A Thief in the Night

Chapter 11:

After eating the delicious meal Darry and I cooked it was time to clean up the mess I made.

I was really hoping for the mess to just disappear and never be seen again, vanish into thin air, abra kadabra it's way out, I didn't really care how it disappeared, I just didn't want to clean up a war zone.

But when I walked back into the kitchen with my empty plate and glass I was severely disappointed with the sight of the bombarded kitchen.

"Great" I mumble to myself.

"You made it, why are you so surprised?" Darry asks, a playful tone in his voice as he walks past me to set the plate down on the counter.

"I've always known I was good at destroying things, but this... I'm an expert" I say walking fully into the kitchen to place my plate beside Darry's.

"I would help and clean up, but since I spent so long trying to teach you how to cook, I'm gonna be late for work, so Pony can help ya" he says as he gives me his cute smile and walks past me.

"What! No way! I'm not helping! I'm not the one who made the mess!" Pony argues loudly as he tries to make an escape to his and Soda's room.

I was gonna let him go, after all he didn't make the mess, but Darry had other plans, "but you did eat what was made in that kitchen, go help her" he says with a strict tone as he heads out the door.

Pony lets out a loud sigh as he closes the door with a pout and walks back into the kitchen.

"You don't have to Pony, I've cleaned up bigger messes before" I told him feeling bad that he had to clean up something he didn't mess up.

"It's fine, I don't mind actually, I don't really have anything else to do. Besides I want to know why you were eye raping my big brother" he says with a smirk as he turns on the tap to get the dishes ready.

"I- I was only looking at him for a second because... he had something in his tooth" I told him, not sounding convincing at all.

"Ugh huh" he hums as he adds some soap to the water. The bubbles slowly growing larger as they expand over the top of the water.

"Shut up" I groan as I feel my cheeks become a slight shade of pink.

***

Cleaning up didn't take as long as I thought it would have, Johnny came in and helped out a bit, but then left after we were done to go see Dally.

Pony went to go see Soda and Steve at the DX; leaving me alone. The little booger didn't even bother to ask if I wanted to go with him.

As I was sitting on the couch staring up at the ceiling I thought of if I really was that obvious while staring at Darry. 

Did anyone else notice?

Did he notice?

I try to shake the thoughts out of my head, but only end up shaking new ones into it.

How Darry's muscular arms flexed each time he stirred the pancake mix, how his laugh made me laugh, how his scent sent butterflies racing around in the pit of my stomach. All of it.

Is this what being eighteen is like? More hormones, more awkwardness, more... thoughts.

Because if it is, I hate it. 

Take me back.

I want to be seventeen again.

But then... 

It's not legal.

Stop, Aubrey. What are you thinking. It's never going to happen.

I was confused as to why I was even thinking this way. What were these feelings? I've felt something similar to this when I saw a cute guy at a grocery store, and even slightly felt something when Dally gave me his signature wink... but what is it?