(1) Talk Me Down: An All Time Low Fanfiction Romance

Chapter 22: Car Ride

        As the last few moments of the shift ticked by, I kept my eyes on the window, searching for my mom. I'd asked her to pick me up since Nolan was no longer giving me rides and Veronica was still a couple weeks away from being able to legally drive. She told me that she did have a meeting, but that she would be out in time.

        When Rian started shutting everything down, she still wasn't here. I pulled my visor from my head, helping to close down the shop before stepping outside with Rian.

        "Do you have a ride?" he asked, his keys hanging from his finger. I folded my arms over my chest, glancing down the street before shaking my head.

        "My mom was supposed to pick me up. She's probably just running late," I shrugged. Rian glanced at his car and then at me. He thought for a moment, swinging his visor around on two fingers.

        "I can give you a ride," He offered, looking nervous. "Just so you don't have to wait or take the bus."

        "Uh, I don't know. Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked, shifting on my feet. If Veronica saw us, or anybody else for that matter, I was dead meat. Rian shrugged, his smile gentle but joking at the same time.

        "I won't tell you if you won't tell," He teased, taking a step back and nodding towards his car. "Come on. It'll be fine."

        I took one last glance down the road before following Rian to his car. We got in silently and I settled for staring out the window, thinking of all the ways this car ride could go.

        Rian started the car and immediately the radio turned on to the local alternative station. He turned it down, but not off. He kept quiet as he pulled out of the lot, not attempting a conversation like I'd assumed he would.

        I was a little surprised that he wasn't talking, but adjusted to the silence. I wanted to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind except Mr. Hurley's English calss, and that conversation would have been as awkward as silence.

        I bit my lip, turning to glance at him. "I'm sorry for ignoring you," I said softly, almost hoping he wouldn't understand and I'd have the chance to take it back and say something else.

        I saw Rian glance at me through the corner of my eyes, but I kept my eyes forward, waiting for his response. It was a minute of painfully awkward silence before he spoke.

        "It's okay. I understand why you did it." He said, and I turned to meet his eyes for a moment, confused almost. "You do?"

        "Sure," he said, lifting his shoulders slightly in a small shrug. "Veronica's your best friend, you'd do anything for her. I know you know it wasn't right, and it wasn't right of her to make you choose, but I couldn't have expected you to choose somebody you barely know over somebody you've been friends with for years."

        I pressed my lips together, mostly to keep myself from gaping at him. He was being nicer than I'd expected, nicer than I deserved.

        "And I should probably apologize too. It wasn't right of me to say what I did on the first day. You're nothing like your friends," he added, smiling at me.

        "I guess I should take that as a good thing?" I said, voicing it as a question to see his response. He nodded with a bigger smiled and a "yes."

        We were nearing my street, and I was pointing Rian in the right direction. "You know, I still can't wrap my head around why my friends don't like you. I wish that I didn't have to choose, because you're definitely not the bad guy they make you out to be."

        "Well, thanks," Rian smiled, "but who says you have to choose?"

        "What'd you mean?" I asked, my eyebrows creasing. He could'nt think that it'd be okay for me to be friends with him and Veronica and the girls. Veronica would shut me out for life.

        "We work together, your friends have to deal with that. They can't stop us from talking at work." he said.

        "But they expect me to give you the cold shoulder," I said, and gave my address.

        "Again, what they don't know won't hurt them," he grinned. I laughed softly, shaking my head, actually enjoying how easily we could get along. I couldn't deny his suggestion to talk behind my friend's backs was enticing. I found myself actually wanting to get to know him.

        We turned onto my street, and as I pointed all the way down the street, I found myself involuntarily glancing at Nolan's house. My laugher caught in my throat, silencing me quickly.

        "Are you okay?" Rian asked quickly, but I couldn't look at him, not when my mouth was hanging open and my eyes were starting to water.

        "Uh, yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled, blinking my eyes rapidly. My tears disappeared, but I waited another minute before turning away from the window.

        "It's this one right here," I said, pointing to my house. Rian turned and pulled halfway into the driveway, watching me grab my visor.

        "Thanks for the ride, see you tomorrow." I grumbled and got out of the car quickly, walking to my front door quickly. I didn't turn around to see Rian as he drove off because I knew that I'd end up glancing at Nolan's house, and even though I couldn't see perfectly from the other end of the street, I knew what was there.

        Nolan, hanging around outside his house, leaning against his car happily, smiling with another girl: a curvy, sweet looking blonde that I know I've seen in school before. She was holding his hand, standing in front of him and looking up at him the way I used to, the way I wished I still did.