[✓] 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑, 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚗

twelve ☆ across town

SEPTEMBER
of twenty-nineteen

narrator's pov.

since the pineland student council meeting was announced to be in the morning, june had to leave her house extra early. she hopped in her range rover, but the car didn't start.

"what the heck?" june mumbled to herself, repeatedly trying to start the car.

the next house down from hers, daniel was entering the locking code on his door's keypad. june is normally on her way to school by the time daniel is ready to leave, so he was confused to see the white range rover parked in front of her house at seven in the morning. he decided to check out what was going on, and walked over to june's car.

the knocking on june's window startled her, and she rolled down the window to talk to the blond guy who was outside of her car, "hi?"

"you seem to be struggling," daniel pointed out, "what's up with your car?"

"it won't start," june answered.

"when was the last time you filled it up?" daniel asked.

and that was when june realized what was wrong, "shoot... when i was going home last night, i told myself not to forget to go to the gas station. it seems like i ended up forgetting."

daniel laughed, "how does a ride sound?"

"yeah, but i go to school all the way across town," june brought up.

daniel shrugged, "we have twenty minutes until school starts. we're definitely going to make it."

"yeah, but i was supposed to be at school by now," june sighed, "i had a student council meeting."

"would you rather miss school completely, or just miss that meeting?" daniel questioned.

june rolled her eyes, "i hate you for asking that."

daniel smiled, and opened the door for june to walk out. she shut her car door, and opened the passenger's door to daniel's car. he placed his coffee in the cup-holder next to him, and his breakfast sandwich and donut on top of the dashboard.

"you can have my donut," daniel offered.

"thank you, but i'm good," june declined.

"are you sure?" daniel asked, fixing the rear view mirror, "it's vanilla with rainbow sprinkles."

june tried to hide her smile, "no, i'm good."

"i saw you smile, june," daniel pointed out, smirking at her.

"if i take the donut, will you stop talking and start driving?" june laughed.

"alright, deal," daniel declared, starting the drive to pineland high school.

as daniel drove, the ride began to become more quiet. the only noise that could be heard was the radio station playing lowly in the background and the faint sound of the air conditioner's hissing.

"june, can i ask you something?" daniel questioned.

she turned to face him, "sure, what is it?"

"if you live in oakland, then why do you go to pineland high?" daniel asked.

june took a deep breath, "it's kind of a long story."

"we have four minutes till we're at your school," daniel pointed out.

"fine, but i won't go into full detail," june agreed, "long-story-short, i was bullied back in elementary school. i transferred to go to a different school in third grade, and i've been attending schools in pineland since then."

"that sounds horrible, june, i'm so sorry," daniel apologized, "wait, who was bullying you? i must have known them if we went to the same elementary school."

to june's fortune, daniel made it just in time at pineland high school.

"uh, i'll tell you another day," june mumbled, grabbing her things, "thank you so much for the ride, daniel!"

the blond boy smiled at her, and watch the girl walk into the school. he looked at the clock, and noticed he had six minutes to head all the way back to oakland.

"i'm toast," daniel mumbled to himself, starting the car again and quickly heading back to his town.

...