Into the Storm

Chapter 8 | Mr. Elliott

JADE

"Hiero? You have to really work tonight." I pleaded as I tried not to laugh. Hiero stopped buttering his pancakes and froze shifting his eyes up at me with a smirk that turned into a full blushing smile.
"Me?" He challenged. His dimples showing as he held a fork in one hand and a butter knife in the other. He laughed shaking his head at me.
I closed my eyes with a bossy smile, "Yup." I took a sip of my coffee.
He laughed at me and continued to butter his pancakes. "You're hilarious, Jade."
I tried not to stare at his hair. His perfect hair as he smiled.
"What."
"I followed you. Remember?" Popping a piece of pancake from his fork to his mouth studying me with a smirk.
"Yeah. Hey, you're pretty good at that pretending thing." I smiled as the waitress brought over more napkins. I started to cut my french toast.
"Oh, am I?" He chuckled.
"Yeah." I could feel my smile disappearing. "I could've made a huge mistake last night."
"Glad I was there to help you." His face was serious.
"Yeah. Me too. Thanks for that. Even though-"
"Hey, don't worry about it. I didn't have to punch anyone in the throat last night. Arthur was close to it, though." He smiled and I laughed. I could tell he was lightening the mood.
"Would it be too much to ask you for the same favor?" He eyes me with his dimple and chewing his food.
"What?" I asked shocked. Is he really asking me for a crazy favor?
He ran his fingers through his hair like he was nervous. He was starting to do that nervous thing he was doing with his hands and his mouth was moving like he wanted to say something, but couldn't get it out.
"So." He rubbed the back of his neck and cut another piece of his pancakes. I continued to eat and he continued to talk. "My mom is having this party-
"Hiero." A feminine voice from behind me announced herself before she stood at the end of our table. "I've missed you. Where've you been?" Her petite body and younger face beamed with happiness through her emerald eyes. She stared at Hiero with excitement.
Hiero looked annoyed but happy to see her. "I'm Leanne." She put her hand out to me with an excited smile. She was beautiful. Her dark long hair parted in the middle and tucked behind her ears. If Hiero had a twin-
"Jade. This is my cousin. Leanne, this is Jade." I shook her hand. She eyed Hiero and then her smile faded away.
"Jade." She said. Studied me for a second.
"Leanne." Hiero addressing her in embarrassment and looking up at her trying to stop her from saying something.
"Hiero told me about you last night!" She smiled. I turned my head back to Hiero. If he couldn't read my questions through my eyes, I swear -
"I was nervous when you picked me up. Well, before. I tell Leanne everything. Kind of." He blushed.
"Hiero used to be the best babysitter."
"Really?" I watched his cheeks turn redder. He nodded and smiled proudly.
"And he called me again last night squeeling like a fangirl that you were at his house and in his bedroom." she laughed and Hiero made a stabbing motion to his eyes with his fork and redder than a hookers room at the Red Light District.
"Yup. I did. Chill with the snitching Leanne, yeah?. So, who're you here with?" He asked curiously and still embarrassed.
"Oh, you know. My friends and Ian."
"Ian? Why, Leanne?" I took a drink of my coffee again. The frog and the coffee cup emoji popped into my head.
"Because he wouldn't stop calling after the movies."
"Because he's being forced to- gosh, Lee, when are you gonna learn? Whatever. Have fun with Oakley Douche Shades over there."
Leanne let out an embarrassed laughed and Hiero laughed too. When I looked over to see the guy she was with, he really did look like a douche. I laughed a little.
"Well, I'll let you two on with breakfast." She turned to me. "It was nice to finally meet you, Jade."
She hugged me and then Hiero before she bounced away. She waved again and I waved back as she skipped off out of the door.
Hiero was laughing to himself as he finished his breakfast. "Leanne. Love her."
"So you're the worlds best babysitter, huh?"
"I hope so. I'm actually really protective of her."
"Obviously."
"Well, I don't care much for the guy she likes. Her parents are forcing them to hang out."
"Ahh. Kind of like you and me?" I laughed.
"That's different. And we knew each other before."
"Nothing is wrong with making friends. If she doesn't like him she doesn't have to. At least they can be like buddies."
"Buddies? Is that what we are, Jade? Cool." He nodded as he laughed and cute more of his pancakes.
"We're... different." I say.
"Aha. Exactly."
"So, Leanne is your.."
"My dad's brother's kid. She followed me around whenever our parents were off having gamble night or whatever it is that parents abandon their kids for. I mean, why have kids if you know you're going to be the worst parents ever?"
I stayed silent and started to cut my food in a thought. A lot of thoughts about about my toxic family.
"Hey." Hiero said quietly. I shifted my eyes up at him.
"Hmm?"
"Did I say something?" His concern was inviting to my answer but there was no way in hell I am going to answer that question right here and now.
"So.." I said changing the subject. "Tonight, you'll have to work."
He smiled, "You said that already, Jade."
"Last night was the only exception because- I just don't know why, but we can't do that again." I laughed.
Hiero laughed "Alright, agreed. So, what's happening tonight?"
"The Cypher."
Hiero dropped his cutlery on his plate.
"The Cypher? Thee actual Cypher?"
"Yes."
"No way." He was excited.
"Is it going to be a distraction?"
"No. Not at all. It's just, I've been to a few at the venue and it's, it's amazing."
"Yeah. Have you ever-?"
He chuckled, "Once. But that's only because Art pushed me on. So I just did it for fun."
"You can throw bars?" Meaning he can rhyme to any beat. How did I miss this?
"Sort of. But it's stupid and you can't make me do it."
I laughed, "Fair enough."
"But you know, if you get called out, you have to take the mic. Working or not. If you throw bars, why not?"
Hiero studied me with a smirk. "What if I say no? I'm willing to get fired."
"Stop. You won't get fired for turning down the cypher." I laughed.
"I'm just saying, I'm shy on the mic and I don't want to let the night off bad."
"It's fine, Hiero. Just pass out fliers for the next week and get girls to come out."
"I completely forgot that flirting comes with the job."
"It's not flirting. Your promoting, talking to people and inviting them to the next Cypher Saturday's."
"Fair enough." He smiled. I felt my phone buzz from inside of my hoodie. Okay. From Hiero's hoodie. I took out my phone.
"Maia?"
"No. Shit. I forgot about my car. Thanks, Mai. I'll be there as soon as I can to get it." I put my phone back in the hoodie pocket. Hiero is looking at me in concern. His eyebrows raised waiting for me to update. "My car is ready."
"Well, I can take you to pick it up? It's no problem." Gosh, he's so fucking nice.
"Yeah. Thank you. Do you know where Auto Tech is?"
"Yeah. My - Yeah. I know where it is." His eyes were serious, but his lips were smirking.
"Whenever you're ready, Shay." He caught himself saying that and so did I. "Sorry. It just came out."
"It's fine. Are-Tee" I smirked and he laughed giving me a playful evil eye. I really don't like calling him that. "So.." I say as Hiero continued to cut his breakfast. "You swear no one knows what happened?"
His eyes shot up at me and he set his silverware down.
"I think that ship sailed already, Jade."
"WHAT?" I started to freak out and he laughed. "It's not funny, Hiero!" complained.
He was still laughing.
"I'm talking about when we were smoking in the car, Jade."
"Oh." I said. He laughed at me some more.
"And no, Jade... Shay. No one knows what happened. Everyone still thinks we really just met last night." He studied me for a while before he spoke again. "You know, I never stopped thinking about that. I just -"
"I'm fine. Hiero. Your not the only-
"Okay. I get it." He laughed. "So what time do you want to go get your car?"
I came to a realization that my time with Hiero is going to end and I instantly felt a slight feeling of separation anxiety. I wondered if this is what it felt like. I've never felt the need to not be away from Darren when I was with him. This is new and I don't like this.
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HIERO