Carter Brothers: Dane

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As predicted she'd got an earful getting home last night. Her mom in her worry hadn't even noticed it was a boy dropping her off and that that boy happened to be Dane. Fair enough, Emery can realises she was wrong to ignore her mom's calls and texts or not let her know she'd be late coming home. But gosh the whole tangent on her getting horrible murdered or otherwise because she gets the bus at night or walks home in the dark was a little far. In their town, that's not exactly likely. She's known these people since she was like 3, she'll be fine. 

The punishment her mom finally decided on though? Grounding. Like she has anywhere to go anyway that's not school, volunteering or work related. Still Emery did her duty and acted like it was some big inconvenience to reassure her mom that it is a suitable 'punishment'. With all the drama of last night she'd not been able to text back Dane when he'd messaged to check on her.

Well, she can do it on the bus. Which she still has to take despite being a senior. Gas money is not cheap and Emery's trying to save as much as she can.



She has some dignity though. She stands a little off the side from the Freshmen and Sophomores. That does mean that when a car goes cruising past, way slower than the speed limit honking it's definitely aimed at her. Emery's jumps in shock, ready to ignore the pig who for all he knows is catcalling a child, when the car pulls into park just a short way down the road and Dane pops his head out the window.
"Em! Hey! Get in!"


Emery glances around to see her juniors start to gossip. So much for keeping news about Dane and her on the down low. Still, she may be able to salvage this. Gossip will spread fast but not fast enough that they can't come up with something to tell people about why they're hanging out. Or at least why he's offering her lifts to school.
Head down, she rushes over into the passenger seat as he starts the car again.


"Dane!" she whisper-cries.
"What? You really wanted to take the school bus?" he rhetorically asks.
Fair point. But this was not discussed and she can't be dealing with him doing things out of the blue like this. Last year of high school is stressful enough, no need to add drama into it.
"Anyway how'd things go with your mom last night? Was she really mad?"
"A little," winces Emery, "yeah kind of. I'm not really the rebellious sort so I think she was more shocked than anything."
"Oh yikes. If that's your first rebellious act then my parents would love you. You'd be like their dream child," he jokes.

Emery knows he doesn't mean anything by it but the thought of meeting his parents makes her palms sweat. They're nowhere near that stage, she knows, they're not even properly dating yet but the way he casually mentions it makes it feel all a lot.
She weakly laughs and tries to reign the conversation back, "but yeah, I'm just grounded for a few weeks. No big deal."

He glances over to her with a frown, "very big deal. How are we meant to go on a date if you're grounded?"
"What?" she chokes.
"A date, baby. That's what we're doing right? Dating? Or did I misunderstand you saying you want to take a shot on us yesterday?"

No, that is what she said. It's just all a very new to her and hearing that as well from him is so bizarre since it's in relation to her. A few years ago she couldn't even get a guy to go to a school dance with her and now the hottest guy in their school is dating her.

"Yeah we're dating. I just, I guess I didn't think we were actually going to go on a date."
"Why would you think that?"
She gives a small shrug and gazes out the window to the car beside them in traffic. This talk is going to have to be over soon, they're be near the school soon.
"I don't know. I figured you wouldn't want to be seen with me in public."
"Emer-"
"No it's cool. I don't mind. I get it, status and popularity and all. Besides your place is nice, I like being there. So-"
"Honey Bee," he interrupts, threading his fingers between hers, "fuck all that. I want to be with you and you want to be with me. I'm not ashamed or be embarrassed to be with you, you never have to worry about that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," he reassures her with a soft squeeze of his fingers, "what am I? Mr. Rochester?"


Her head snaps to him, eyes wide as she feels a tight tug in her stomach.
"Was that a Jane Eyre reference?" she dares to hope.
Why is that so hot?