It Exceeds Her

Chapter 9 - Who's Bringing the Keg

"Alecko is different. He's the same age as us, and goes to Breckenridge. He's not a jock and not necessarily a nerd. I'd probably call him a geek. He's really good at computers. At school you'll usually just find him in the computer lab, with his headphones on."

"He's different, there's something about him."

I'm now contemplating what I am. He's a tech geek, Zoey's a nerd, and the twins are popular jocks. I'm not a nerd. I'm smart, but not Zoey level. I always did the minimum amount of school work required by the state. I was always too busy with modeling and singing to focus on anything other than my career.

Who am I? Will my career define who I am for the rest of life? It seems like it.

"Hi" I looked up to be greeted with Alecko. He stared at me with those alluring blue eyes under his lashes.

"Hey" Zoey responds breaking our stare down. "I'm gonna go use the bathroom, be back in a few." she winks at me suggestively as she heads in the direction of the toilets.

"So Chloe?" he says taking a seat where Zoey sat only moments before.

"Yeah, that's my name don't wear it out" I respond with my voice edged with sarcasm.

"Sinclair huh?" he says in a questioning manner. I nod in response before staring down at my hands that have become clammy. I wipe them on my pants before looking up to see Alecko's eyes staring back at me.

"I'm sorry about your-"

I cut him off by waving my hands dismissively. "It's okay, don't apologize it's not your fault."

"I'll admit that I don't remember you that well. I was quite the reserved kind of kid. I remember you at the funeral, a little girl totally broken and confused about what her life had become. I felt bad, but it wasn't till my mother died that I knew how much it hurts. And I guess I wanted to offer you my condolences."

I was utterly speechless. For the second time since moving back to Breckenridge, I have nothing to say. I could feel the tears threatening to spill over. I try to blink them away, but one betrays me. Before it can even reach my lip, Alecko reaches over and captures it with his thumb.

"Sorry" I hiccup, not evening knowing why i'm apologizing. I just know that I don't cry often, but ever since moving home it's caused my hormones to be all over the place.

"You know you're allowed to grieve. No one will think less of you if you breakdown and cry. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you just punched a wall." A laugh escaped my lips at his attempt of lightening the mood. "What i'm trying to say, we all express anger differently. So don't bottle it up, it's not worth it. I swear I know."

I followed his gaze to spot Zoey making her way back from the bathroom. He stood up and left, but not before capturing one more tear that I hadn't noticed escaped.

"So did you guys get down and dirty?" Zoey says with suggestiveness in her voice.

"In a diner? Your insane!" I sigh dramatically before picking up my hat the was discarded on the seat next to me.

"Ready to go?" she questions, shoving her arms through her jacket sleeves. I nodded, standing up and leaving a generous tip on the table.

I spot the populars are still in there corner of the diner. There spread across three different tables. I try to hide my face with the fur of the russian hat.

"Wait up guys" I expect that Ashton recognized me, but when I turn around it's Alecko. "You left your phone at the booth."

"Thanks" he hands me back my phone winking when our hands touch.