Page 68 of Infinity Chronicles 1
A shiver skates its way down my spine, curling my toes. “Morning Ares.”
He grunts but moves away.
“We need new sleeping arrangements. My legs are cramped from keeping them tucked up all night, so I wouldn’t kick Milo.”
“Yeah, well if you would have let us move Laura after she fell asleep, we could have all been more comfortable,” Milo fires back, stretching his neck back and forth.
“I like where she was just fine.” Ares walks into the bathroom, closing the door before anyone else can reply.
“Sorry.” I feel the need to apologize even though I was sleeping. Not to mention I was pretty damn comfortable.
“We just need a bigger bed,” Milo offers with a slight grin, he shrugs when my cheeks go red.
Twenty Three
I’d emptied my bag, leaving only the things I would need for school, so it wasn’t very heavy as I made my way over to Dante’s car trailing behind Milo, who was drinking a green smoothie he’d whipped up in no time. He had offered me one, but after watching him stuff a handful of spinach in the blender I had to decline. Ollie, on the other hand, had a blueberry muffin topped with thick white icing and big crystals of sugar, which I was more than happy to share.
Ares and Dante had disappeared together not long after Ares came out of the bathroom. I hadn’t seen either of them since, but Milo said he would be coming any minute, so we headed to the car to wait.
It wasn’t lost on me that I hadn’t seen Mia either. I’d been looking over my shoulder every few seconds expecting her to walk into the kitchen at any moment and then we would have to explain why I was here.
Settling into the backseat, I drop my bag at my feet. Milo ducks into the seat beside me, his large duffle bag already stowed in the truck. “I’ll get you a new bag today,” he announces while toeing my ragged book bag.
“It’s not a big deal, it’ll hold up a little longer.” I don’t want to spend any extra money right now. I’ll need to start a new emergency fund.
“Laura, that bag is falling apart. How long have you had it? Five years?” He laughs like he’s made a joke, but he’s probably pretty close to the truth.
“Maybe, like I said it’ll last a little longer.”
Milo looks over at me, all the laughter gone. “Are you being serious?”
“Why would you think I was joking?” I feel the frown on my lips.
“Why wouldn’t you be? You seriously need a new bag… and some new clothes, and shoes,” he adds, crossing his arms over his chest. The to-go cup his drink was in is abandoned on the seat between us.
“No, those aren’t things I need, they may be things I could use, but I don’tneedthem. Ineedto pay my lot rent. Ineedto buy some food.”
The driver’s door opens while Milo and I are locked in a stare down. “Shit, I didn’t think I was ever going to get out of there.” Dante slides the keys into the ignition, waiting several seconds before turning over the car.
“I didn’t say you shouldn’t do those things, I’m just saying that youneedthe other things too. We’ll go pick up some stuff today,” Milo continues, not willing to drop the subject.
I’m already shaking my head before Milo finishes. “I have to work today, and I don’t have that kind of extra money right now. It’ll wait. If you don’t want to be seen with me and my bummy clothes and dirty sneakers, then too damn bad.” My arms are crossed over my chest mimicking his pose.
Dante shifts to look at us in the backseat. “Don’t get involved bro,” Ollie mock whispers from the side of his mouth.
“I didn’t say a damn word about you paying for any of it.” Milo leans in closer to me, his teeth slightly bared. “I don’t give a fuck if your shoes are dirty, or what your clothes look like, but you need them right? That piddling pile you left on the floor in Ares’s room is just about everything you own. Unless you’re going to start walking around naked, or in our clothes, you need more.”
Narrowing my eyes at him I fire back, “I’ve made do with that measly pile for years before you all showed up. I just need to do some fucking laundry.”
“God help me,” Milo looks up at the ceiling and then back at me. “Laura…” He looks down at my rolled up too tight jeans. If I had a pair of sandals instead of my faded gray socks, which are gaping at my ankles, and worn sneakers, I could probably pull off the look. But I know how I look. His eyes land on my battered backpack and he lunges forward, snatching it off the floorboard. Hastily Milo unzips the top, grabbing the contents from inside. I reach over to take it back, but he turns his back to me, keeping my stuff on his lap. I’m not going to fight him for it, I’d never win. Once it’s empty he grabs his own bag and dumps it out on the seat. Pens and pencils roll onto the floor and loose sheets of paper flutter out, landing in a messy heap.
“Milo,” I warn, finally understanding what he’s doing. He’s tosses his bag, now filled with my stuff, back on the floorboard at my feet. He’s breathing a little heavily and he just leaves his stuff where it landed, not bothering with it.
“Well okay.” Ollie stretches out the words, tuning back to the front. I kick the black canvas bag at my feet, silently fuming at Milo. I’m not even sure why I’m mad, I should just accept what he’s offering and move on. But it grates on something inside me. I want to feel like their equal. Let’s face it I’m not, well not yet anyway.
The rest of the short ride to school is quiet. When Dante parks in the student lot, I have a second where I contemplate throwing a tantrum, dumping all my stuff out of the bag and then just carrying in my books and notebooks. Thankfully good sense and practicality win over my childish temptation.
Dropping my head, I shuffle ahead of them by a few steps. I’m not sure who saw me getting out of Dante’s car, but I really don’t need Delaney on my back today. “I’ll see you in third hour,” Ollie calls from behind me. I give him a half-hearted wave over my shoulder. Not bothering telling Milo or Dante goodbye.
