtails to shake and multiple giggles to escape her tiny mouth.

In the mean time Annabelle made her way over to me, " What are you doing here? Your shift doesn't start for another couple of hours!" She says excitedly while also throwing her arms around me. "Oh never mind that I just found out that you just graduated from high school! How could you not tell me or invite me?" My friend says as she makes her way towards the front counter.

I follow with Rose still in my arms tugging away at my hair; "Oh I just knew you were busy, it's not that big of a deal and I didn't want to bother you with it." My lips fold into duck lips and make an incredibly stupid noise directed towards the mini Annabelle, causing her to laugh and clap her hands, while the actual Annabelle goes into the back room. She returns seconds later with a gift wrapped in gold and tied pristinely in a black, satin ribbon. Annabelle hands the small gift to me.

The polka dot apron ruffles, as the tall blonde wipes her hands on it. Annabelle then reaches out her pale arms to take back her child; "Come on baby, let's let Audrey open her gift," Rose shakes her head no but then happily concedes and pushes off of me into her loving mothers arms.

"Annabelle, you shouldn't have. This is too kind and too much!" I say as I try to hand back the kind gesture.

"Be quiet and open it." She responds while slapping the gift away and holding Rose closer.

I smile then start unwrapping the gift glancing at the two who are giddy with excitement. I pull out a simple black box and open the inside. Two beautiful, simple diamond earrings look back at me; "This way too kind, I can't take these. They're beautiful but I can't accept this." I look down again, while trying to hand them back, "I don't deserve them." I whisper more to myself than anyone else.

"Oh nonsense." Annabelle rights herself and stands tall with a set face and drawn in eyebrows, an incredibly serious look that would draw attention from anyone who it is directed at, "I was given those when I graduated high school and they mean a lot to me." She pauses and takes a deep
breath, "Audrey, you have been my greatest support system, my biggest cheerleader, and the most wonderful role model for my Rose. You have done so much for me and you have helped me grow as a person. No one deserves as much as you do and I wanted to give this gift to show you that you are so loved and appreciated by the two of us." She says this with so much conviction it almost makes me shake. Annabelle then moves a hand to wipe a tear from my cheek, I didn't even know I was crying. "We are very proud of you Audrey and we can't wait to see what you do with your life." She smiles lightly, her eyes glassy.

I sniff and wipe under my eyes; "Um, I just- I uh" I take a breath to compose my unintelligible self "Thank you, Annabelle. You guys mean so much to me. Thank you" I set down the beautiful jewelry and preceded to hug them.

"You're welcome, now put them on" She follows me in the bathroom as I set them into my ear piercings. They're beautiful. "They look perfect!" Rose claps her hands in agreement, "Alright, babes, back to work."

"Wait but I'm not even on the clock!"

"Well now you are, you can watch Rose" she laughs.

I smile because I know that I have absolutely no problem with that.

Several hours later I find myself wiping off a table and cleaning up the half eaten scone and the remains of a cappuccino.

I glance over at the clock and notice that it's almost closing time. My feet are tired and my eyes are heavy. I most definitely want to take a nap but that's definitely not an option seeing as how I'm far from my bed.

"Well looks all good for tonight. I think I'm going to head out for the night." The other barista on staff hollers at me, "Do you need a ride? I didn't see your car in the parking lot earlier." Marks kind eyes smile at me.

"Actually, that would be really nice of you-it's not too far out of your way though?" I untie my blue apron. "I'll pay you for gas obviously."

"Of course not! Don't worry, It would be my pleasure!"

"Oh that's really nice of you, thank you."

I follow mark to his Silver Prius. He opens up the passenger door for me; "Oh, thank you." I say as I sit down and pull the door closed behind me.

"No problem." He responds as he sinks into the car and pulls a hand through his unruly, chocolate, hair. He then flashes me a cheeky smile and pulls away.

I give him the address of a house nearby and we drive in comfortable silence for about ten minutes before mark rudely interrupts it.

"Do you have any fun, summer plans?" He asks with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter.

"Oh, no not really just preparing for college and what not."

"Oh? Are you leaving town?" Mark glances at me curiously and maybe even a bit nervously?

"Yeah, actually I will be. Leaving the state altogether in fact."

"Oh, that's too bad." His eyes shift back to the road.

My hands fidget with the bottom of my shorts, trying to pull them further down my leg; "I guess, but I'll be back to visit Audrey and Rose of course. I'm sure I'll see you!" I say reassuringly but I'm not sure why. I just feel like I made him sad.

"That's true, I guess I'll just have to make most of the time you have left here."

I smile at him seeing the modest, light blue house that I use as a decoy coming up on my right; "Well this is me. Thank you so much."

Mark pulls over and gets out of the car. Sweat beads at my forehead, why would he get out?

He walks over to me and envelops me within his scrawny arms. My eyes shoot open as I struggle to find the will to hug back. My hand lightly pats his back hoping to show him that it's time for him to let go. He seems to get the message as he steps back and smiles at me.

"I can't wait to see you soon. I enjoy your company." Mark says as he heads back to his door.

"Um yeah, me too." I say as I wave awkwardly. His car quietly, pulls away from the curb.

I release a breathe I didn't know I was holding. My eyes follow his car until I can't see it anymore. I then turn in the opposite direction towards my fathers house. I've done this walk many times throughout my life. When I was younger, if I ever needed a ride I was told to be dropped off at that little blue house. It's about a 20 minute walk from the gate of my fathers house.

I begin the walk back and take in the lovely summer warmth. The scent of warm rain and flowers engulfs me.

Headlights flash behind me however the car doesn't pass it just slows down. My feet pick up their pace as if they have a mind of their own. I look down at my phone to make sure I can easily call 911. The tall, black, and gold gates with "Connolly Estate" at the top in an arch comes into sight making me speed up a bit faster but a voice stops me.

"Audrey stop!" His rough, deep, familiar, voice makes me come to an official stop.

"Maddox?" I say as I bend down to peer into his passenger side window.

"Can we talk?"

"There is nothing to talk about." I say while raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, look, I need to apologize for earlier." He runs a palm over his face, "Can you just get in the car?"

"You don't owe me anything, certainly not an apology, but as of right now I have no interest in you or talking to you. It was nice meeting you, please drive safe, and enjoy your night."
I stand up completely turn my back on him and finish my walk home with not a care for Maddox Pierce.