Inside The Lines

| Chapter 05 |

"Your cousin?"

I look at Flynn, I didn't want to say friend, we weren't friends and Barbara our waitress would probably mention to Reece I was alone with some boy because she's nosy like that.

"I had to lie." I say.

Flynn just smiles and laughs, grabbing a fry from what was originally Hunters plate.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen with me?" I add.

"I never said that." He corrects. "I just think you'd be better off. Your brother and I aren't exactly best friends."

"I've noticed." I huff. "Why is that? If you don't mind me asking."

"I could tell you or I could just show you." Flynn casually shrugs pulling out his wallet.

"I can pay for the meal." I tell him.

"You can cover it next time." Flynn says placing a twenty dollar bill between us.

"Next time?" I say watching as he slides out of the booth.

I follow behind him until I see his black mustang parked outside. Once I'm close enough I open the door and take my seat inside.

This felt unusual. I've never gone anywhere with anyone except for those in my inner circle. Maybe I wanted to be rebellious? Everyone was always out having so much fun. But not me I was always being watched by my paranoid brother.

Flynn finally opens his door and takes his seat behind the wheel. A gust of wind hits my face and I recognize the cologne on his skin. It's not overpowering it's actually quite refreshing. Flynn grabs the gear that rests between our two seats once he puts the key in the ignition.

I pay close attention to what is playing on the radio when he starts to back out of the parking lot. It's Queen. I only recognize the band because my dad used to play this all the time.

"Here you probably like the pop station." Flynn assumes. He reaches for the nozzle but I stop him.

"No it's fine." I say. "Where are we going again?"

"Landings Boulevard." He answers. "Well the alley of it."

Alley?

"Are you in a gang? Is my brother in some type of gang?" I ask, getting worried. "I'd rather just go home and watch Friends."

Flynn doesn't say anything he just flashes me his signature smirk and then looks back at the road ahead. After a few more turns Flynn turns down the radio and drives into the alleyway he was talking about earlier.

There were a lot of people from school hanging out here.

Flynn pulls the car to a halt and I jerk forward.

"Before you get down." Flynn objects. "I need you to put this on."

He hands me a blue baseball cap and a hoodie that's too big for my torso.

"Why?" I question.

"We can't have the whole school seeing us together."

I don't say anything. I listen and put each item on.

We step out of the car and once I do I can feel everyone's eyes on me. I hang my head low and stare at nothing but the ground below me.

"What's up Ricky." Flynn says. I finally look up when I appear from behind Flynn. The whole group of his friends gasp. Geez I can't tell if they're afraid or excited to see me.