Crooked Young
To Live And Let Go
KARINA'S POV
Picking apart my doughnut, I let my eyes scan over the Physics textbook laid out before me. Across the table, my dad looked at a newspaper with great concern, his coffee abandoned on the table. I felt kind of ill after last night, but I assumed it was the smokey atmosphere. I couldn't cough though - my dad would grow suspicions.
"Well," he said, lowering his paper. His eyes ground to a halt on me, but I didn't look up. I just kept reading. "Owen is a nice young man," he confirmed, answering a question nobody asked.
"Mhm," I murmured quietly, stuffing a large piece of doughnut into my mouth. I didn't want to think about Owen. When he brought me home after the party, he tried to kiss me. Unfortunately for him, I was not prepared and instead ran into the house, scrambling to the phone and smashing Elise's number in. I was really not prepared.
"Will we be seeing him again?"
I shrugged.
"I think we should make up some rules, so we know where to draw the line with all of this." My dad folded up his paper, tossing it on the table. "I don't want you out more than 3 nights a week. You're school work is the most important thing for you at this stage in your life, relationships are peripheral in comparison. I also do not want you having anyone over when I am not home, okay?"
I nodded, swallowing the food in my mouth and flicking the page of the textbook over. My dad sighed and rose from his seat, taking his luke warm coffee and wandering off to his study. When he was out of sight, I let my head fall on the book.
What Tony said to me at the party was stuck in my head, and I was beginning to wonder if it was all a dream. His breathe ignited my skin, and his words were so low and smooth that my knees went weak. As much as I tried to deny it, he was right. Owen was my brain's choice. He was the logical choice. He was the choice that would please my dad.
Pushing my textbook away, I wiped my hands clean of sugar and stood up. I needed fresh air; I needed Meg.
The drive to Meg's house was not long, but it involved going along a lot of small roads with low speed limits which made it very time consuming. I didn't mind the drive though, the sun was high in the sky and not daring to fade behind the clouds.
When I reached her house - a cream bungalo with the most lush lawn you'd ever seen - I wasted no time in getting out the car. I trotted up to the door and knocked loudly, knowing that her mum would be blasting weird yoga music for her Saturday morning workout. It was a few seconds before the door opened.
"Good morning," Meg smiled, scratching her messy hair. "Did you and Elise enjoy the party?"
I stepped inside, the smell of something sweet instantly tickling my nose, and told her that, although Elise may have, I did not. She laughed as though she expected it and guided me through to her kitchen.
"So what happened?" She questioned, lifting herself on to the counter.
"Owen happened," I groaned. "Megasaurus, he tried to kiss me and I ran away."
As I assumed she would, she burst out laughing. I was still cringing from the event, so I couldn't partake in the hysteric chortling, but the sound of her laugh made me a little less tense about it all.
"Aw Kat," she cooed, hands covering her mouth to conceal a beaming grin.
"What do I do? I don't want to date him! I don't want to-"
"Shhh," she said soothingly. "Why not? He is one of the hottest boys in our school, and don't pretend like your dad didn't love him."
"I-I," I choked up. I didn't want to date him because... I had a crush on Tony. I finally admitted it to myself. I, Karina Smith, had a crush on Tony Perry.
"There's another boy," she gasped urgently, hopping off the counter.
"No, no," I mumbled, backing away. "No, there's not."
"There is," she pressed, edging closer to me. "Who is he?"
"Nobody, there's nobody."
"C'mon Kat," she giggled, "just give me the initials at least."
I looked up at her, pleading eyes scanning her excited face. She wasn't going to give up. "TP," I confessed.
"TP?" She repeated thoughtfully. I buried my face in my hands, feeling a great wave of humiliation come over me. "How do you know him?"
"Through Mike," I said lowly, not wanting to admit that we met when he was sent into my class for being disruptive in another. Meg grumbled in disapproval, but I tried to block it out.
"Kat," she warned, her voice strong and sharp. "Be careful."
"I know," I replied, but to me, there was nothing to be wary of.
At 5pm that Sunday, I received a text message from Mike asking if I wanted to join him for a movie marathon. I'd never really hung out with Mike, and he'd never sent me such a text, but I agreed. With Owen as my new escape route, I left my dad behind and drove to his house (stopping every now and then to read his message over, making sure I got the address right).
I pulled up on front of house 32, as instructed. It was a large white and stone house, with a dark brown door and a black handle. Two garages came off the left side of the house, one partially open to reveal a Cadillac. I slowly strolled towards the door, taking in the beautiful house and its surroundings.
Ringing the doorbell, I yanked my jeans up by the belt loops before it swung open, a small woman staring at me expectantly.
"Hi, I'm one of Mike's friends," I began shyly, her big brown eyes gazing at me.
The little woman spun around, wiping down her apron covered in cartoon peppers. "Mike, un amigo tuyo está aquí!"
There was a loud thud, followed by muffled laughing, before the woman got a reply. "Voy, ya voy!" Mike shouted, racing down the stairs. He skidded to the door, much to his mother's disapproval, and gave me a cheeky smile.
"Ma, this is Karina," he informed her, gesturing towards me. "Kat, this is The Devil."
"Mike, silencio," the little woman scolded, an embarrassed smile on her face. She welcomed me in, pinching Mike on the arm as I walked past, and told me to make myself at home.
Once I'd been forced to take a glass of water, Mike lead me upstairs. The interior of the house was amazing - there were massive pieces of art hanging off the beige walls, and you could see your reflection in the furniture. Mike's room was situated at the end of the hall, directly across from his brother Vic's. I'd never met him, but I'd heard about him.
Pushing the door - which was covered in band stickers - open, Mike stepped aside to let me in first. My breathe caught in my throat when I seen who was already there.
Being consumed by a black beanie, with his back to the door, was Tony. Trying to remain calm, I plopped myself down on Mike's bed and gave him a limp wave.
"Hey," he smiled, catching me a little off guard. I didn't know why, but I wasn't really expecting him to talk.
"What movie do you guys want to watch?" Mike questioned, hauling a large box out from under his bed. Tony rolled off the beanie, crawling towards us and examining the choices.
"St-"
"No Star Wars, Tone," Mike chuckled.
"One sec then, I'll go see if Vic has any good ones," Tony said, getting up and exiting the room. When he was out of earshot, I flicked Mike in the ear.
"Ouch, what the fuck?" He whined, rubbing the side of his head.
"Why didn't you tell me he'd be here?" I demanded quietly.
Mike rolled his eyes, leaning over the box to reach a DVD at the back. "Because," he answered, flipping the case to read the blurb, "he told me to invite you, but not to say that it was him that wanted you here. Happy?"
"Confused," I mumbled, taking the DVD off Mike and assessing it.
"Back, he had nothing," said Tony, dropping down next to me. I held up Mike's pick, 'This Is The End', and he nodded.
As Mike put the DVD on, I couldn't help but dwell on what he'd told me. Tony really wanted me here? Does that mean that he might like me back? No, probably not. He just wants to be friends, I bet. But then, he was giving all those mixed signals?
"Karinaaaa," sang Mike, waving the remote on front of my face. I snapped out of my daydream to realise that the movie was beginning, and that Mike and Tony had already placed three beanbags in a row on front of the TV.
Crawling over to the green one on the left, I climbed on to it stretched my legs out on front of me. Tony was next to me, and Mike was on his right. The opening credits played, and Tony tore open a pack of Jelly Babies which appeared out of nowhere.
"Want some?" he asked softly, like we were in the cinema. I shook my head, giving him a grateful smile, and turned my attention to the movie.
'This Is The End' had the actors as themselves so, within 15 minutes in, I was loving it. It had Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel, meaning that I was swooning into my beanbag like a ten year old girl over a Hannah Montana stationery set. As I basked in Seth's amazing laugh, I felt something hit my thighs.
Glancing down, I noticed a phone on my lap. I looked over at Tony, who raised his eyebrows at me a little, and then back at the phone. Okay, so this is his phone. Should I put my number in it? I should put my number in it.
Lifting the phone up, I unlocked it and went to his contacts, keying in my number before adding my name. I tossed it back at him, a smirk on my slightly red face.
The movie continued without further disruption, and the three of us were in pain from laughing so hard. Once it was over, and we'd stopped singing along to The Backstreet Boys (which plays at the end), Mike excused himself to the bathroom.
"Owen tried to kiss me last night," I blurted, my mouth doing things my brain never commanded it to. "I ran away."
Tony chuckled, his limitless smile making my stomach flip. "I never thought of you as the type to run away from a guy like that."
"You have no idea what I'm like," I challenged flirtatiously. I'd never had such confidence before but, armed with the knowledge that Tony actually wanted me here, I decided to push myself a little.
Mike returned with two sodas in hand, tossing one to me. He kicked the beanbag aside and sat on the floor, cracking the can open and taking a sip. "That's 10 to 8, Tone."
"Right," he sighed, standing up. I wondered why Mike didn't give him a can, and why the time was important.
"Ma wrapped up some Lasagne for you to take," Mike said, "and there's a bottle of wine for your mum too."
Tony thanked Mike, a deeply appreciative tone in his voice. He turned to me with his lips barely parted, like he wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. Eventually, breaking the small staring conversation we had, he just tapped his shoe against mine.
"See you around, smelly," he said jokingly. I just stuck my tongue out at him as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Kat, that boy is falling head over heels for you."
Picking apart my doughnut, I let my eyes scan over the Physics textbook laid out before me. Across the table, my dad looked at a newspaper with great concern, his coffee abandoned on the table. I felt kind of ill after last night, but I assumed it was the smokey atmosphere. I couldn't cough though - my dad would grow suspicions.
"Well," he said, lowering his paper. His eyes ground to a halt on me, but I didn't look up. I just kept reading. "Owen is a nice young man," he confirmed, answering a question nobody asked.
"Mhm," I murmured quietly, stuffing a large piece of doughnut into my mouth. I didn't want to think about Owen. When he brought me home after the party, he tried to kiss me. Unfortunately for him, I was not prepared and instead ran into the house, scrambling to the phone and smashing Elise's number in. I was really not prepared.
"Will we be seeing him again?"
I shrugged.
"I think we should make up some rules, so we know where to draw the line with all of this." My dad folded up his paper, tossing it on the table. "I don't want you out more than 3 nights a week. You're school work is the most important thing for you at this stage in your life, relationships are peripheral in comparison. I also do not want you having anyone over when I am not home, okay?"
I nodded, swallowing the food in my mouth and flicking the page of the textbook over. My dad sighed and rose from his seat, taking his luke warm coffee and wandering off to his study. When he was out of sight, I let my head fall on the book.
What Tony said to me at the party was stuck in my head, and I was beginning to wonder if it was all a dream. His breathe ignited my skin, and his words were so low and smooth that my knees went weak. As much as I tried to deny it, he was right. Owen was my brain's choice. He was the logical choice. He was the choice that would please my dad.
Pushing my textbook away, I wiped my hands clean of sugar and stood up. I needed fresh air; I needed Meg.
The drive to Meg's house was not long, but it involved going along a lot of small roads with low speed limits which made it very time consuming. I didn't mind the drive though, the sun was high in the sky and not daring to fade behind the clouds.
When I reached her house - a cream bungalo with the most lush lawn you'd ever seen - I wasted no time in getting out the car. I trotted up to the door and knocked loudly, knowing that her mum would be blasting weird yoga music for her Saturday morning workout. It was a few seconds before the door opened.
"Good morning," Meg smiled, scratching her messy hair. "Did you and Elise enjoy the party?"
I stepped inside, the smell of something sweet instantly tickling my nose, and told her that, although Elise may have, I did not. She laughed as though she expected it and guided me through to her kitchen.
"So what happened?" She questioned, lifting herself on to the counter.
"Owen happened," I groaned. "Megasaurus, he tried to kiss me and I ran away."
As I assumed she would, she burst out laughing. I was still cringing from the event, so I couldn't partake in the hysteric chortling, but the sound of her laugh made me a little less tense about it all.
"Aw Kat," she cooed, hands covering her mouth to conceal a beaming grin.
"What do I do? I don't want to date him! I don't want to-"
"Shhh," she said soothingly. "Why not? He is one of the hottest boys in our school, and don't pretend like your dad didn't love him."
"I-I," I choked up. I didn't want to date him because... I had a crush on Tony. I finally admitted it to myself. I, Karina Smith, had a crush on Tony Perry.
"There's another boy," she gasped urgently, hopping off the counter.
"No, no," I mumbled, backing away. "No, there's not."
"There is," she pressed, edging closer to me. "Who is he?"
"Nobody, there's nobody."
"C'mon Kat," she giggled, "just give me the initials at least."
I looked up at her, pleading eyes scanning her excited face. She wasn't going to give up. "TP," I confessed.
"TP?" She repeated thoughtfully. I buried my face in my hands, feeling a great wave of humiliation come over me. "How do you know him?"
"Through Mike," I said lowly, not wanting to admit that we met when he was sent into my class for being disruptive in another. Meg grumbled in disapproval, but I tried to block it out.
"Kat," she warned, her voice strong and sharp. "Be careful."
"I know," I replied, but to me, there was nothing to be wary of.
At 5pm that Sunday, I received a text message from Mike asking if I wanted to join him for a movie marathon. I'd never really hung out with Mike, and he'd never sent me such a text, but I agreed. With Owen as my new escape route, I left my dad behind and drove to his house (stopping every now and then to read his message over, making sure I got the address right).
I pulled up on front of house 32, as instructed. It was a large white and stone house, with a dark brown door and a black handle. Two garages came off the left side of the house, one partially open to reveal a Cadillac. I slowly strolled towards the door, taking in the beautiful house and its surroundings.
Ringing the doorbell, I yanked my jeans up by the belt loops before it swung open, a small woman staring at me expectantly.
"Hi, I'm one of Mike's friends," I began shyly, her big brown eyes gazing at me.
The little woman spun around, wiping down her apron covered in cartoon peppers. "Mike, un amigo tuyo está aquí!"
There was a loud thud, followed by muffled laughing, before the woman got a reply. "Voy, ya voy!" Mike shouted, racing down the stairs. He skidded to the door, much to his mother's disapproval, and gave me a cheeky smile.
"Ma, this is Karina," he informed her, gesturing towards me. "Kat, this is The Devil."
"Mike, silencio," the little woman scolded, an embarrassed smile on her face. She welcomed me in, pinching Mike on the arm as I walked past, and told me to make myself at home.
Once I'd been forced to take a glass of water, Mike lead me upstairs. The interior of the house was amazing - there were massive pieces of art hanging off the beige walls, and you could see your reflection in the furniture. Mike's room was situated at the end of the hall, directly across from his brother Vic's. I'd never met him, but I'd heard about him.
Pushing the door - which was covered in band stickers - open, Mike stepped aside to let me in first. My breathe caught in my throat when I seen who was already there.
Being consumed by a black beanie, with his back to the door, was Tony. Trying to remain calm, I plopped myself down on Mike's bed and gave him a limp wave.
"Hey," he smiled, catching me a little off guard. I didn't know why, but I wasn't really expecting him to talk.
"What movie do you guys want to watch?" Mike questioned, hauling a large box out from under his bed. Tony rolled off the beanie, crawling towards us and examining the choices.
"St-"
"No Star Wars, Tone," Mike chuckled.
"One sec then, I'll go see if Vic has any good ones," Tony said, getting up and exiting the room. When he was out of earshot, I flicked Mike in the ear.
"Ouch, what the fuck?" He whined, rubbing the side of his head.
"Why didn't you tell me he'd be here?" I demanded quietly.
Mike rolled his eyes, leaning over the box to reach a DVD at the back. "Because," he answered, flipping the case to read the blurb, "he told me to invite you, but not to say that it was him that wanted you here. Happy?"
"Confused," I mumbled, taking the DVD off Mike and assessing it.
"Back, he had nothing," said Tony, dropping down next to me. I held up Mike's pick, 'This Is The End', and he nodded.
As Mike put the DVD on, I couldn't help but dwell on what he'd told me. Tony really wanted me here? Does that mean that he might like me back? No, probably not. He just wants to be friends, I bet. But then, he was giving all those mixed signals?
"Karinaaaa," sang Mike, waving the remote on front of my face. I snapped out of my daydream to realise that the movie was beginning, and that Mike and Tony had already placed three beanbags in a row on front of the TV.
Crawling over to the green one on the left, I climbed on to it stretched my legs out on front of me. Tony was next to me, and Mike was on his right. The opening credits played, and Tony tore open a pack of Jelly Babies which appeared out of nowhere.
"Want some?" he asked softly, like we were in the cinema. I shook my head, giving him a grateful smile, and turned my attention to the movie.
'This Is The End' had the actors as themselves so, within 15 minutes in, I was loving it. It had Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel, meaning that I was swooning into my beanbag like a ten year old girl over a Hannah Montana stationery set. As I basked in Seth's amazing laugh, I felt something hit my thighs.
Glancing down, I noticed a phone on my lap. I looked over at Tony, who raised his eyebrows at me a little, and then back at the phone. Okay, so this is his phone. Should I put my number in it? I should put my number in it.
Lifting the phone up, I unlocked it and went to his contacts, keying in my number before adding my name. I tossed it back at him, a smirk on my slightly red face.
The movie continued without further disruption, and the three of us were in pain from laughing so hard. Once it was over, and we'd stopped singing along to The Backstreet Boys (which plays at the end), Mike excused himself to the bathroom.
"Owen tried to kiss me last night," I blurted, my mouth doing things my brain never commanded it to. "I ran away."
Tony chuckled, his limitless smile making my stomach flip. "I never thought of you as the type to run away from a guy like that."
"You have no idea what I'm like," I challenged flirtatiously. I'd never had such confidence before but, armed with the knowledge that Tony actually wanted me here, I decided to push myself a little.
Mike returned with two sodas in hand, tossing one to me. He kicked the beanbag aside and sat on the floor, cracking the can open and taking a sip. "That's 10 to 8, Tone."
"Right," he sighed, standing up. I wondered why Mike didn't give him a can, and why the time was important.
"Ma wrapped up some Lasagne for you to take," Mike said, "and there's a bottle of wine for your mum too."
Tony thanked Mike, a deeply appreciative tone in his voice. He turned to me with his lips barely parted, like he wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. Eventually, breaking the small staring conversation we had, he just tapped his shoe against mine.
"See you around, smelly," he said jokingly. I just stuck my tongue out at him as he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
"Kat, that boy is falling head over heels for you."
Notes
so.. thoughts? the whole lasagne thing actually has significance, but the fact it was lasagne is just an extension of my love for the Garfield movies...
Anywaay, I hope you guys liked this chapter! I'm off to finish learning Plane VS Tank VS Submarine on guitar :)
title cred to All Time Low!
i love you all, thank you for supporting my story!<3
OMFG <3
7/6/15