"Tongue-tied like we've never known. Telling those stories we already told, 'cause we don't say what we really mean." - Harry Styles
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"Can we try to keep ourselves under control?" I request, glancing ahead at the group of boys as I unlock my parent's car with a press of a button.
I was raised around boys my entire life, so naturally I was used to hearing the double entendres and the continuous immature jokes regarding women without flinching. What I could never get used to was being around Roy. He was an enigma on his own.
Matty was already standing beside the passenger's door with an eager expression and much to his dismay and mine, Adrian convinced him to leave the passenger's seat to Roy.
I open the driver's door, the door handle weighing more than the tension that was awaiting us in the car. I turn the ignition on and start the long drive to our destination.
"So, where to, Ava?" Matty asks, from the backseat.
"I was thinking of dropping you guys off on the side of the highway." I tease.
"What? I am not highway material Ava!" Matty protests.
"She's not gonna drop us on the side of the highway!" Adrian tells him.
I exchange a look with Roy and his expression mirrors mine. I quickly look away, my smile being replaced with a frown when I realize what had happened.
"You'll soon get used to Ava's sense of humor." Roy says beside me and I can feel his eyes burning through me.
Ignoring Roy's hot stare, I inform Matty, "We're going to the square."
"The square?" Matty repeats.
"Yes. The square." I said.
The square was about thirty minutes out of town and one of my preferred places to go to during the summer, due to the many selections of ice cream shops and thrift stores. It also happened to be the closest thing we had to a mall that didn't require driving another half hour.
The drive to the square wasn't as crucial as I had imagined. Roy was his usual loud self, lessening the burden on us both. I managed to tune him out for most of the ride and only acknowledged him when he addressed me with questions.
After spending nearly ten minutes looking for a decent parking spot, I find one at the far end of a poorly lit area. I send a quick text to my friends' group message asking for a location, after announcing my arrival.
When I didn't receive a response, I lead all three guys to the center of the square, where a tall, beautifully lit Christmas tree stood. And while I knew this place like the back of my hand, I had a feeling the guys didn't. I keep walking until I reach the directory that was strategically placed behind the tree, giving us a listing of every store located at the square.
"Where do we go first?" Adrian asks.
"That's up to you guys." I tell them, pointing at the directory. "There's a couple of sports shops, some ice cream shops with good funnel cakes-"
"Funnel cakes?" Matty interjects, his eyes wide like a child's, shining with excitement.
I nod and continue dragging my fingers across the directory, stopping on one of the stores.
"And if you guys want to do some early Christmas shopping there's stores for that too." I said, glancing at the guys before focusing my attention back to the directory.
"Hey, let's check out that store." Matty suggests to Adrian beside me.
"Oh um, Matty and I are going to go look over there. Do you guys mind?" Adrian asks, glancing between me and Roy.
YOU ARE READING
Begin Again
Teen FictionAva Miller and Roy Cantrell were destined to be best friends before they were born, when their parents met at a rock concert in the 80's. For years, they were inseparable and each other's keeper of secrets, until an assumption severed their friendsh...
