Adventurous

CHAPTER-15

CHAPTER 15

HOPE

Last night after Royce left, I couldn't sleep but I didn't want to roam around this big ass house all alone. So I decided to stay in the room only.

I barely got any sleep.

Which leads to my now puffy and a little sore eyes. It's currently 5 in the morning and we have to leave ASAP, otherwise we will get late for school.

I'm in the bathroom room, washing my face. Then I'm gonna search for Tate.

She has to drop me off, get home herself. Get ready for school. Have breakfast.

We're gonna be so late.

I'm already dreading facing my mom and dad. They are gonna have so many questions. Last night I called them to inform that I'm staying over at Tate's AGAIN.

They don't mind me staying over at Tate's once in a while, but not every other night.

I make my way out of the bathroom to the door. But before I could push the door open, it opens itself.Or more like someone on the other side opens it.

And there stands Royce, already dressed in the school uniform. His dress shirt folded across his forearms.

His dark eyes collides with mine. For a second, we just stare at each other.

"We're getting late. If you want to reach school in time, we must leave right this second." He breaks the silence.

His gaze moving from my face down to my body. He looks me up and down.

"Yeah. Let's go." I say nervously, getting out of the room.

He nods his head to the side, signaling me to go first.

I walk ahead of him, feeling his body heat on my back. I suddenly turn to ask him about Tate.

He almost stumbles into me, but catches himself in the last moment.

"Where is Tate?" I ask quickly to avoid the awkward silence.

He cocks his head to the side, as if not remembering.

"She left with Ali. She was asking for you but we convinced her." He says with his poker face.

"She left without me?" I ask shocked.

It's the first time Tate has left me alone like this. And I'm gonna be honest, it kinda hurts.

"Don't make a big deal about it with her. We all but dragged her and it's not like she left you alone in a jungle." He says almost nonchalantly.

Well, it kinda makes sense when he puts it like that.

"Now, shall we?" He asks, nodding his head towards the stairs.

I nod.

We both make our way out of the house. His car is parked in the driveway.

He drives a grey-ish jaguar.

Obviously.

He opens the passenger side door for me.

I look up at him with amusement.

He rolls his eyes in return.

"Just get inside" He says frustratingly.

I bite my bottom lip to stop myself from cracking a smile and get inside.

He gets behind the wheel and peels out of the driveway. It's weirdly hot to see him command a car so well.

The entire ride home, both of us stays silent and I'm thankful for it.

25 minutes later and we're in my house's driveway.

"Thank you for the ride." I say after good 5 seconds of silent awkwardness.

Getting out, I just stand there waiting for him to leave. When he doesn't, I tap on the passenger side window. It slides down.

I raise my eyebrows at him in question.

"You plan on taking a leave from school today?" He asks.

"No why?" I ask, pulling my eyebrows together in confusion.

He mumbles something that's sounds a whole lot like stupid girl.

"We're going to the same place Hope. You can come with me."

"No thanks. I'll manage." It's the first thing that comes to my mind.

"Why do you have to argue in every goddamn matter? Just go get ready real quick and come with me." He says with finality.

I think about this for a minute.

A ride won't hurt me right.

After taking my sweet ass time, I reply "okay". Bitting my lower lip.

....

It took me forever to convince my parents that I'm okay and I will never ghost them again like I did yesterday.

At first, I was being a little bitchy to them. You know that "I am old enough to take care of myself" kinda way and then, my dad threatened to home school me.

Yeah! Then I had to apologise.

Sometimes, I hate my parents. Like I understand they care about me and would never want anything bad for me but they need to know when to get off my back.

Then there are moments where I love them with everything I have. The most complicated relationship of my life.

Talking about complicated, Royce and I are completely silent to the ride school.

Like not even a single word. His poker face is on for some reason.

Once we pull up to the school's parking lot, I turn around in my seat to thank him. But before I even get a word out, he out of his seat and coming around to open my door.

I can't control my chuckle this time.

He narrows his eyes at me.

"Well, Thanks for the ride." I say, getting out.

"Don't make a habit of this hopeless. It was your first and last time in my car." He says without meeting my eyes.

Of course! Can't be a fucking gentleman without being an asshole!

"You're impossible." I mumble, rolling my eyes at him and start to walk away.

"I mean it, you need to stay out of my fucking way otherwise you'll end up in a big mess that you're not prepared for." He walks out with that.

And I'm left confused and a little hurt in the school's fucking parking lot.