Better Off Alone (BOOK 1)(Wattys 2016)

Peach Rings and Chocolate Milk

I spend the next morning with 'Sherlock' and a High School Musical marathon. Olive and Macey join me during the first HSM and stay until they're done. Even then they're hesitant to leave. But I tell them Larkin is coming over and I have to get ready. Which is true, but I have no motivation to face working with him on our project.

None whatsoever.

I move slowly, not really thinking of what I'm dressing myself in or how I'm doing my make-up and hair. I'm much too in a trance thinking about l... nothing. I realize that if I just numb my mind and thing about random, pointless things then I don't feel the urge to cry.

I am in a blur; a constant nothing.

When I'm done getting dressed I survey my outfit and am surprised to find it's not sweats and an old t-shirt. I have on a pair of pale, somewhat torn, high-waisted shorts and my light gray shirt that simply reads 'GEEK'. Over that I have on a thin blue and red flannel since its slight cold outside today.

My makeup is almost nonexistent; just some mascara and cover-up which brightens my face and eyes ever so slightly. I quickly pull my hair into a messy bun and then all I can do is wait for Larkin.

As I wait I remember my encounter with him last night. Damn those Knight boys. Why are they making everything so complicated? I said some harsh things to Larkin last night. I regret it, I do. He didn't deserve it. True, Eddie did a horrible thing, but I know Larkin was genuinely trying to be helpful.

The doorbell rings and I move in a sluggish state to answer the front door. Larkin stands there, wearing a black and white baseball-tee with white stars on the sleeves and then he has on black skinny jeans as well. His hair isn't styled today. Rather, it's slightly curly and soft-looking with only a hint of a quiff in the front.

A nervous ripple runs through my stomach and the events of last night flash through my mind yet again. Larkin shifts awkwardly, not really meeting my gaze. "Hey..."

I force a smile, trying to forget the horrible things I yelled at him. "Hi. Come on in."

He follows me into the living room and I recall the manners my parents always drilled into me. "Would you like something to drink?"

Larkin's posture grows less awkward and rigid. "Yes, please. What do you have?"

"Um..." I cross to the fridge and open it. "We have Coke, lemonade, orange juice and milk... Chocolate and normal."

Larkin smiles. "I'll have chocolate milk."

I pour two glasses and hand him one. "Do you like peach rings?"

He looks at me funnily. "Um... I guess?"

I arch an eyebrow at him. "You either do or you don't..."

He shrugs. "I've never had one."

"What?! You have to try them!" I grab an already open bag out of the cupboard and hand him one. "Here try it!"

He bites into the peach ring and chews, a smile edging around his lips. When he's done he shrugs again and smiles. "Yeah, it's all right."

I gape at him. "All right? They're the best in the world."

I start to lead him upstairs. "I thought we could work on the project in my room... if that's alright?" I pause outside my room, looking at him.

He shrugs yet again. "Fine with me."

Maybe this isn't going to be terrible. I mean, with peach rings and chocolate milk I can handle almost anything.

***

"Okay... I think that's it." I sigh, pressing 'save' on my laptop.

Two and a half hours later and we were done with the power point for our timeline. Larkin smiles at me, but I can see his eyes are a little tired. "I'm quite proud of it. I think the mixture of classics, modern lit and mythology added diversity to it."

I find myself smiling back. We are sprawled on the floor of my bedroom, music playing and light filtering through the windows. I'm not sure when it happened, but somehow during the two and a half hours I let my walls against Larkin fall down and I became comfortable with him.

He was... different; not his usual self. And I liked it.

Sure, he was still smirking and... himself, but at the same not. He looked at me when I spoke like what I was saying was interesting and captivating when it was just ordinary words strung together.

A knock came to the door and then a pause. The pause meant it was my mom or dad since Clive always pushed in right after. "Come in!"

My mom pushes in, smiling. "Hi."

I smile back. "Hi, mom. This is Larkin," I pause, "Um, Eddie's cousin."

My mom's eyes widen in understanding. "Oh! I remember you guys mentioning his cousin was coming to stay. It's nice to meet you Larkin."

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Lawrence."

My mom is still smiling. "Well, I was just coming to remind you about family dinner. Is Eddie still coming?"

I shrug. "Um, yeah, I think." I've been avoiding my phone all day, even when it lit up with Eddie's name. I can't face him, not knowing what he did.

My mom tilts her head, trying to read between my words. "Well, alright." She shifts her gaze to Larkin. "You can stay if you want."

Larkin's eyebrows shoot up. "Oh! Really? I mean, I'd love to, but I don't want to be intruding."

My mom brushes it away. "Nonsense, we'd love to have you here. It'll be ready within an hour. I hope you like Italian."

Larkin smiles charmingly. "My favorite."

Once my mom leaves, Larkin sits up, leaning against my dresser. "Do I need to go home and change?"

I smirk. "Why would you do that?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Do you guys, like, dress up or something?"

I make my face serious. "Well, actually, my family has Scottish roots so we usually break out the kilts... I think Clive might have a spare one you could borrow."

Larkin looks at me, obviously not buying the lie. "You suck at lying, Gem."

I almost correct him, telling him my name is Gemma. But I don't. Larking isn't on my nerves and I want to keep it that way. "No, we don't dress up. You're fine. Besides, I can't dress up. I'm not the type."

Larkin makes a 'pfft' sound. "You dressed up last night and you looked beautiful."

I look at him; his piercing blue eyes stare back at me.

Last night.

We'd made it through two, nearly three, hours of not mentioning it and there it is, out in the open and we both know it. I can't pull my gaze away from him so I clear my throat, trying to say something, anything. "I'm... I'm sorry for saying what I said."

Larkin looks back, unblinking and unwavering. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Gemma."

I feel my eyes stinging. "But you only wanted to help me."

Larkin shrugs. "It's all right. Eddie was an ass. He doesn't deserve you."

I wipe my face and feel myself blush. "Thanks, but I'm not that great... Let's do something. How about 'Sherlock'? You watch it, don't you? I heard you humming the theme song."

Larkin nods slowly, still watching me. "Sure... Hey, Gemma?"

"Yeah?"

"I, uh, about last night and Eddie..."

"Yeah?"

"He doesn't know you caught him. All he remembers is... getting with that girl and then... someone trying to beat him up in the kitchen. He doesn't remember you or Clive. I... I didn't want to tell him and... I think he's still coming for dinner."

I nod. "Figures as much... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Come on, let's get the episode started."

~~~

A/N:

Sorry for any mistakes!

Love always, Samantha <3