Start of Something Good

Midnight Drives

The next morning Shelby was woken up to the sunlight peaking through the curtains. She rolled over trying to block her eyes from the light. But she bumped into someone. She opened her eyes to see Kelly sleeping their next to her.

The events from last night start coming to the front of her mind. She lifted the sheet up to see they were both still naked from last night. She dropped the sheet and stared up at the ceiling. Shelby grab her phone and seen she has several missed calls and text messages from her parents. "Shit."

She felt Kelly starting to stir. "Morning."

"Morning." Shelby sat up pulling the sheet around her body. "Uh Kelly we forgot to tell our parents where we were last night." She shows him her phone with all the missed calls and texts.

"Fuck." Kelly runs his hands over his face. He grabs his phone to see his dad had called and texted him as well. "We should probably head back."

"Yeah probably. But I think we should shower first."

Kelly nodded. They both got up and went to the bathroom and started the shower. Shelby jumped in while Kelly went and gathered their clothes from the other room.

Kelly steps into the shower with her as she was washing conditioner out of her hair. She opened her eyes to see Kelly standing in front of her. A small smile comes across her face.

"You're gorgeous you know that right?"

Shelby blushed. "You're not half bad looking yourself." She traded Kelly places giving him the water. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped up in a towel. "Hey Kelly?"

"Hm?"

"Last night. Did we uh... Did we use protection?"

"To be honest I don't know."

"Okay well I'm not on any birth control either."There was a moment of silence. "Kelly?"

"Yeah sorry." Kelly tuned off the water and opened the shower door and grabbed a towel. "It'll be alright." He wrapped the towel around his waist and placed a kiss on her cheek.

They finished drying off and got dressed. Shelby had texted her parents that she had fallen asleep at Angie's and that her phone had died. Kelly told his dad that he stayed the night at Andy's house.

They grabbed their clothes from last night out of the dryer. They then got in Shelby's car and headed home. She dropped Kelly off at Andy's and then headed home.

She made it home and parked her car. She then headed inside the house. Her parents had already cleaned up everything from last night. They were just sitting on the couch. "Hey Honey."

"Hey." She went and sat down in the chair near the couch. Her dad started eyeing her. "What dad?"

"Those don't look like any of your clothes."

Shit.

"Oh um yeah. Did you hear about the car accident where a teenage girl died?" They both nod their heads. "Kelly and I were there when it happened."

Shelby's mom gasped. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine we just witnessed it and helped the drivers the best we could." She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "The girl who died. Her name was Ashley and she was in my grade."

"Oh honey that's terrible. Did you know her well?"

"No but Kelly did. And these are his clothes. Mine were covered in blood, glass, and anything that was on the ground."

"How is Kelly doing?"

"As best as he can."

"Well if he needs anything let us know?" She nodded to her parents and they go back to watching TV.

She made her way upstairs to work on some homework. They had had a three day weekend and it was coming to an end.

***

The next day at school Shelby didn't see Kelly. She looked for him in homeroom and math. She sent him a couple texts but nothing.

Shelby tracked down Andy and Matt durning lunch. Once she found them she  took a seat at the same table. "Hey guys where's Kelly?"

Andy put his drink down. "He stayed home. He's a bit torn up about Ashley."

"Oh okay. He just hasn't responded to any of my texts so I was getting worried."

"Just give him a little space. He'll be alright." Matt gave her a reassuring smile.

"Thanks guys." Shelby shot off another text to Kelly telling him she would be there if he needed someone. Shelby put her phone back in her pocket and ate her lunch. She was trying to not worry about Kelly but it was hard. All she wanted was to be there for him.

***

Shelby didn't hear from Kelly all day. She was asleep when her phone started ringing. She answered it still half asleep. "Hello?"

"Did I wake you?" She recognized the voice as Kelly's.

"A little but it's okay." She sat up in her bed and yawned. "What's up Kelly?" She was rubbing her eyes trying to wake up.

"Can you sneak out?"

"Um sure why?"

"I just need someone to talk to and drive around with."

"alright yeah just text me when you are here."

"I'll be there in 5." They hang up and Shelby get out of bed.

She opened her closet and pulled out a T-shirt, hoodie, and jeans. She slips into the clothes just as her phone rings. She sees Kelly's name on her screen. "I'll be right out."

She hangs up and grabs her tennis shoes and carried them down the stairs. She slowly opens and closes the front door. She see's Kelly's car sitting in front of her driveway. She opens the passenger door and hops in.

Once her door is closed Kelly starts to drive. Shelby goes ahead and puts her tennis shoes on. "How are you doing Kelly?"

"Not great to be honest." He was watching the road in front of them.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I just can't believe she is gone." Shelby placed her hand on top of Kelly's. "I know her and me had our differences in the end but she should still be here."

"I know Kelly. No one understands why someone gets taken so young."

"Ashley was just starting to live. Starting to figure herself out." Kelly was starting to get choked up.

"All we can do now Kelly is keep her memory alive." Kelly nodded and Shelby squeezed his hand. They drove around in silence for a while. Shelby believes Kelly just wanted someone else there so he was alone.

Around 2am Kelly pulls back in front of her driveway and parks. "Kelly call me anytime you need someone. I'll answer."

"Thank you."

Shelby could tell there was something on Kelly's mind. He just had this look. "Kelly what is it?"

"I... I just don't know if I can do this right now."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not in the right mindset to be in a relationship at the moment."

Shelby felt her heart drop. She wasn't expecting him to say that not after the last couple days they had together. "Oh okay. I understand."

"I'm sorry Shelby. I just need some time."

"It's okay Kelly." She opens the passenger door. "I'll see you at school."

"Bye." She gets out of his car and close the door. Once she is inside the house she hears him pull away from her driveway.

Shelby makes her way back up to her room and change back into her pajamas. She sends Angie a text letting her know what just happened. She didn't respond which Shelby figured would happen since it was so late.

Shelby try's to go back to sleep but no such luck. She toss and turns till the morning.