Unplanned

barstools & studying

"Wait, Janey what? You're giving into what?" Abbie pestered is me with questions, trying to get my attention. What is this urge to talk to him and be around him after only really starting to know him for three days. Or to fix things that aren't even broken with someone I'm not in a relationship with. "Janey why are we here? Can you talk to me?" I looked at Abbie who was now extremely frustrated and wearing her annoyance on her face because I was in my own world.

"It'll be just a minute I have to talk to Everett. Just stay here I'll be right back." I quickly got out of the car, knowing she was already rolling her eyes at me and wanting to lecture me as much as I had been lecturing myself. I mentally prepared myself for another possible, emotional rollercoaster that was being with Everett. I made my way to the entrance, and slowly slipped through the door, looking around for him. I spotted his broad figure sitting at the bar, drinking a vanilla milkshake. I made my way to the barstool next to him and sat down, giving him a cheeky smile. "Hey stranger." I earned a blank stare. Gosh, I couldn't have pissed him off that bad right? "Don't you think a vanilla milkshake is kinda boring?" He rolled his eyes, not even looking at me this time.

"Vanilla is my favorite." The four word sentence was cold, only frustrating me more since I was sitting here trying to reach out. He refused to speak after that, leaving me feeling stupid for even coming inside instead of turning around and going home. Obviously my brain was trying to communicate something to me, not sure why since this is not going as planned less than a few minutes into the conversation. With that, I acted on instinct.

"Listen, I'm sorry for upsetting you today. I didn't ever imagine me asking about your classes would upset you that much." He just stared blankly at his milkshake while I apologized, creating more frustration. It felt like he wasn't even trying to listen. "Okay, Ev, I'm really sorry. I was just trying to make conversation because let's face it, we wouldn't be talking right now if it weren't for Halloween night." Instantly, he snapped his head at me, which was quite alarming. I guess he was listening to me.

"That's not true." He reached for my hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of my hand slowly. "I've always had a thing for you, Janey. Since junior high." I laughed thinking he was making a joke because there's no way Everett Gaines noticed me before Halloween. Especially during junior high where I was dorky, acne-ridden, awkward pre-teen. He didn't think it was funny; at all. "Seriously, Janey, I've always thought you were sweet."

"Oh really, just sweet?" That earned a light chuckle from him, and the cold exterior he was holding up seemed to just drop. He lifted my hand to his mouth, placing a tender kiss on the back of my hand. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I attempted to cover the red with my hands.

"You know not just sweet." He winked and slurped the remnants of his milkshake. "On a serious note, I am failing one of my classes which my mom keeps going on about and it's stressing me out. I'm sorry for taking that on you, but I'm embarrassed of it. It's even more stressful because finals are coming up and I don't know what to do." I reached for his hand back, intertwining my fingers with his. I could see the stress still present on his face, but maybe lesser than before. "Can you help me catch up?" I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tight and then dragging him outside of the diner. After he put money down on the counter for the waitress to pick up. I grabbed his backpack from his truck and pushed him into the backseat of my car.

"Hello, dear. We have another study buddy." Abbie only responded with a disgusted face. "Play nice, Abigail. Or I will expose you." I narrowed my eyes, started the car and began pursuit to my house which was only a few minutes away from the diner. Upon pulling in the driveway, of course my mother was home, but I was not expecting my father to be home. I felt my stomach drop to my ass, in a sudden wave of anxiety I was barely able to put my car in park. I grabbed fistfuls of my hair, debating on what to even say.

"J, just relax. He's not gonna shoot him or anything," Abbie turned towards the backseat, facing Everett, "Although, last week he did mention something about cleaning his shotgun." I noticed her devilish smirk, while Everett began fidgeting. I scowled at her, reassuring Everett he was fine and my father looked scarier than he actually was. When we had finally reached the door, my mother was already opening it, a wide grin welcoming us. "Hey, Mrs. Williams, any good snacks?" Abbie kissed my mom on the cheek and made her way to the kitchen.

"I just got some of those fruit leather things from the grocery store you like. Strawberry and green apple." Abbie cheered in the kitchen, the sounds of her tearing open the box floated into the awkward tension that occupied the living room. Mom looked between Everett and I, waiting for me to be polite and introduce them. I swallowed the lump in my throat, finally vomiting the words out. "It's very nice to meet you, Everett, you can call me Ms. Williams." Everett smiled and shook her hand.

"Alright mother, as pleasant and awkward as this was, we're gonna head up to my room and study. Let's go, Abigail." I grabbed Everett by the wrist, and drug him towards the stairs. Abbie emerged from the kitchen with a fruit leather hanging from her mouth and two more in her hand. Hardly after my foot hit the first step, my mother yelled something about keeping the door open. "Mother, we're studying. Not having a threesome." Abbie snickered and followed us up the stairs.

Once finally in my room, I forced Everett to pull out his work that he needed help with and began quizzing and tutoring him while Abbie scarfed down fruit leathers, binging grey's anatomy on my computer. Everett and I continued studying, taking breaks so I could do mine when he felt confident enough about something. Although, after a few moments he would always need clarification and tried to not bother me; but I could read it on his face, every time. It was sweet, his nose would scrunch, lines stretched across his forehead, and he'd tap the end of his pencil on the spiral of his notebook. I'd lean over and give him a few clues for the answer, other times I just gave him the answer to stop his struggle. Suddenly, it was half-past eight and Abbie's mother was bombarding her with messages.

"That is my signal to leave. You wanna drop me off, J?" Abbie batted her eyelashes towards me. I lightly pushed her head, gathering my things into my bag and standing by the door. She shoved her notebooks that were never opened into her backpack and following me to the door frame. "Earth to Everett? We're leaving." Everett was so focused on his work he hadn't heard anything we said.

"Oh, right. I should get going too. You mind dropping me at my truck, Janey?" He threw his things into his bag the same, barbaric way Abbie did. I nodded at him and motioned them to follow me. I yelled to my parents we were leaving as we walked through the door, only receiving mumbling from my parents who were in the kitchen, cleaning up from dinner. The drive to Abbie's was short, she darted from the car waving she pushed her way into her house. Driving to the diner was silent, not completely awkward but I couldn't help but feel strange that the car was filled with radio noise instead of conversation. When we finally arrived to the diner, Everett stayed in the car, almost waiting for me to say something.

"You okay?" I asked, touching his forearm. He chuckled and grabbed my hand, holding it tightly for a moment. Raising my hand up, he gently kissed the back, gazing deeply in my eyes. In that moment, any anxiety that was restless in the center of my chest was gone. Everett didn't break his stare, I giggled waiting for him to answer my question. "What? Why are you staring at me?"

"What I can't admire such a beautiful masterpiece?" He winked and I lightly smacked his arm after pulling my hand from his. He reacted like I had stabbed him in the hand, clutching it close to his chest. "My lady, your scorn of love is all too powerful for me to bear. I'm afraid my meek heart can not take it. Tell the children, I love them."

"Gross, you're so cheesy it makes me physically ill." Our combined laughter filled the car with warmth, until Everett opened the door, welcoming the cool night air in. He kissed my forehead, promising to find me in the morning at school, and got in his truck. When he shut my car door, little of the warmth he brought me remained, settling in my hands. With that, I watched him pull out of the diner parking lot and drive away, following his lead and letting a small smile rest on my face the entire ride home.