Where I Found You

Chapter 6 - Alyssa.

Chapter 6 - Alyssa.

I wake up on Tuesday morning to the sound of a groaning, shuddering, engine of a car. After checking my phone to see that it's half five in the morning, I roll over, irritated, and try to get back to sleep.

But it's as if the sound is begging me to get up, because the noise pierces through my brain, my ears.

Grumbling, I pull the pillow over my head. And it still goes on.

It takes me a while to get the energy to stand up, and when I do, I make my way downstairs and to the kitchen window. Looking around the empty, dark, sleepy cul-de-sac I try to look for which car it is. Then I see - directly opposite - Stella Hart coming out of her house and going towards Jack's car which is on their drive and is shaking lightly as the engine is turned on and off.

After storming out of the house I end up stood next to Stella, both her and Jack staring at me as if I have grown two heads. Stella, like me, is in her pyjamas and dressing gown. When Jack gets out of the car, however, I see that he's dressed in faded jeans which hang dangerously low on his hips, and black Converse with trailing laces. There is also a red bandana on his head, but he is wearing no shirt. This leaves his broad shoulders and muscular chest on full display. I quickly look towards the floor after dwelling on the fact that his tan skin seems to glow under the orange street lamp.

He doesn't say 'Hi Alyssa', or 'Good morning'.

"Can I help?" Jack asks me, rather gruffly.

Suddenly, I feel stupid. Why did I come out here again? Just to tell him that he was disturbing my sleep?

I gulp. "Er- yeah. You're disturbing the whole neighbourhood."

"The whole neighbourhood being you."

I smile sheepishly. "Uh-"

"Listen, my car's not startin', and I'm late for somethin'." Jack seems to stare me down with those dark green emerald eyes. Then he turns away and looks at the black jeep. "Doesn't even deserve to be called a car. Piece of crap."

"Where are you even going at this hour in the morning?" I enquire, softer this time.

"Nowhere that concerns you."

I am taken aback at how curt he is being, and I feel a stab of annoyance.

Looking at Stella, almost for backup or something, I force myself to step back and hug my arms to my waist, frowning.

But quicker than you can say 'betrayal', Stella sighs and turns around, walking sleepily back into the house. Thanks, I think to myself.

I notice Jack's eyes are boring into me when I turn back around. Then he just whips the red bandana off his head and goes around to the other side of the car, ignoring me. I know I should be going inside and I have no purpose here. Especially if I am not even wanted. However I can't help but keep sneaking glimpses of the arrogant boy on the other side of the car through the windows as he looks at the car.

What am I doing here?

I am about to turn my back to him, and leave, and try to go back home and back to sleep, without saying goodbye, when I hear a light snicker.

"Nice pyjamas."

He's now disappeared from my sight, bent over the front of the car with the bonnet lifted up. I stare down at my thin cotton red and white polka dot Minnie Mouse pyjamas. For some reason fury bubbles up inside of me, and my cheeks become red and flushed and boiling hot with rage.

I march over to the front of the car, and snap, "Why don't you take it to the garage?"

He quickly replies obnoxiously, "When I can fix it myself?"