9
"Ouch." I whispered, bringing my freshly pricked thumb to my lips to suck off the bead of blood that had begun to form.
I silently cursed myself for agreeing to help Serena in the garden this morning.
Neither of us had particularly green thumbs but Serena had decided three weeks ago that she wanted to give gardening a shot.
Claiming to want a new, quiet activity that would get us both outside to be at peace with nature.
The only issue being that nature wasn't exactly at peace with me.
Of course the flower Serena wanted to have the most was a classic rose. Only she wasn't the one who now had to plant them, instead delegating that task to me.
I didn't come out here with intention of gardening myself, I just wanted to say 'good morning' since I was up. Obviously things didn't work out my way. Serena was so enthused I had come out here to help that I didn't have the heart to correct her.
I sat back on my heals, wiping the sweat off my brow. The action no doubt only managing to spread more dirt around my face.
We had been out here for hours now, the sun out in full effect. The summer season was supposed to be nearing its end but apparently mother nature had yet to get the memo.
I grimaced down at the flower before me. I couldn't understand why we were planting these now, with autumn and then winter just around the corner. Regardless I would do what would make Serena happy without arguing.
I guess it was good to have the distraction after yesterday.
Knox was beginning to consume my mind. The time we spent at the park was the most peaceful I've felt in a long time - certainly more peaceful than I felt gardening at this moment. Even our conversation in the car couldn't take away from the enjoyment I felt.
Truly I wasn't upset about that conversation, either.
If anything, I was mainly embarrassed. The fact that I had even let myself ask him those questions were humiliating enough. So much so that the thought of facing him again tomorrow made my skin heat up.
"What do you say we call it a day and I make us some lemonade?" Serena called from a few planters away.
I nodded as enthusiastically as the heat exhaustion would allow me to.
"I'm going to shower." I breathed, dragging myself to my feet.
Serena nodded her head, only steps behind me as I headed inside.
I sighed, letting myself fall onto my bed with my arms spread wide, landing on my stomach.
The coolness of my now wet hair almost making me flinch as it came to rest against my still sun-warmed skin.
This feeling after my shower had made gardening all morning well worth it.
Maybe Serena wasn't so wrong about needing that peaceful outside activity after all.
The soft chime of my phone quickly drew my attention.
I sat up, staring at my phone where it had rested on my nightstand all morning. I could feel my heart rate picking up already. Only two people had my phone number and Serena certainly had no reason to text when her shouts could easily be heard by me from the down stairs.
Snatching it off my nightstand, my breathing hitched as Knox's name flashed on my screen.
"You busy?" He asked.
My fingers tingled like the buzz of tv static as I replied 'no.'
"I'm picking you up." He said.
It wasn't a question but I liked the text message as confirmation anyways.
Letting out a steady breath, I rushed to my closet to start getting dressed.
Blindly grabbing the first things I touched, I ended up in a white knitted tank top and my favorite pair of jean shorts.
Slipping my feet into my normal white sneakers, I gave my hair one more quick brush.
Every movement I made was frantic with a slight jerk. My nerves were skyrocketing and not knowing how long Knox would take to get here was setting me on edge.
I scrambled down the stairs. My rush to the kitchen was met with Serena's confusion.
"What's got you in such a rush?" She asked, drinking a glass of the lemonade she promised to make.
"I-uh I'm going out." I said hurriedly. I hadn't told Serena about how I had made a friend.
Even if I knew she would be excited for me, I also knew she'd make it a thing and that was something I could say for certain that I didn't want.
It'd only embarrass me further to know that me making a friend could be so shocking.
Especially if Serena caught a glimpse of who my friend actually is.
Knox being my friend would send a shock wave through Serena.
"Don't wait up for me. I don't know when I'll be back." I rushed to fill the silence, not wanting to give Serena the time to follow up with questions.
I spun on my heel, nearly jogging for the front door. A cool breath of relief passed my lips as the door shut behind me. My eyes flitted to the car now pulling up against the curb.
"Hi." I nearly whispered as I stepped into the car, pulling on my seatbelt.
Knox sent a ghost of a smile in my direction as he pulled back out onto the street.
"Where are we going?" I asked, not breaking my gaze out the window.
"My friend's house." He answered cooly, not sparing me a glance.
I turned to look at him with furrowed brows, my body shifting in my seat uneasily.
He never mentioned anything about bringing me to meet anyone, I was hoping it would just be him and I like normal.
I'm sure his friends had to be decent people but the idea of who Knox could possibly surround himself with was thoroughly intriguing.
"Why?" I hesitated, "I mean, why are you bringing me along?"
Knox looked my way for only a second before his eyes were back on the road. "Cause I want to and I can." He said, almost scoffing at my question. "Plus I want you to meet them."
"What if they don't like me?" I asked, looking down at my hands as I wrung them together.
This time Knox did scoff. "You don't trust me, Annie?"
"N-no, of course I do." I stuttered.
Knox pulled to a stop, parking outside what I could only assume was his friends house. Knox unbuckled, turning to face me now as he spoke, "They're my friends. I'll make them be nice. You don't need to worry, just trust me." His tone held enough promise, all I could do was nod my head in response.
Stepping out of the car, I gazed up at the house before me.
Everything about it could be classified as fairly standard.
It was a two-story, suburban-like home that almost perfectly matched the rest of the quiet neighborhood.
Nothing was out of place - even the leaves on the grass matched the pattern of the leaves on the lawn next door.
A gentle hand met the skin of my waist. I swallowed as Knox led me to the front door, not bothering to knock or ring the bell. Stepping over the threshold, I could hear muffled arguing that had to coming from the second floor.
Knox rolled his eyes at the sound, shouting "Liam" up the stairs before continuing to lead me through to the kitchen.
"Drink, Annie?" Knox asked, opening the fridge as I lingered by the edge of the counter a step away from him.
"Could I have chocolate milk, please?" I asked, not thinking about how childish of drink that was to request.
To my relief, Knox just grinned. "With those manners, how could I say no?" He teased.
I fought down my blush as he pulled out the milk and chocolate sauce. I stood at the counter in front of it, waiting as Knox grabbed a cup a spoon from the cabinets. Caging me from behind, Knox began mixing everything before me.
I wanted to protest - argue that I could've made it for myself - but the gentle caress of a light kiss meeting to tip of my ear had the words dying on my tongue.
"My good girl." Knox whispered as he plopped the chocolate milk into my hands.
My stomach clenched and breath hitched at his words. Heat crawled up my neck as I quickly tried to drown myself in my cup of milk. I couldn't bare looking in Knox's direction as he put everything away and my heart was still racing a couple minutes later when I set the empty cup down.
I was thankfully saved from having to speak as the sound of footsteps roared down the stairs. Before I could even blink, a tall dirty-blonde haired boy was panting as he leaned against the door frame of the kitchen.
"Get this fucker away from me." He ground out, looking at Knox. "He won't accept that I beat him at a fucking game and now he's trying to fight me."
An even louder set of footsteps sounded behind him as a slightly taller, dark-haired boy appeared behind him. "Liam shut the fuck up. You cheated like a pathetic little bitch and you know it."
"At least I don't whine like a bitch." Newly declared Liam mocked back.
"Watch your bastard mouth before I put a fist through your face." The taller one threatened, his face darkening with his words.
I took a hesitant step back, my eyes darting back and forth between the two. If these were Knox's friends, I certainly felt underprepared to meet them.
My movement seemed to draw both of their attention as their arguing came to an abrupt halt, both of them snapping their mouths closed. I could have cried then and there as both of them raked their eyes over me. Utter confusion contorting their features.
"Stop fucking looking at her." Knox ground out.
Liam continued to stare me down as the dark-haired one turned to face Knox once again. A wicked amusement filled his face, nearing an almost grin.
"We don't come to school for a few days and you get yourself a cute little girlfriend." He teased, smirking.
Liam snapped his head to look at Knox now, also grinning.
"She looks too sweet for you Knox-y boy. Where'd you find her?" Liam laughed, eyes sliding back to me.
"Shut the fuck up, Liam. Don't act like you're not wrapped around Clarissa's pinkie like a stupid little bitch." Knox spat, taking a threatening step in his direction.
Liam only laughed again, taking a step back with his hands in the air.
The other boy only rolled his eyes, a smirk still playing on his lips as he turned around to enter another room I couldn't see. Liam followed a few steps behind him before Knox turned to me.
Knox held out his hand expectantly, his face a lot softer than just moments before as he said, "C'mere, Annie."
I merely shook my head. Wide-eyed and completely frozen in my spot, I had absolutely no desire to follow wherever those two had gone off to. It took all my strength to not burst out crying now where I stood, there was no way I could stand being around them much longer.
Knox approached me, stopping just a breath away.
"I'm scared." I admitted in a barely audible whisper.
"They won't hurt you." Knox promised, tucking a loose hair behind my ear. "Be my good girl and sit with me on the couch?" Knox asked, his voice matching the softness of my whisper.
I frowned, my body feeling heavy with stress.
"Please?" Knox's breath hitting my ear as he leaned in. The one extra ask had my barriers breaking as I nodded my head 'yes'.
Knox held my hand as he led me through to the living room where the two boys now sat, loading up another video game on the giant tv. There was an oversized couch-like chair in the corner than Knox pulled to sit on with him.
There wasn't much moving space with the two of us sitting together, leaving us pressed up against each other.
Knox wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his side which under normal circumstances would leave me almost shaking in fear but now only brought me comfort to the already overwhelmingly stressful situation I was in.
The other two boys sat lazily stretched out on the main couch, clearly having forgotten all about their previous argument.
Now in what seemed to be their natural habitat, they looked far less intimidating than moments before. They faces no longer held the mischief or malice and were instead replaced with pure concentration.
I chewed on my thumb nail out of nervous habit as my eyes roamed over them, studying.
The dark-haired one - who I still didn't know the name of - cursed at the tv as Liam grinned. "I told you I wasn't cheating, just admit you suck, Sean."
Sean flashed his teeth mockingly, tossing aside the controller. "I'm done playing this shit."
His attention then turned to me as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "What's your name anyways?" He asked, pulling out a paper bag from his jacket pocket.
I swallowed thickly, opening my mouth to answer when Knox's voice cut me off, "None of your fucking business." His chest vibrating beneath me as he spoke.
Sean scoffed, nearly throwing his head back, "Geez, I can't even know her name?" He laughed unbelievingly as he shook his head.
"Annie." I forced out, my voice sounding just as strained as it felt.
Sean hummed as he pulled out a lighter and a brown stick from the bag. A strong scent tickled my nose, making me scrunch it in distaste.
"Annie." Sean spoke, over-enunciating every syllable as he tested my name out on his tongue. He dragged his eyes over to Knox, "No need to get so worked up, Knox, nobody's trying to steal her from you." He laughed, pulling brown stick up to his mouth and burning the other end.
"What is that?" I asked, my curiosity overpowering my feelings of stupidity.
This time Liam chuckled. "You want to try some?" He asked, his eyes now sparking with interest.
"Fuck off." Knox said with far less aggression than moments before.
"Can I not have it?" I asked, looking up at Knox with confusion.
"Don't worry about it, baby." He soothed quietly in my ear.
I was on the verge of arguing but the look Knox gave me told me the conversation was final. I looked at Sean again as smoke puffed out of his mouth, his eyes already growing red and hazy.
Swallowing thickly, I realized maybe Knox was right after all.