The cleaning went by fairly quickly with Asher at my side. We were laughing half the time, taking occasional breaks to prepare an order we were given. When we finished, my shift was pretty much over.
"Wow, Asher, that was-" he cut me off abruptly.
"Ash," he interjected, standing up when I did.
"What?" I asked him confusedly, wiping my hands on my black apron. I took off my hairnet and let my hair flow down my back. I ruffled the hair on the top of my head and hoped I didn't look like I'd just stuck my head out of a car window.
"Call me Ash," he explained with a faint tint on his cheeks. I smiled sweetly at him and untied my apron.
"Okay, Ash, this was a lot of fun. No offence, but it's a lot less enjoyable alone," I admitted, hanging my apron on a nearby hook.
"Why would that be offensive? It's basically a compliment." He pretended to flip hair over his shoulder. Smiling sheepishly afterwards, he then ran a tan hand through his light brown hair.
"I don't know... it's your parents' place and I called it boring?" I shrugged once I finished my statement, watching as Asher took off his apron and hung it beside mine. His amber eyes shone with amusement.
"Well, your secret is safe with me," he said with a small chuckle that seemed to set my insides on fire. I ignored the blatant sensation and walked out of the kitchen with Asher at my side. Marco was closing the shop and Maria was counting the days' earnings.
As I stepped out of the restaurant, Asher suddenly stepped in front of my path. I stopped abruptly and looked up at him. "Hey, um, do you want a ride home?"
"I have a car," I lied as a joke.
"Oh, of course you do. Who doesn't right? Yeah, sorry, I'll just-" He pointed to the restaurant behind me and started to walk around me. I grabbed his arm and stopped him, laughter tumbling out from between my lips.
"I was kidding, I don't have a car." I laughed, pulling him back in front of me.
"Oh," was all he said for a moment, "so you do want a ride?"
"Yes, I'd love a ride," I said, smiling.
"Well, I don't think I want to anymore, not after that trick you pulled." He huffed with a playful pout on his lips, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Oh please." I rolled my eyes with a grin on my face.
"I'm serious, maybe my pride is too damaged," he joked, feigning hurt.
"Well, if that was enough to hurt your ego, maybe I should walk home..." I trailed off, still unable to keep the smile off my face.
"Maybe you should," he stated sourly, still seemingly playful.
"Fine, I will," I retorted, walking away from him. I was pretty sure that we were joking with each other, but I was also pretty sure that I was taking the bus home.
"Where are you going?" He asked after I'd taken about ten steps away from him. "My car is this way."
I turned around and faced him. He motioned for me to come with him and I noticed Maria and Marco smiling hugely at us. I wanted to roll my eyes playfully, but I resisted the urge as I caught up to Asher who was already walking. We reentered the restaurant and exited through the other door that led straight to the parking lot. Asher clicked his keys as we walked in silence. The beep of his car seemed deafening in the quietness around us. The lights of his red fiat flashed and we approached the car. I got into the passenger seat while he got into the drivers'.
It was silent for a moment as he started the engine. I couldn't tell if it was awkward or comfortable, but it was there. He pulled out of his spot and exited the parking lot. I looked over at him, but quickly looked away when his eyes darted towards mine. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I could see him staring at me every few seconds. I turned to look at him and he stared straight at the road in front of him. I squinted at him before turning back to look out the window.
"Um, I'm kind of driving in circles here, I forgot where you live..." He said, making me laugh.
"Oh," I replied with a smile, telling him my address.
"Okay, so, here's the thing. I don't actually know how to find your house. I don't even know how addresses work," he admitted and I laughed at that too. "I mean, I know I'm a pizza guy and I know I've already delivered a pizza to your house and been there, but I never learned how addresses work. I usually use the GPS on my phone because I just started doing deliveries this year."
"Me neither," I consoled him, smiling delicately. I told him where to turn and how to get to my house. Once we were in front of my house, I narrowed my eyes at him.
"So, what's your school like?" He asked, realizing that everyone can find something to rant about with school being the topic.
"Well, the kids are normal; bitchy and angsty. The teachers are tiresome and the courses are somewhat intense. I'd say..." I kept talking until we got to our house because I got incredibly immersed in my rant about how much high school makes me suffer. I realized Ash was smirking at me as if he knew something I didn't so I stopped talking mid-sentence and waited for a moment.
"Hey," I commented, looking over at him with an accusatory glare, "you knew I'd start ranting, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but I like hearing you talk so I figured it'd be a good subject to get you started on," he said blatantly with a growing red tint on his cheeks. I too started to blush, but I looked away to hide.
"Whatever," was all I said, considering that fact that I didn't know how to answer that. I opened the door and slung my backpack over my shoulder.
"Thanks for the ride, Ash," I thanked him, smiling.
"No problem," he replied as I shut the door. I walked up the steps to my porch and waved as he turned out of my driveway. He winked at me before driving off. I was smiling at the place where his car had been when I noticed a light on in the house opposite mine. I looked up and saw a figure in the window. I couldn't see their face or any defining features because of the shadowing of the lamp in the background, but I could make out faint lengthy strands of hair and a pair of arms crossed over their chest.
When they seemed to notice me, they turned around and left the room. I frowned confusedly before unlocking my door and entering.
As I shut the door, I swallowed and grimaced. My throat burned as I tried to swallow the extra liquid in my mouth. I held my throat with a frown and went upstairs, figuring that it was only a sore throat.
• Note •
I made a Hooded Figure playlist on Spotify! Starting with the song Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish, of course.
Follow me on Spotify @tashapea2003 :3
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The Hooded Figure
Teen FictionRETURNED TO WATTPAD! "I heard he punched a teacher who tried to take his hood off." "Really? I heard that he's hideously ugly and can't stand to have other people see him." "Hmm, I was told that one time he was hooking up with a girl and he still di...
