the strings

:: eight ::

I'm grabbing my purse off the floor next to my bed just as the doorbell rings yet again and I make my way towards the door. I scribble down an explanation of where I am to my parents on a post it note (though I know they won't see until later when they're back from work - extra hours on Saturday for more money) and then walk to the front.

I pull the door open while reaching into my purse for my sunglasses. 

"Hot dang, girl," Are the first words that greet me.

I roll my eyes as I slide my sunglasses on. I'm wearing the jeans, shoes, and beanie he got me, and I put on a black tank top and a jacket until we pick up the shirts. 

"Whatever," I say as I walk out of the house, locking the front door behind me. "Why aren't you matching me?" I notice as we walk to his car that's parked in the driveway.

He opens the passenger door for me and I slide in, "It's in the back, I'll change later." 

He gets in on his side and starts the car, backing out of the driveway. I pull my phone out of my purse as we drive down the street and type out an explanatory text to my sister.

Hudson glances over at my phone and raises an eyebrow, "Who's more important than me?"

I turn my phone off and slide it back into my bag, "Um, my sister?"

He nods, "Ah. Is that who I met yesterday, then?"

Nodding, I set my purse on the floor of the car and lean back in my seat a little. 

He turns the car onto Main Street, manuevering his car down to the bagel shop in the middle of a couple cute shops. "Is she..."

Hudson trails off, silence taking over as he realizes he doesn't want to finish his question.

I feel tears burn, unwanted at the back of my eyelids. I turn away from him, towards the window. "Sick," Is all I say, quietly as he pulls into a parking spot.

It's silent as he parks the car. 

"I'm sorry," He says, touching my pinky finger with his pointer finger. I flinch and he moves his hand away.

I blow air out of my mouth, trying to keep from bursting into tears, "It's fine, it's okay. Let's just go get breakfast and forget about it, okay?"

I know he's watching me, unmoving, as I get out of the car. I know he wants to ask more questions. 

But he respects my privacy and doesn't. He just gets out of the car and follows me into the bagel shop without another word.

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I sit down across from Hudson and almost laugh out loud. He's ordered something which I never would have figured he would have. It looks so.. girly.

"What even is that?" I ask, sitting down with my coffee and paper bag.

He doesn't look up at me as he spreads cream cheese on his bagel. "Some sort of fruit bagel with strawberry cream cheese. And then I got a caramel macchiato coffee."

I set my stuff down, snickering.

"What did you get, ginger- girl?" He asks, leaning on his elbows to look into my bag.

"Plain bagel, plain cream cheese, black coffee," I state, setting them out one by one on the table. I look up after they're all sitting out to a look of complete horror on Hudson's face.

"You are the most boring human being," He says in a choked voice, almost like I've personally offended him by my food choice.

I laugh, "Oh, okay, sure. I'm not the one who ordered fru- fru stuff."