The Quiet Types

Chapter 19

I had convinced Tess to wait with me for Dexter. He had texted me that he was going to be running about half an hour late because he made a stop at his mom's house.

I pulled both legs up onto the bench as Tess sat across from me. I fixed my infinity scarf around my neck and then checked my lipstick in my reflection of my phone.

"You know technically I could be breaking every twin code there is," she mentioned as I put my phone away in my bag.

"How do you figure?" I asked as I pulled my small top knot tighter.

"You're my brother's ex. I'll agree that I like you both as persons apart, but Theo is still kind of broken over this whole thing. Even if he is currently hooking up with Jada Huckbee."

I shrugged weakly. "What does me being your brother's ex has to do with waiting with me in front of school?"

"You're basically waiting for your new boyfriend," she said.

"You think Dexter's my boyfriend?" I laughed, "Dexter is not my boyfriend. He's a good friend and his mom's friends with my grandmother. He wanted to come visit because he misses Billy and my mom's home cooking. He used to come over often when we lived back home. Both he and his sister would come to visit a lot."

"He's like three years older than us, Lauren. He's not coming to visit your mom's home cooking and baby brother," she insinuated.

"Tess, he knows about my thing. His sister is the one who confronted my parents about it. He's really not coming for anything besides to visit. You have to promise not to mention anything to Theo. He already thinks horribly of me because of what I made him believe on Monday. Please," I pleaded.

"Fine," she agreed, "You owe me though."

I nodded and that's when I heard a horn go off. I jumped a little in surprise. We both looked over to see the Dodge Challenger sitting at the waiting zone.

"That him?" she asked and I nodded weakly.

"The boy could never say no to a sports car," I commented as I collected my things.

She raised an eyebrow. "Apparently."

"Come on," I insisted as I began to make my way over.

She was quick to follow and he was just as quick to climb out of the car. He made his way around the front to open the passenger side.

"Hey Lauren," he greeted with a smile, "If I had known you had a friend I would have brought a four door car."

"Oh no. I'm not joining you guys. I was just waiting with her so she wouldn't have to sit alone. I'm parked right across the lot," explained Tess.

"Dexter Zambrano," he introduced holding his hand out to her.

"Tess," she replied, shaking it politely.

"Nice to meet you," he said as he looked down at me, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," I agreed as I tucked a stray curl behind my ear.

He smiled and then looked over at Tess, "Thanks for staying with her. I hope to see you again before I head back."

"Any time," she agreed, "I'll see you tomorrow, Lauren."

I waved and she crossed the lot to get to the student parking.

"I'll put your books in the trunk," offered Dexter as he carefully took them from me.

"Thank you," I thanked as I slid into the passenger seat. I shut the door beside me as he came over to the driver's side.

"So Lauren with a friend that isn't my sister? That's a sight," he joked as he got the car started.

"It was a deal I made with Dr. Felland if she let me make my visits monthly instead of every two weeks. Plus I dated her twin for a very brief moment," I answered as I looked over at him.

He raised a curious eyebrow at me. "Wow. Dating and friends. Something I would have never expected from Lauren Blaise."

"Again. Briefly," I chuckled as I looked down at my hands. I stroked the nail polish on my thumb with my index finger.

Talking about Theo proved to be easier to talk about than I would have anticipated. It still stung a bit, but I guess convincing myself all break that this was for the best along with the repressed anger I felt for what I had witnessed at the beginning of the week made it all hurt just a little less.

"Was the break up recent?" he asked with caution in his voice.

I smiled sadly. "When we returned from break at the beginning of the week. I pushed for it and he pushed against, but then I found out he had found someone to entertain himself with while I was away in New York. He kept trying to explain the situation via text, but I ended up just blocking his number."

"I'm sorry, Lauren," he apologized, "I am surprised that you're taking it rather well though. I mean you've seen how Naomi gets after a break up. Binge eating, crying, and emotional turmoil galore."

"I think I did plenty of mourning during the break. I had been preparing myself to break it to him the entire time I was visiting with my grandmother. It's weird, I guess, but it's better than having to deal with post break up dramatics."

"Well enough about ex drama. Where am I going? I've been driving down this street a while," he joked.

"You're going the right way," I assured, "You'll continue down Park Ave until you hit a park."

"Wow. Small town living," he commented.