Right There || Dylan O'Brien

chapter five; I'll see you

It was almost dinner time and Clara knew she had to head off. They had been getting to know each other better without getting to the personal stuff and she felt more comfortable around him. She just hoped he'd liked to see her another time as well, so they could talk more.

"It's late," she put away her phone, sending the boy an apologetic smile. "My mom is probably already making dinner, which means I have to go."

He nodded in understanding, before both of then got from the table. "If you feel better about it now, I could give you ride home."

"That's nice of you," she nodded, following him to his car where he opened the passenger's door for her.

She stepped in with a giggle, him stepping in next to her. "Have you already found an apartment, by the way?"

"Yes, I have," he drove away from the parking lot. To be honest, she found it extremely hot he could drive. No wait, it didn't really matter what he was doing. He was just hot.

"I've been painting the walls for a day now. I hope to get it done by next week to put the furniture in."

"That's great," she replied, not even thinking about how he was going to pay all of it on his own. Of course, he was 22, he had a job-... But what job?

"What work do you do?"

It was silent for a few seconds. Dylan focused his eyes on the road. "I-... I, ehm, I am an actor. I wasn't sure you knew-..."

"Movies or TV shows?"

"Both, mostly TV. I'm in this show called Teen wolf. It's about werewolves-..."

"No way!?" she gasped, hiding her mouth with her small hand. "I know there was something about you. I've seen you on Tumblr, but I've never gotten to watch the show."

"It's at 10 PM on MTV."

"Yeah, I know." She couldn't quite believe it, but it didn't make him different than before. He was still a person. He was a nice guy to be around with. And handsome. "But I'm already lying in bed at that time."

"Is that your curfew?" he joked, sniggering as they turned the corner. She wasn't offended.

"No, I don't think I have a curfew. I'm just tired around that time." She watched him nod and then giggled, sending him a wink. "I'll start watching next weekend, alright?"

"You don't have to watch it-..."

"I want to."

"Okay," was all he said, but still stayed on the same subject. He wanted to ask her to keep things quiet about them hanging out. "It's not that I want to keep it a secret, it's because it's safer to keep it that way for the moment. I don't believe they would do anything, but the fans are a bit passionate sometimes."

"I don't have a lot of people to talk to, Dylan," she turned to look out of the window, watching the trees and houses pass by. "And don't worry about it. The only thing I'd brag about is that I hung out with a guy. I survived and I'm proud of myself."

He noticed she changed the subject into a joke. He couldn't understand why she didn't have a lot of people to talk to though. Clara wasn't just gorgeous. No, she was caring and funny. She was a sweet girl.

Dylan wanted to lift his hand and touch her knee, just to let her know he was right there for her, but it was too early. He didn't want to scare her off and-...

"Hold on,  do you even know where I live? Because we're going the wrong way."

"Of course I don't know where you live," he grinned in an instant, slowing down his car to point to a house on the other side of the road. "This is where I lived when I was younger. My parents still live there."

A smile appeared on her face, looking at Dylan with her blue eyes. "Are you serious? This house is beautiful. It kind of looks like ours."

According to Clara, there was no other way to her house, so he had to make a U-turn. He told her how he had moved here with his parents and sister from New Jersey at the age of twelve and then planned to go to film school. She enjoyed listening to his voice, feeling butterflies in her stomach whenever her lowered it and she smiled whenever he laughed.

"Do you want me to help you paint your apartment?" She needed a reason to see him again; it didn't matter when or where, it didn't matter what they were doing. Only if he wanted to.

Dylan stopped in front of her house, looking at her with his brown eyes and his lips turned up into a smile. Apparently, he got the idea, which made her blush and look down. "How about tomorrow? I can pick you 10 in the morning."

"Sounds great," she stepped out and gave him one last final look. "Then I'll see you."

"I'll see you too."

Laughing, she closed the door and walked off to her house. It was then that Sandra opened the front door and grabbed her wrist to pull her in.

Chris sniggered as he walked into the hall, moving his blonde hair, that was still falling down to his shoulders, out of his face. He gestured to the direction of the front door, to the front of the house where she had just come from. "I've seen your boyfriend in the car. And, damn, does he look good."

"You're talking about the car, aren't you?" Sandra, his girlfriend, rolled her eyes, pushing him away playfully. Then she turned to her Clara, who was still standing there in confusion. "Tell me you're meeting him again, because that has been hell of a long date."

"It wasn't a date."

"Yes, it was."

"No, it wasn't," she denied, but smiled anyway. She looked at Chris, shaking her head, "and he's also not my boyfriend. We've been talking, getting to know each other and he's picking me again tomorrow at 10, so I can help him paint his apartment."

"I'm almost puking at how romantic you guys are."

"Oh, my God. What is wrong with you?" she let her bag fall on the ground, walking past them to the living room. "We don't have to be romantic, because we aren't dating. He probably just likes me as a friend; he's 22, he's got a job, has an apartment-..."

"And what are you trying to say?"

"What job does he have?"

The questions were asked at the same time, both following her. Chris was pouring her a glass of water, handing it to her. "It's not like every guy you meet only likes you as a friend. I think you have a chance that Dylan is actually liking you back. I've never met him, but he sounds better than this childish Jesse I've heard about. I'm sorry but I feel better with myself if you are dating Dylan rather than him."

"I know, I do too." He was acting like a brother she never had, he did that once in a while when it was needed but it had never been about boys and dating. It made her a little uncomfortable, but that didn't stop her from talking. "I've wanted to get over this guy for a while and I want to tell Dylan about it, because when something like this happens in movies, it turns out really bad. I don't want that."

"Yes, you should. Totally," her sister nodded, understanding what she was saying. "Or you should already make up a whole speech to get him back. That should work."

"However," he chuckled softly, wrapping his arm around Sandra's waist. "Believe me if I tell you are mature for your age. If you could effort your own apartment, you would've gone long ago but you stick with learning, just like your sister and that's a good personality trait. I've always looked up to you for that and you both," he looked at Sandra, nodding. "Yes, you too. You should both appreciate yourselves more."

"You're getting too serious," she shook her head, then kissed his cheek before walking away to the kitchen. "It doesn't suit you, especially when I'm around."

Chris rolled his at her, showing Clara to make her laugh. "Don't listen to her. She doesn't know what she's talking about."