Got No Shame » l.h.

10. Anyone Can Dance

L U K E

"Do all your late night drives end up at gas stations at 2 AM?"

"Only the good ones."

After opening the passenger door, I watched Stella carefully step out of the car as she tied her hair up. She looked exhausted, just as someone would when staying up past ungodly hours. I didn't think she would have agreed to sneak out with me in the first place, in Calum's car no less. Or so I thought, as she was visibly nervous, yet persisted in spite of it all. 

After following her into the brightly lit rest stop, she pulled open the glass door to queue a chiming at the entrance. She looked up, as the noise seemed to startle her, and laughed quietly to herself. 

Cute.

"We better have came here to get freezies," Stella glanced over her shoulder as she whispered to me, "If not, then I don't even know why I came."

"Is hanging out with me not a good enough reason?" I ask.

Stella tilted her head to the side, squinting her eyes up on the ceiling as if she were looking for the answer. 

"Eh- I suppose," she smiled shortly before putting on a straight face to end it with, "but don't flatter yourself. You might actually think we're friends."

I attempted to bite back my smile, as Stella's sass was something that started to grow on me. It was not easy to keep my composure around her, as every new, sarcastic remark that came out of her mouth was better than the last. 

Without hesitation, I made my way over to the ICEE machine as Stella stood on her toes to pull the smallest cup from the top of the size rack. She never gave me a chance to help her, as she looked back at me with a successful, tight-lipped grin.

"You want one?" she asked teasingly, tilting her head up.

"Sure." I accept, watching her do the process all over again. 

This was just one of the many moments when Stella's independence was on display. It amused me only slightly more than it annoyed me. Her stubborn personality never failed to be constantly under the spotlight and there were only so many battles I could chose before having to surrender. Freezie cups were one of them.

"Y'know," Stella paused, patiently filling up the frozen drinks as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I don't know what it is about gas stations at night, but I really like it."

She held her gaze at me for a few more moments, then returned to the drinks like she never said anything. 

I found it harder and harder to mask my urge to smile whenever she spoke to me that way. 

It was different. Whether it was at the auto shop or in her house, her words seemed cold and short. It doesn't seem like she's aware of if either. But in moments like this, she was outspoken and warm, as if she flipped a switch. It seemed this way only when were alone.

But I didn't mind it at all.

"Ready, Freddy?"

"What? Who's Fr-"

"It's a saying, Lu. I'm just asking if you're ready to go." Stella stifled a laugh, popping the lids onto our artificially blue colored drinks. But she never gave me a chance to reply as she grabbed the straws and said, "c'mon now."

Stella began to make her way down an aisle of snacks as I followed behind, before stopping suddenly. I bumped into her unexpectedly, bracing myself by her shoulders as we collided.

"What's wrong?" I questioned, watching as she turned to face me. 

"Nothing." Stella laughed, looking to the corners of the store where the speakers were mounted. "You should've asked me, 'what's right?'"