Chapter 23- I Smelled Like Bathrooms

I stared at the front seat of Thomas’s 2010 gray Jeep Wrangler while debating on whether I should get inside the vehicle or not. It was so unlike him to get permission from anyone to take out a girl. And it was even weirder that I was the girl he wanted to take out tonight.

I mean, sure he’d taken me out before but that was just because I lost a bet and he felt he had something to prove. However, that was over now and it there was really no reason why he should take me anywhere.

It was definitely a mystery to me. But then again, so was Thomas.

Jake was already firmly planted in the back seat waiting on me expectantly to join in the passenger seat next to Thomas.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to sit back there?” I asked Jake. “I don’t mind you taking the front, really.”

It just seemed odd to make him sit all the way in the back. He was one of Thomas’s best friends. He had more right to be there than I did.

Thomas sighed loudly, obviously impatient.

“Come on, Liv. Just get in,” he said.

I stared at him evenly. Did he really have the right to be so impatient with me? He’s the one who asked me to come. Or elected me to at least. “Where are you taking me anyway?”

He didn’t answer.

Without argument, I slid into the Jeep next to him and closed the door. Shifting the vehicle into drive and pulled out of the mall parking lot with a very elated Jake in back talking about how glad he was to be off work.

The conversation went on between himself and virtually no one while Thomas mastered the road, effectively blocking his best friend out. Eventually Jake stopped talking about his work when a Pit-bull song came on and decided to try to keep up with the rhythm of singing it. He was quite amusing and surprisingly on Key for an amateur.

“No, no. It’s the next one,” Jake shouted as Thomas pulled up next to a shopping center. Thomas eyed the next store and pulled forward.

It looked like some kind of candle and incense store. Not somewhere I would expect Jake to shop at. Then again, I never pictured him working at a pretzel shop either.

On the window a yellow paper read:

Candle making class on Sunday’s from 6 to 7:30 PM.

Teacher: Lisa Franklin

Somewhere in the back on my mind her name tugged at something familiar. I had probably heard it somewhere before and forgotten it. I couldn’t be sure.

I pulled out my phone from my baggy jacket and glanced at the time. It read 6 PM. I wondered if it was just a coincidence that it also happened to be Sunday.

I glanced at Thomas and raised an eyebrow. “Interesting choice of hobby. Though I didn’t really expect it from you,” I teased him.

Just as I said it, I was taken aback by the sight of Kyle leaving the shop and everything became suddenly obvious.

Of course! Why didn’t I see it before? I knew that name sounded familiar. Franklin. Kyle Franklin. Lisa must be his mother.

“Awe, you found me out,” Thomas answered sarcastically as he exited the vehicle to let Kyle climb behind his seat. Once he was inside, Thomas got back in too and pulled out of the lot.

I eyed him accusingly as we sped down the road toward the unknown. At least it was for me.

“You know a seatbelt fine really isn’t worth the hassle,” I said to him.

He glanced at me and said, “Who says?”

“I do. You’re more likely to survive a car accident while wearing one than without one. Plus the fines for not wearing them are outrageous. How do you afford them?”

It was only safe to assume his lack of seatbelt safety has gotten him pulled on more than one occasion. If it wasn’t for that then it would be for speeding. I don’t think he’d ever acknowledged a speed limit sign in his life. He thinks he’s invincible; above the law.

He shrugged at my question. “I don’t.”

I stared at him disbelieving. “Then how do you still have your license?”

Kyle and Jake chuckled from the backseat seemingly sharing an inside joke.

Thomas merely answered, “It pays to know people.”

Then my mind took me back to a certain day I’d spent with Thomas and his family at his dad’s house and it all came back to me.

His brother was a cop, that’s how he got out of everything.

I drew my eyes from him and focused back on the road. “Well, it still pays to put safety first superman. Everyone has a kryptonite.”

The evening air was growing cool and it didn’t help I wasn’t wearing much of a jacket. At least I didn’t feel like I could call it that. Not with such thin material. Thankfully I only shivered when the wind blew.

I stared up at the billboard behind the building and shook my head. All of this to stand in line for concert tickets, and two hours at that. It was just starting to get dark and my legs were growing tired.

“I can’t believe you dragged me out here to wait in line for tickets. I’ve probably only ever heard one song by the band!” It was safe to say I was annoyed.

“Look, I knew if I just got the tickets and asked you to go you wouldn’t. At least this way you’ve put some time into getting them and now you’ll go just so this time won’t have been a wasted.”

Crap. It was like he was reading me like a book. Again! I don’t know why I’m still surprised at this point.

“You really annoy me,” I muttered, turning to the front of the line to stare at the back of some guy’s head. It was better than glaring at Thomas.

I wasn’t really mad about it. I mean sure I was standing in an incredibly long line for concert ticket to band I barely knew anything about, but the truth was I really didn’t have anything better to be doing. It was embarrassing enough to admit that to myself much less Thomas. I’d rather have him believe I was much too busy to be standing here with him.

Another gust of wind blew through the parking lot and I let out a loud shiver. Pulling then thin material tighter around my body I sighed as the cool passed.

I really could do without that part.

“Come on, it’s not so bad,” Thomas said. “I’ve stood out in worse.”

I’m sure you have. I turned to face him again.

“I can wait in the car,” I offered.

I watched him for a reaction only to be greeted with a sly grin.

“There’s no need for that, Liv. I’ll warm you up.” Seeing him arms unfold and reach for me I begin to shriek, but was cut off by suddenly being jerked into his arms. Our faces we’re mere inches apart.

The warmth of his breath fanned my face as he spoke. “You know, they say combining body heat is the best way to stay warm.”

I stared at him. Well, this was awkward.

Feeling my face heat up from our closeness was the embarrassing icing on the cake and I had to look away to prevent it from worsening. I wasn’t sure that was gonna help me argue with him later that he didn’t affect me.

His arms held me around the waist firmly in front of him, our bodies touching. Any closer and we’d be molded into one person. Our hearts beat wildly together, against each other. I coached myself to control my breathing.

As embarrassing as it was to admit, he was right. Combined body heat really was the best way to stay warm. And I just so happen to be enjoying his.

He really wasn’t good for me. And yet, I couldn’t stay away.

“Look at me, Liv.” His voice was a vibration in my ear. I couldn’t bring myself to move and face him. He would see everything then.

“Olivia, look at me,” he said again. This time his tone was more demanding. But not aggressive.

I forced my head back and twisted it toward him like I was under a spell. My actions were not of my own.

In a single second our eyes met and I was butter.

Our lips barely brushed. It was so light I couldn’t even be sure it happened. But it did. The sensation was there.

“Enjoy it. We’re here. We’re alone. And there’s no one to bother us.”

I swallowed. Enjoy it? Enjoy it? That’s what he wanted? I can’t do that. If I let go of myself to much I’d be vulnerable to him. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I didn’t trust him or myself. Not even if we were in public.

If only I weren’t myself today. If I could just be someone else, someone who wasn’t so scared to be with him.

“You seem to be thinking hard about something.” Thomas lifted his hand to smooth out the crease on my forehead. Or as I like to call it, my thinking wrinkle. “You’re not going to let go, are you?”

I shook my head.

“I-I…I think I’m warm enough now,” I said, twisting myself from his arms. He loosened them slightly, but was reluctant to let me go completely.

“You’re scared,” he said.

Hell yeah, I was. He couldn’t have been more correct about that statement if he tried.

“Let me help you not be.” As the words spilled from his mouth, words from another person pulled me away from him. I glanced at the two familiar people behind us and continued to pull myself away from Thomas.

Kyle and Jake had finally joined us again.

“Your water,” Jake said handing me the clear, plastic bottle. “And Mountain Dew for you,” he said to Thomas.

I blushed as my reality came rushing back to me. The line, the people, the witnesses. It was all so embarrassing. It was amazing that even when we were surrounded by so many people we could still feel like the only people in the parking lot.

“Thanks,” Thomas muttered taking the bottle and thrusting a five dollar bill into Jake’s hand. I’m sure Thomas would have been much happier if Kyle and Jake had decided to return at a later time than right when he was trying to talk me into coming over to the dark side. His side. It was no secret he was a smooth talker.

I quickly thanked Jake and Kyle for my beverage and hurried to wet my throat. It had gone dry in the last thirty seconds and it was particularly painful to swallow now.

“So, what did we miss?” Kyle asked with a grin. His eyes switched between me and Thomas as if he already knew.

“Nothing,” I said while Thomas remained quiet. He wasn’t denying anything. Not that I expected him to. It wasn’t in his nature to deny. No secrets, everything out in the open. That was Thomas.

Kyle and Jake shared a look and I turned from them to face the front of the line again. This time I was staying that way.

A few more minutes passed and it seemed like the line wasn’t moving at all. People were either mumbling or sighing impatiently or remaining silent altogether. Not very much interaction going on.

As if I’d spoke to soon, some heated chatter made its way behind us and then next thing I knew I was being shoved forward into someone’s back. We fell to pavement in a lump. Thankfully the big guy in front of me prevented me from actually coming in contact with the hard ground.

My hands pressed against his back, struggling to get myself up when a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind and lifted me up.

As soon as his scent him me I know it was him. He steadied me on my feet then turned me to face him.

“Are you alright?” His eyes searched me for any kind of damage. I could have been my imagination, but I could have sworn his voice held concern for my wellbeing.

“I’m fine,” I forced out catching my breath. I literally had the wind just knocked out of me and it wasn’t fun.

I placed my hand on the shoulder of the guy I fell on when he got up and apologized for our collision. He gave me a polite nod and said something about it not being my fault when I heard shouts coming from behind me. This time they were louder than before.

“Thomas, man, do you know who that is?” Kyle asked. “It’s Milton! Travis Milton.”

The name didn’t ring any bells to me but from the look on Thomas’s face I could tell it did for him. And it was purely speculation, but I was going to assume that the two weren’t exactly the best of friends. In fact, I was willing to be money on it.

Thomas looked like he was ready to explode.

The next thing I knew Thomas was shedding his jacket and throwing it into my arms furiously. In the next second he was pushing his way into the back of the line to join in on whatever commotion was going on that I couldn’t see.

“Whoa, Thomas, calm down. He’s down man, he’s down!” Jake shouted. Another rumble from the gathering crowed and then a cry of pain later and three guys in uniform where rushing to the newly formed circle breaking up a fight.

“Alright. Back up, back up,” they ordered. No one moved and the yelling from the guards got louder. “Don’t move,” one of them shouted. “I’ll call it in,” another guy said.

Everything was happening so fast it was like my head was in a whirlwind. I didn’t understand anything.

“Get Liv outta here,” Thomas ordered. “Take her to the station I’ll meet you there.”

I couldn’t see him, but I heard him and I imagine that wasn’t a good thing. However, little did I know, things were about to get much, much worse.

The station was crawling with criminals as expected and as much as I wanted to freak out about that, I was okay because Kyle and Jake was there to protect me. I hoped.

Cops were on phones, witnesses were chattering and inmates were waiting. It was everything I imagined it to be and more.

“Come on,” Jake said ushering me towards a large desk with a female deputy sitting behind it.

They seemed to be short staffed, what with the newest criminal act that that had gone down on the other side of town, and papers were strewn all over the wooden desk unorganized.

Her look was not very welcoming when Jake started asking questions about Thomas’s release.

Yeah, he’d been hauled in by the cops who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident. They wanted to ask me some questions, however I didn’t know anything and wasn’t very useful to them. It didn’t help I was mumbling like an idiot after every question. I was scared out of my mind. I’d never been questioned by a cop before! I felt completely criminal.

Jake and Kyle on the other hand acted like this was a natural occurrence and went through the routine unproblematic.

As they recounted their stories of what happened I finally understood the situation. Long story short, there was some shoving that eventually led to a fight. After which Thomas decided to join in. I noted it was after he learned the name of the guy already in the fight, but didn’t feel like incriminating Thomas further and remained quiet.

“Doug already told you’d he’d be out after he makes bail,” the cop told him. “Now please take a…” The phone at the desk rang loudly interrupting the woman, cutting her off mid sentence. She grabbed it off the desk and answered it. “Yeah? When?” She was silent as the person on the end of the line spoke to her then she glanced up at us. “Alright, I’ll let them know.”

She hung the phone up in its base and stared at Jake. “His brother has him. They’re talking with the chief. He’ll be out as soon as they are finished up.”

Uh-oh, the chief. That can’t be good.

“Come on, guys, let’s go.” I told them. I tried to hide the worry in my voice though I knew I wasn’t doing such a stellar job at it. I was thoroughly freaked. “Let’s just grab those seat’s over there and wait.” I pointed across the room at the empty bench and walked with them to it.

I was more than freaked out as a guy handcuffed to a chair at one of the desks smiled at me in passing. Then he actually had to audacity to wink! I nearly gagged.

“Hey, back off man, she’s taken.” I smiled at Jake in relief. Well, at least he was keeping me safe. “Thomas would kick our asses if anything happened to her,” he mumbled to Kyle.

He nodded in reply.

As we sat, I asked the unspoken question that had been eating at me for since I’d heard it. “Is talking to the chief a serious matter?”Both Kyle and Jake stared at me before answering.

“Not usually,” Kyle said. “The chief has called in a couple of favors with Brad in the past, but I think Thomas has used them all up. In fact, I think Brad owes the chief a few now.”

My brows creased as I tried to process the information. “Why would the chief owe Brad anything? Isn’t Brad just a deputy?”

Kyle nodded. “He is, but the chief’s Grandson has been hauled in here on more than one occasion. Brad is usually the one to do it so he and the chief sort of have an arrangement when it comes to family issues.”

“Yeah, but now I think Brad’s maxed out. I haven’t seen Theo in here in months. Thomas, however, was hauled in twice last month. I think they’re even,” Jake added.

I nearly choked at the name. “Theo?” I repeated. “Theo who?”

Kyle shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know he opened up that new tat parlor last month.”

My eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”

He shook his head. “No. Why would I joke about that?”

“He’s straightened himself out though. I think his new business has him more than occupied,” Jake said.

I laughed an amused laugh. “I guess my first impression wasn’t so wrong after all.”

They both stared at me questioningly. I shook my head. “It’s nothing. Just an inside thing.”

Jake chuckled. “You’re so weird.”

I smiled. That I certainly was.

Thomas made his way over to us as soon as he and his brother came through the door. I couldn’t judge the situation by his face because he wasn’t giving anything way. He was only wearing his cool, relaxed look as always. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” he said. “I’ve seen enough of this place for one day.”

The guys nodded and stood up along with Brody who had arrived only minutes ago looking for Thomas.

“What the hell happened to you?” Brody asked him. “I’m gone one weekend and all hell breaks loose. Looks like I missed everything.”

Thomas’s eyes met Brody’s and he was not smiling. I could still see some furry built up behind them.

“We’ll talk later,” he told him. “Right now, I need to get Olivia home.”

It wasn’t even nine but I knew the twelve o’clock curfew had changed after the incident. He probably wanted to get me home as soon as possible so he could finish dealing with whatever was going on.

“Take her over to Farrah’s. She’s a mess,” Brody noted looking me over. “Feel like explaining that to her parents?”

Gee thanks.

I frowned and looked down inspecting myself for any damages. Sure I’d been shoved, fell on someone, nearly hit the ground, and then waited in a police station for two hours, but I didn’t think I looked that bad. I guess I was wrong.

“Good point. I’ll get her there. Kyle and Jake can ride with you,” he said. He studied each of us. “Were you guys here the entire time?”

“Most of us,” Kyle answered then motioned toward me. “She disappeared for half an hour in the bathroom.” Then he grinned at me. “By the way you smell like toilets.” Both he and Jake cackled loudly.

“Hey! I was trapped. I had to wait fifteen minutes to get out of that stall. The rest of the time was spent washing my hands and I still feel dirty.”

Jake turned to Thomas and smirked. “Did you hear that, Thomas? You sure you wouldn’t rather take her somewhere else?”

Gross. I smell like bathrooms.

I sighed.“Can we just get out of here please? Eminem look-a-like is really starting to freak me out.”

He winked at me again. Yuck.