Page 56 of Infinity Chronicles 1
“Milo has to see the coach before school, sorry we’re in a hurry this morning, I didn’t think you’d mind wearing that to school since you don’t really dress up.” Dante’s words cut threw me, spoken so simply. He’s right, I don’t dress up. In fact, I make it a point to pick clothes that are as boring as possible, but showing up to school in sweatpants that are three sizes too big, with a shirt to match, will definitely not help me blend in. Everyone will notice I look like a clown.
“Oh my god.” My words are a horror filled exclamation. I can’t believe that’s what they think of me. No wonder they’re ashamed to admit I’m in their Infinity. If Dante thinks I would have no problem wearing this to school, he doesn’t know me at all—my blood starts to heat. Did he ever once think I dress the way I do because that’s all I can afford? I fist my hands, my nails biting into the soft flesh of my palms. I’m so angry I want to shout at him about the unfairness of his assumption. I seethe, my mouth pinched in a tight line, biting my tongue. Tears of unshed words prick at my eyes, but if I open my mouth I won’t be able to hold back the venom I want to spew.
Grabbing my bag from the floor where it fell, I cradle it to my chest, completely shutting them out. Ollie tries to engage me several times, but he’s easy to ignore. When the car stops I’m already sitting on the edge of my seat, ready to erupt from the backseat. If I could strip their shirt and pants from my body right now I would, but it’s not worth walking bare ass naked into school just to show them how much I don’t care about what they think of me.
Ollie calls my name a few times as I run away from the car. Dante parked in the back, so I’ll have to run all the way around the school to find an open door. I don’t stop. If I could keep running and go home I would, but I’ve already missed a day of classes this week. I don’t need the school trying to notify my mom that I’ve been absent, only to find her gone.
The halls are empty as I make my way to the girls’ bathroom. I barricade myself in the handicap stall. My back hitting the door while I pant out heavy breaths. I’m so not a runner, there’s a stitch in my side, but it’s not nearly as important as getting away from them. They make it seem like this Infinity business is forever—how the hell am I going to survive them? I may seem naïve, but I won’t put up with them treating me like shit. I’m not some doormat because I’m not rich, or the prettiest girl to walk the halls of Franklin High. Some of the anger fades, as a few tears splash down my cheeks. Sadness and the longing to belong replace the fiery emotion. I toss my bag against the flimsy pink wall dividing the stalls and it clunks to the floor. I’d rather have the anger any day.
I give myself five minutes of self-pity before digging out my clothes and changing for the day ahead.
Just like Ollie warned, I don’t see the guys all day, not even in class. I don’t know how they get away with skipping so much, but today I’m grateful I don’t have to pretend I’m not hurt by them shunning me. Delaney gives me the stink eye a few times when we cross paths in the hall, but she leaves me alone for the most part like everyone else.
* * *
Walkingout of school at the end of the day I spot Charlie, the guy who unlocked my camper, chatting with a few people next to his old truck. He waves in my direction, and I glance over my shoulder, but realize it’s me he’s greeting. I give him a tight smile and a small wave back before heading down the sidewalk toward the diner. The sound of running alerts me to his approach, but I keep walking. I’m not going to be late to work. Even if my boss is kinda freaky ina I know your future, but I can’t tell youkind of way. She’s still Maggie, sweet Maggie who hired me when no one else would.
“Hey Laura!”
“Hi Charlie, how are you?”
He’s breathing a little hard from jogging over to me, but he plays it cool, shoving his hand in his pocket. “I’m good. You headed home? I could give you a ride.”
“No, I’m going to work, but thank you anyway.” I wouldn’t have accepted a ride from him anyway, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Oh, where do you work?” Charlie walks, keeping pace with me.
“Maggie’s diner, just up the road.”
His mouth falls open. “No shit, my grandpa goes in there all the time.”
“I know,” I mutter, remembering Mike told me that the night he unlocked my door.
Charlie’s head rears back, but a huge grin lights his face. “You do?”
“Chuck!” a friend hollers from the parking lot, distracting him.
I use it to dismiss him. “Listen, I have to run. See you later.” I quicken my steps be he calls to me.
“I’ll stop in to see you, we can grab that burger.” His voice is full of confidence. I made a mistake, I shouldn’t have told him I knew was his grandpa, now he probably thinks I’ve been asking around about him, that I like him. Great, just what I need, another boy in my life.
* * *
The momentI walk into the diner we’re busy, cross-country has meet a home and all the kids are piling in the door for a quick bite to eat before they head back to school. By the time they’re filing out, the dinner rush is coming in. I don’t have any time to worry about Charlie coming in for a burger, I’m way to busy keeping everyone’s glasses filled while Gus cranks the tickets out of the kitchen, one after another. So, when he does show up around seven-thirty, I’m unprepared. I’d just returned from doing a quick bathroom check, and he was already seated at one of the tables.
“Hey,” Charlie greets me with a soft smile.
“Oh hey.” I scan the rest of the tables not meeting his eyes.
“Have you had dinner yet, do you get a break?”
I run my hands over my short apron, which holds straws and my order pad. “Not really, sometimes I’ll grab a bite when we’re not busy, but we’ve been slammed all night.” I’m not hungry, I haven’t been hungry all day, and the fatigue that hit me yesterday afternoon is creeping up me. If what the guys told me is true, it won’t go away until I’m with them. That thought makes me a little angry.
“Well, do you think you could have a break now? Or I can wait until you get off if you can’t.” Charlie looks up at me. His face is a little soft around the edges. He doesn’t have any of the intensity Ares throws off in spades, nor does he possess the masculine beauty Ollie has. He’s lean, but his body isn’t sculpted the way Milo’s is, nor does he hold any of the attraction I’ve felt toward Dante since our first meeting. Charlie is safe.
I want to tell him ‘yes, I’ll have dinner with you,’ just so I don’t have to be alone, but also because he doesn’t want to be with me only due to some metaphysical connection between us. He’s seen where I live, he might not understand it, but he didn’t seem to judge me for it either.
“I—” My words get cut off when the jingle above the door alerts me to another customer. “I’ll be right back,” I amend before turning to the door. Ares is standing right at the entrance. His eyes flow over me slowly before landing on the table to my right. I snatch my hand back; I’d been resting it against the top of the booth near Charlie’s shoulder without realizing it.
