With his eyes boring into mine I noticed how ridged he had become. I didn’t like the space he had created between us, as if I had done something wrong. Marco approached me not the other way around.
“Aubrey”. He spoke.
Oh, right.
“He stopped by the library”. I chewed the inside of my cheek. “He didn’t come find you?”.
“Nah darling he fucking didn’t. The fuck did he say to you?”.
I didn’t like where this was going. I wasn’t getting in between two friends. I remember that night with him and Tommy and it didn’t end well.
Bloody knuckles, bloody noses. All because Franko thought Tommy was trying to hit on me.
“He told me he was coming to find you. How did he even get in here when he doesn’t go here?”. I was rambling because I couldn’t tell him what he said. Franko wouldn’t take lightly to it.
“He hit on you?”. He glared.
“I have to go I-…”.
“He fucking did, didn’t he”. He put more distance between us as a laugh fell from his mouth. “Fucker can’t let me have anything”. He shook his head.
I frowned. He wouldn’t let him have anything? What did that mean?
“What are you talking about?”.
“Marko darling. Trying to slide his way in behind my back. Only thing that fucker will be catching is bullets”.
I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat. I wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not.
“Choice is yours darling”. He spoke. “But I don’t share”.
Wait, what?
“What are you talking about?”. I glared.
“Gotta pick one darling. Me or Marko”.
I can’t even. Did he really just say that? Does he really think I’m that type of girl? All expectations flew out the window the minute those word left his mouth. If he thought that’s what I was like, then he didn’t know me at all.
“I have to go”. I spoke.
“Whatever darling…”.
“Do you really think I would go with Marko?”. I whispered.
I had no idea why I was getting so upset about it, but I could feel the tears behind my eyes. If that’s what he thought of me then there was no hope for us.
“Just telling you how it is”. He shrugged.
“If that’s how you think it is then this isn’t going to work”. I thought he knew me better; I thought we were finally onto something, but I was wrong.
“Maybe for the best then”.
I-… what just happened? I stood staring as he disappeared down the hallway. How could things change so quickly? Was he really that threatened by Marko? Did he think I would suddenly fall in love with Marko?
Wait did I just say love? Did I love Franko? Was I falling in love with him?
I emptied my books into my locker and headed for Mr. Lairds class. Hopefully, I wouldn’t be in too much trouble for being late.
His door was locked the blind pulled over the window. Did he forget? I wasn’t that late surely? I wasn’t waiting around to find out. I walked to the end of the corridor and left out the front entrance.
Franko was long gone.
A sigh fell from my lips as I made my way to my car. What a shit day it had turned out to be. I pulled out of the school grounds and instead of heading home straight away I found myself parked up outside the clubhouse.
What was I doing? I shouldn’t be here. He was going to think I was crazy. Maybe I was. He clearly didn’t want to see me, but I had let my anger stew the full drive over here. How could he let Marko change his mind so quickly?
How could he think I would pick Marko over him? Things had escalated so quickly I couldn’t keep up.
I jumped when there was a knock on my window. I rolled my window down a little bit enough for me to hear him.
“He know you’re here?”. Tommy asked.
I shook my head. “Is Marko inside?”.
“Aye”. He frowned. “Why?”.
Why did I ask that? It’s not as if I had the courage to go in there and give him a piece if my mind.
“Can I give you a bit of advice Aubrey?”.
I already knew what was coming and if I was right, it might just be what I need to go inside and punch Marko in the throat.
“Don’t fuck him around sweetheart”.
Like you do with Alice is what I wanted to say but bit my tongue instead. Do they all think the same thing? I shook my head; I should never have come here.
“Franko ended it”. I whispered.
I had no idea why I was telling him this. It’s not like he cared but I felt the need to tell someone, and I had no one else.
“Nah darling”. He shook his head. “Give him a few hours”.
“He thinks Marko-..”. I paused.
“Wouldn’t be the first time”. He shrugged. “That fucker knows how to push his buttons. Don’t fall for his shit Aubrey”.
“Does he really think I would do that to him?”.
“Guess he’s trying to save himself the embarrassment in case you do”.
“Is he here?”. I asked.
“Nah darling took his bike out about half an hour ago. Want me to tell him you dropped by?”.
“No”. I shook my head. “It’s okay”.
“You’re good for him you know that?”.
“He’s good for me to”. I smiled. “And I would never choose Marko”. I made a face.
A laugh fell from his lips. “Aye darling he’s won the lottery with you. You ever need anything you give me a shout yeah?”.
Okay so maybe I was starting to like Tommy again. I only disliked him for what he was doing to Alice, but he was all right, I guess.
I drove home and as usual an empty house was there to greet me. I got my backpack from the back seat before heading inside and locking the door behind me.
I wasn’t even home an hour, and someone was rattling at my front door. I wasn’t expecting anyone so instead of answering it I ignored whoever it was and went back to making my dinner.
If I didn’t answer surely, they’d go away, right?
“Aubrey”. She yelled. “Open up I know your home. Your cars in the driveway”.
Dammit.
Was it bad I couldn’t be bothered talking to her right now? I hadn’t heard from her all day and now she shows up at my door. With a sigh I unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“Finally”. She huffed as I side stepped to let her past. “Didn’t you hear me knocking?”.
“What’s up?”. I asked.
“Just wanted to hang out. Do you want to go get a burger I’m starving”.
I shook my head. “I can’t be bothered, and I’ve already put a pizza in the oven”.
“Oh, come on. We haven’t hung out in ages”.
“I just can’t be bothered. I’m tired and I’ve got loads of homework to catch up on”.
“Please”. She groaned. “I need some us time, some girl time. I’ll even pick up the check if you say yes”.
“Fine”. I sighed.
“Yay”. She grinned. “Besides I want to know what happened with you and Franko”.
“There is no me and Franko”. I went into the kitchen so I could remove the pizza and turn off the oven.
“What happened?”. She asked.
“Nothing happened we just decided things weren’t going to work out between us”. I grabbed my jacket and slipped my feet into my shoes. “I’m not bringing cash, so you better pick up the check”.
“Do you want to talk about it?”. She asked.
“There’s nothing to talk about. We tried and it didn’t work. No big deal”. I shrugged.
“Do you want to go somewhere else in case he’s at the diner?”.
I shook my head. “No, there’s no hate we’re all good”. I wasn’t sure that was true, but I wasn’t going to start avoiding him when there was no reason to. He didn’t want to be with me, and I just had to be okay with that.
No matter how much I wanted it to be different.
“I really thought this was the start of something good for you”. She spoke. “It was good seeing you happy”.
I locked the door behind us and made my way to her car. This was her idea, so she was driving.
“I’m always happy”. I clipped my seatbelt into place and waited for her to start the engine.
“You know what I mean Aubrey”.
Yeah, I did. Franko made me happy, but I didn’t need him to be happy.
“Guess it wasn’t meant to be”. I shrugged.
“His loss”. She started the car and took off down the street.
I was hoping and praying the diner wasn’t busy and more, so he was nowhere in sight but of course, as we pulled into the parking lot his truck was the first thing I noticed.
“We don’t have to go inside. I can always go in and we can go back to yours?”. She spoke.
“I’m not avoiding him, Alice. He doesn’t own the diner, and I won’t be chased out just because he-…”. I paused. I didn’t want to open the lid on the Marko situation.
“Because?”. She frowned. “I thought you two were good?”.
“Nothing”. I sighed. “Can you just go in and I’ll wait here”.
“I thought you didn’t want to avoid him?”.
“I’m not avoiding him”.
“Then let’s go get some food”.