Part-Time Griffin

Admitting

Being in a vehicle with a guy feels weird.
When I told Diesel that I was hungry, I didn't expect us to actually go find food. I thought he would go grab some snack food from his house or something. Instead, Diesel offered to drive me to a nearby restaurant, and I agreed to go with him. What else was I supposed to do? Stay in the desolate cabin all day?
Getting to Diesel's car was a hassle. The wound on my back hurt with each step. Even with a griffin's amazing healing abilities, I am not able to 'magically' be well after being shot eleven hours ago.
So now I am sitting in the passenger seat of my crush's vehicle. It feels wrong. As if I'm slipping behind my parents' back without their permission. They don't know who Diesel is. If they knew that I was in a car with a boy whom they've never met before, I would never ever hear the end of it.
I really should introduce Diesel to my parents.
I prop my elbow on the edge of the window. My eyes linger over the terrain. Trees pass by in a green blur. Music plays on the radio. My left hand fingers the shirt I'm wearing. It's actually not my shirt.
Before we left, Diesel gave me a shirt to switch out with the torn and bloodied one that I currently had on. He had left the room to give me privacy, and I then struggled to do the simple task of taking off my ruined shirt and replacing it with a new one.
My eyes continue to stare at the passing trees as I ponder over all that has happened lately. I breath in deeply and receive the rich smell of leather.
"I like your car by the way. I didn't know you drove." I tell Diesel as I stare out the window.
Diesel smiles proudly. Of course, he would be a proud owner of a red Camaro. I immediately became jealous when I saw his car sitting outside the cabin.
I've never cared about the competition between Ford and Chevy. It has never mattered to me. A sports car is a sports car. And I wouldn't complain if I owned a car by either of those two companies.
After a few more minutes of riding, Diesel pulls into a parking space outside a local, and popular, restaurant. People happily walk in and out of the front doors. Waitresses with treys full of food pass by the window.
"I... hope you feel well enough to come inside. It's okay if you can't, because you've been through so much... I can get takeout." Diesel says as his cheeks start to turn pink.
I shake my head, "Don't worry. I can make it inside. What bothers me is that I don't have any money on me-"
"I'm paying." He smiles.
"What?"
"Yeah, really. Olivia, you nearly died a few hours ago. I should have been the one with the bullet in me, but you blocked it instead. I'm going to buy it."
I raise an eyebrow, "You sure?"
He looks straight in my eyes, "Yes, I'm sure."
As he opens his door, I hear him mumble, "I've actually been wanting to do this for a while now."
What does that mean?
I push open my door, and Diesel is already there to help me out. A sore pain spreads across my back as I stand. The grimace on my face can't be hidden.
"Like I said, if you don't feel up to it I'm totally fine with not-"
I place my hand on his shoulder, "Diesel, it's okay. Let's do this."
We go to the restaurant's front doors. I'm surprised when Diesel opens the door for me, because I rarely ever have anyone open a door for me. I then walk through, and we are seated shortly afterwards.
With the smell of food, a comfortable feeling of peace falls over me. I have grown up here in this town. This restaurant is one of the many places I think of when someone mentions my hometown's name. Many memories have been made in this dining room. The sound of low murmuring and clinking silverware has been ingrained into my memory forever.
I look out the window that's on my left. Cars pass along lazily. A few pedestrians and tourists pass by the window every so often. My mind begins to wander, and my eyes continue to stare out the window with no reason anymore.
A muffled cough brings me back to the present. My head quickly turns to look at Diesel.
"I- I'm sorry. You're paying for this, and I'm not even thanking you." I stutter as my cheeks begin to heat up.
He gives me a small smile, "No, it's fine. You've been through a lot lately. I understand. I just... hoped that we could get to know each other better while we sat here."
I watch as he nervously fingers the silverware on the table as if he's uncomfortable.
His words 'know each other better' make me curious. Yes, I of course want to know him better. He had been my crush since the beginning of my freshman year. The part that I question most is whether he wants to know me.
"Okay." I nod slowly.
I pick up the menu as he asks, "So what type of music do you like?"
The question makes me place the menu back on the table. I hadn't expected that type of question. Instead, I thought he would ask something about being a half mythical human or something to that liking.
I smile and reply, "I like many different types of music. If it has any energy I enjoy it. There isn't a specific genre in particular that I like. How about you?"
Diesel then tells me that he is the same way, but he listens to alternative the most. We then dive into a conversation about our favorite artists and songs. This conversation lasts until we order our food.
I don't order much for two particular reasons. I'm not the one paying for my food, and I'm actually not as hungry as I thought I was.
Diesel seems to notice this but doesn't point it out.
I start to laugh quietly saying, "It feels so strange. I see you at school just about every day... and we don't even talk when at school. Beside flying at night, we barely know each other."
I'm not going to tell Diesel that I've had a crush on him for over a year. When I first started liking him, it was more of a 'shy-and-too-afraid-to-talk-to-him' type of crush. Now it's different. He's my friend, but deep down inside I still feel that 'more than a friend' emotion towards him. Diesel is a valuable friend. I actually would register him as a best friend, but I guess that's because we know each other's closest secret, being part mythical creatures.
He nods at my statement, "I know what you mean. It was such a shock for me when I found out that you, Thea, was actually Olivia from my class. Then minutes later... you got shot, and it was while I was trying to help you when I realized that I barely knew you. It would've been my fault if you died..."
Wow, that got really deep really fast.
I roll my eyes and smile, "Diesel it wouldn't have been your fault. Now do I have to convince you that it's not your fault, because I really don't feel like going through that long process."
He shakes his head unconvinced.
"Okay, since we're talking about how we ought to know each other better, let's stop waisting time." I tell him quickly.
This throws us back into a conversion. We mainly talk about our families this time.
I end up finding out that Diesel has an older brother named Garret who's currently in college. I'm surprised by this, because I have never known that Diesel had a sibling.
In return I tell him about my sister, Felicity. I had mentioned her before when I told Diesel about our accident that had happened years ago, but until now he actually didn't know what her real name was.
"Wait, I didn't know that Felicity was your sister." He says fascinated.
I shrug my shoulders, "We don't look alike at all. She takes after my mom. I'm more like my dad in appearance. So how do you know Felicity?"
"Oh, I'm the teacher's aid in her class. I know all the kids in that class. They're all great." He smiles.
"Really? She's never mentioned that before. I didn't even know her class had a teacher's aid."
I'm going to have an important conversation with Felicity when I get home. She knew Diesel this whole time, and she never told me? Ugh, sisters!
We continue to talk about our families. Diesel's family is the type that farms and enjoys working the land. He brought up how his dad owns the sawmill near the lake dam. I remember how he once mentioned this to me a few nights ago.
Our food arrives soon afterwards, but we're so caught up in our conversion that we keep talking despite how tempting our food is.
During the whole time I'm there with him, I learn so much about him, and he also gets to learn a lot about me as well.
After finishing the meal and what seems like a year's worth of talking, I say happily, "Why didn't we tell each other who we really were earlier? Why were we so suspicious of each other?"
"I don't know why we didn't. Being a pegacorn, alicorn, or whatever I am, I felt like no one should know my real name. Even you. Which wasn't right since we're exactly the same. I was just... so self conscious and embarrassed by it." Diesel admits.
Nodding I say, "I know what you mean. I was the same way when I first became a griffin, but I learned to embrace it, not fight it."
I pause then continue, "The truth is Diesel. I didn't tell you my real name until last night because..."
"Because why?"
I sigh, "After accusing you of being one the criminals and then finding out you that weren't one... I knew that you were angry at me. I didn't ever tell you my true name even after I knew your real identity because... I didn't want you to look at Olivia and think about the bad disagreements between us. I didn't want you to see me, Olivia, and think of Thea, the accusing griffin. I made a mistake when I said that you were one of the people vandalizing this town. Afterwards, I thought you would never see me the same way as you once did. I didn't want to bring that on myself. I know that was a selfish act in itself, but... I didn't want to go to school with you knowing that I was the person who had accused you of something that you were not guilty of. Sitting in class would have been torture, if you knew that one of the people in the same room was the one who had turned their back on you."
Diesel seems to be shocked and surprised at my words.
He starts out slowly, "Wow, I always assumed that you never told me your real name because... you didn't like me or you didn't want me to know or both. I never knew you thought of it that way."
"I'm a weird thinker." I laugh.
I stop laughing when a sore throb races along my back. The pain also brings me back to what I will have to face soon. Some day soon I will have to face Roxanne again, and somehow I have to help stop the man blackmailing her family. Even though she drugged me she meant it in a good way. She never meant to harm me. Roxanne is my friend.
After sitting here in the booth for about an hour, I begin to resent leaving this restaurant. I just want to stay here and talk to Diesel all day. In a strange and unusual way, we understand each other. Not because we share a secret, but because... well we seem to just click. I can't explain it well.
After talking even more, we eventually leave the restaurant. Diesel pays the bill as we walk out the door.
Bright sunlight pours over me as we step outside. It spreads over my chilled skin, and I cherish the warmth. Cold has always been my enemy, the heat is forever my ally.
Diesel walks me to his car. The passenger door is open for me before I even get there. I'm slow since my back feels like it's being bitten.
Once we're both back in the car, we just sit in silence.
"My parents will start to wonder where I am. I might should get back home." I say sadly.
He starts the car and I quickly say, "But I had a great time with you today, Diesel. Don't think I didn't enjoy it. If it was up to me..."
I shouldn't have said that last part!
Diesel backs out of the parking space and asks, "If it was up to you...?"
"...if it was up to me I wouldn't go back to my house. Once I get there, my parents will be wondering if my 'sleepover' with Roxanne went well last night. I'll have to lie to them." I blankly stare out the window.
The bullet wound in my back throbs as if it purposely wishes to remind me of last night's episode.
"You'll have to tell me how to get me to your house." He says after being quiet for a minute.
Why am I so stupid? Of course he wouldn't know where I live.
I then guild him through the many roads that lead to my house. We ride along the lake on our way there.
Even before we get to my house he asks in awe, "Do you actually live by the lake?"
I nod smiling, "Yeah."
"That's pretty legit. I've always wanted to know what it's like to live near a lake." Diesel looks at the huge body of water.
We draw closer to my house and then I say quickly, "Stop here. I'll walk to my house from here. I wouldn't want my parents to see me arrive in an unfamiliar car with someone they don't know."
"Well, what're you going to tell them when you walk up to the house. Didn't you ride your jet ski to Roxanne's house last night?" He asks me.
I shrug my shoulders then wince in pain, "Hopefully, they won't see me walk up, and I can just tell them that the jet ski was out of gas and Roxanne dropped me off."
Diesel nods understandingly, "So which ones your house?"
I point it out. It's five houses away from where we are currently.
"That's a long way. You sure you'll be okay? Just walking out of the restaurant looked like a battle for you." Diesel seems concerned for me.
I smile as I open the door, "I'm fine. I'm a griffin. I can tough it out."
As I climb out of the Camaro, I hear Diesel say, "I was thinking... maybe we shouldn't meet tonight. It'd be better if you rested. I mean... you nearly died last night, Olivia."
I sigh as I lean against the top of the car and look inside, "That's probably a good idea."
We remain quiet for a moment then I say, "I want you to meet my parents one day. Obviously not today, but sometime soon."
"Yeah, that sounds good. I... um... I sort of wanted to ask you something, but that's alright."
I shake my head, "Go ahead."
"Since tomorrow is Monday and it's Memorial Day, my family and our friends meet at my house and we have an annual cook out. Sometimes we have a bonfire if the weather's nice. Would you want to come?" Diesel asks me hesitantly.
My face lights up, "Yeah, sounds fun. But I don't know where you live..."
He brightens at the fact that I want to come, "I'll come by your house tomorrow, and then you can follow me back to my house in your car. I can also meet your parents too."
"Hey, sounds great." I smile and begin to shut the door.
"Wait."
I open the door wider, "What is it?"
Diesel's face reddens and then he says nervously, "Olivia... I... I like you."
"Well, I like you too, Diesel." I smile.
"No, not like that. I mean I like-"
I interrupt, "I know what you meant, and I like you too. Even before I knew you were Diesel. When you were still just Walker."
I let that be my last words. I shut the passenger door and happily wave goodbye. He seems very shocked after hearing me admit that I liked him.
Believe me, I am three times as shocked as him. I can barely keep the nonchalant smile on my face. I have to hold back a huge goofy grin from spreading across my face.
I've always liked him, but... I didn't ever think that he would ever like me!
Diesel waves back at me, and then he revs his car and speeds away.
When he's finally out of sight, I let that crazy, goofy, girly smile cover my face.