Chapter 4, Tip Toeing on cobblestone
What is pain? Is it just a response made up by our brain due to a physical or mental inconvenience? An alert that is beeping through our pulsating veins. Urgent messages to draw our attention to pesty paper cuts or cumbersome scraped knees. A realization of our mortality. Perhaps pain is nothing more than a restriction. Our bodies accepting defeat, how much we can handle, or our fragility. Maybe it's our bodies admitting to understand our humanity. Humanity is a question Everett always hid away from. Thought it lays, lingering there, in his mind like the throbbing in his leg. Human?
Everett paced his steps carefully as he made it to the little office building. His hand jittering for the door handle, then retreating. He did this a few times until his hand finally latched onto the warm metal knob and his clammy determination decided to push on forward. The door swung open rather violently, his eyes like ping pong balls and his upper teeth digging into his lower lip. The bobbed haired lady was there.
She paid him no attention. Instead, chatting to the same 2 girls from earlier. The blonde-haired girl slumped over the front desk, a wide grin and desperate eyes. The other girl, Amanda was a little further back, her arms crossed into themselves, hiding her hands, her head down but her eyes up, a soft smile flickering on her face. The bobbed haired lady sat at her desk, her eyes rolling at every word the blonde girl said.
"Mom, please, we'll be back in time, I promise."
"You said that last time, and I was waiting over an hour." The bobbed haired lady sharply responded, her eyes focusing on her computer screen. The sunny blonde girl made a dramatic sigh.
"I told you, that was Dan's fault, not mine."
"Jennifer, I said what I said,"
"mom-"
Creek, Everett stepped his way through the door. The three turned their heads, a front-row ticket to Everett's entrance. His face went pale, accentuating the dark heavy skin around his cool gray eyes, large and glassy.
"I see you don't follow directions well," the bobbed haired lady sneered.
Everett apologized while squeezing his way back to his seat in the corner. He sat, quickly getting back to his sorting. The room had gotten quiet. The sunny girl that Everett, now known as Jennifer, had her eyes plastered on him, Amanda's eyes darting around, avoiding his direction altogether. However, Jennifer seemed far from accepting defeat.
"Your Ash's friend!" She claimed, Amanda uncurled her arms, promptly telling her to stop. Jennifer didn't, she instead leaned up from the front desk, a casual giddiness to her. She pursed her lips into a smile and slanted her eyes. A warm softness highlighting her fairy-like features. She recited the encounter that just happened prior in a few words or less. Noting off the features that she remembered of his, his Auburn hair, out of control and messy, his dusty jacket and his piercing eyes, but most importantly, he had sat with Ash. Her monologue was interrupted with another thought.
"Too bad Ash is still working." She spoke Loudly, articulating her consonants and clearly pronouncing her vowels. Amanda stood a little further away now, facing the door, hiding away her flushed face by pretending to be entertained by a rather boring framed photo of a grassy hill with some grazing cows that was crooked on the stained wall.
"you two are ridiculous." The boobed hair lady huffed, her fingers clattering on the keys more violently.
"Maybe we can wait till he gets off; he could give us a ride to Well's Beach." She spoke with the same enthusiasm. Her eyes grew strangely wide, fixating on Everett's reaction. Everett just sat with clenched teeth and upturned eyebrows. The bobbed haired lady let out another huff, brushing her hair behind her ears, her bright blue eyes like that of a startled owl, her face red.
"That boy is nothing but trouble," she hissed. Jennifer finally turned away from Everett and back to her mother.
"Well… if I had a vehicle, I wouldn't need to ask him."
The bobbed haired lady stopped typing, her top lip gently flickering, sneering at her daughter. The woman paused for a moment before reaching down under her desk, slipping the rattling keys up and slamming them in front of the girl. She wasted no time. The sunny girl swiped them up, jumping back and quickly making her way to the door. Her mother warned that she better not be late this time. Jennifer brushed her off, grabbing Amanda by her hand and slipping out the front door, leaving the room cold and quiet.
The woman took a deep breath, flipping through papers and turning over documents, muttering to herself. Everett gently tapped his foot to the tune of the AC's hum. He observed the woman while trying not to be too obvious about it. His eyes darting back and forth. The women seemed to settle down. She was back to her typing. Everett assumed that was all and attempted to get back into the meticulously sorting routine.
"You're not special; I'm like this to everyone I meet," the bobbed hair lady interrupted. She didn't face Everett; she stayed in her current position at her desk. However, she finally introduced herself or revealed her name to be Laura. Her high pitch voice had a bitterness to it that echoed through each syllable. Although she never sounded mocking, almost distinctly sincere, it didn't mean what she was saying was any less harsh.
"I know you're new, so I'll grant you a warning, I wouldn't get too involved with that Ash kid." She rasped. Everett sat cramped. His knees up and fiddling with a document in his hand, feeling like a small child being lectured.
"Honestly, I don't know why Tom hired him, a delinquent if I ever saw one," her voice seemed to trail off as Everett's mind wondered. Ash seemed to be an odd person, like a hum, always there but never present. Though it didn't help him in this current moment, and before he knew it, he was back to filing papers and reviewing documents. Luckily, his day went by fairly fast. It was bland today, repetitive but in a way that Everett enjoyed, to a degree at least, and with that, the day was over. Laura collected her stuff while bossing Everett to do the same. Everett was about to leave when Laura stopped him. She had forgotten to tell him that Tom made a timetable for his shifts. Thomas had left for the day already, but she printed it off. Unfortunately, it was sent to Tom's office instead of the main printer, but no big deal; Laura just told him to grab it then lock the door behind him.
Everett filed his way into the little office, the same one he was in when he talked to Thomas the first time. At that time, he hadn't even noticed the rather large desk taking up most of the left side. Beside it, the printer, with a freshly printed off sheet of paper, still warm. With that, Everett was about to be on his way when he noticed something that caught his interest. The little black notebook, on top of the file holders. It lay limply, one corner hanging off. Everett didn't lie when he declared knowing all the knowledge hidden away in that little notebook, or he believed he did. He had never seen it written down, only ever told to him through another person, that being his father or their friend. Thomas had offered it to him, would it be so bad to accept the offer now, while he wasn't present? Everett shook his head, promptly heading to the door, but with a little too eager of a step, a shooting pain ragged up his leg.
A terrible one, so bad his toes felt numb and tears welled up in his eyes. He balanced himself, though the option of failing and heaving on the floor was tempting. It didn't last long, and he could stand properly again. With that, he turned his head, eyeing the little notebook. It had been over two years since his father worked here, surely there had to be some new content. He swiped it with no thought, tucking it under his arm inside his jacket, so it wasn't visible. Leaving just as he entered.
He locked the door and made his way outside, Laura was already gone. It was around 4:00 pm now, and the day was getting chilly. About to make his way into his car, he noticed a familiar silhouette. Juggling on whether to approach him or not, Everett chose the former. Crunching up behind the dark-haired teen. He stood looking out at the water, one arm tucked under the other. His free hand hovered close to his face. Unaware of what he was doing till a soft puff of smoke slithered its way out of his mouth and into the hazy air around him, the sweet smoggy stench of cigarettes. Ash finally turned around a small cigarette butt between his fingers and pursed against his lips. It took him a moment to register, but once he realized it was Everett, he let out a faint smile. One final huff before letting go of the tiny burned-out cigarette, allowing it to drop to the ground, grinding it in with the heel of his boot.
"I hope I'm not bothering you," Everett smiled back. Ash shook his head, slipping his fingers into his jean pockets, resting his thumbs out. "I just wanted to say bye before I headed for the day,"
"Are you done then?" Ash asked.
"I am, and you?"
Ash nodded, again and Everett joined him, shuffling his feet between the gravel. He was unaware of why he even came up to him. Was it just to say goodbye? But he enjoyed his presence nevertheless. Everett let out one more nod before turning to leave. Lifting up his hand, one last gentle wave.
"Are you free tonight?" Ash bluntly asked. Everett froze, turning back to him. "As in, do you want to come with me to grab a bite?" Everett gleamed slightly but quickly remembered his lack of money. A face that resonated with Ash.
"It's my treat,"
"you already treated me today at lunch," Everett asserted.
"That was nothing, plus this can be like a welcome," Ash explained.
Everett went to protested some more but felt compelled by the stranger's charm. Ash seemed genuine in his stance. Everett felt ecstatic that his company was even wanted in the first place. Ash gave him quick verbal directions. Lucky it wasn't too far off from where Everett was staying, so he had a scene on where to go. He described it as a little building and easy to spot. Without wasting time, the two teens hopped into their respected vehicles, Ash's only slightly nicer looking than Everett's. Everett felt something fall onto his lap while lifting his arms up to grab the steering wheel. It was the notebook; he had completely forgotten that he was hiding it under his arm. He really had no time to think. He quickly stuffed it in this passage glove compartment and screeched out of the parking lot without any further distractions.
It didn't take long to make it to the diner, and as Ash promised, it wasn't too hard to find, even without some basic understanding of the area. It was small. However, quite a few cars littered the parking lot. The building, a deep blue colour, "The Blue Sunset Diner," was written on the sign out front. Already parked and waiting was Ash, leaning against his beat-up black speeder. Casual confidence that was captivating but immediately fragmented and scattered once he noticed Everett.
He lifted himself off his bumper to meet Everett. Nudging his head forward, he turned to guide him into the little restaurant. His hair was different from earlier. He had now had it completely up and tied into a messy knot. A few pieces awkwardly resting on his nape, but something else stood out. On the left side, underneath was a white streak, verging on a grayish colour. It stood out immensely against his black hair.
Ash walked with a type of gentle poise, an elegant glide. His posture was perfect as well, straight, and tall, proud in appearance, with a naturally delicate frame. The complete opposite to Everett. He would drag his feet, distracting others from his obvious limp. Both teens made it inside. The little diner was rather packed, surprising for such a small town. There was a monotone hum of people chattering, which was overpowered every once in a while, with bursts of laughter. People of all ages sat in leathery black booths. Large and small groups huddled with cheeky grins and perky attitudes. A young woman stood behind a wooden podium at the front entrance. Her black curly hair was tied back with a bright blue scrunchie. She looked up, her dark eyes scanning up and down the two boys. She pulled out two large menus from the podium, and with a smile, asked, "table for two?" however it wasn't to Ash, even though he was clearly in front. Everett stood there, paused for a moment until he finally nodded to answer the young woman's question. Ash's face was flat as she led the two to their table.
Sat right next to the large window, which was the perfect spot to peer out at the bright blue afternoon soon to be evening, in a corner that made all the chatter seem just a slight bit quieter. Everett couldn't help but let a smile creep onto his face. An expression that wasn't overlooked by Ash.
"Enjoying your time in Logwood?" he asked. Everett blinked out his daydreaming and looked back to Ash.
"I am. I don't remember the last time I went out to eat," he responded. Everett looked youthful, a softness that shined through. Relaxed shoulders that gently swayed from side to side. Ash fiddled with the menu, his figure tracing the edge of the page. He was alert, leaning slightly forward, inviting the teen to continue.
"It's nice to be on my own," Everett expressed softly, the light glimmer that dances in his pale silver eyes stood still. His smile desperately trying to stay. Ash placed the menu down, catching Everett's gaze.
"I was like you,"
"how's that?" Everett snickered.
"I was new; people liked to make up things about me, my past, all that nonsense they still believe, doesn't bother me, and it shouldn't bother you." Ash let out a hint of a smile. Everett looked down for a moment, hands on his lap. He took a second before responding.
"it doesn't bother me." Ash raised his eyebrows.
"Rather, I enjoy it," Everett continued. This must have been amusing since it garnered a genuine laugh from Ash. Everett joined him with a chuckle. Ash's jadedness softened; he leaned his elbow on the table, his chin resting in his palm. Everett cheerfully explained what he meant in the best way he could. Explaining how he stayed at home for most of his life, he didn't know too many people. Perhaps he was naive to think that the world wasn't all cruel, a prominent example being this little town. He could see sparks of hope, in the stares and gossip, in the hearing of his name, in the kindness or pity which allowed him his boring job, or the friendliness of a stranger. He was excited that people were making things up and trying to understand him because it meant they weren't focusing on who he is. No matter how Everett looked at it, he was happy to be here. He was happy to start over.
Ash's face softened, his grin disappearing. His face had slightly scrunched up from him leaning on his hand. A blank expression that quickly pursed as he picked himself up to Everett's eye level.
"and you believe this?" he inquired.
"of course!" Everett defended.
At that moment, the same lady who had greeted the two teens and brought them to their table now stood with a pen and notepad in her hands. Surprised, Everett quickly glanced over to where she was standing before, now a different person hosting. She wasted no time with the usual, "may I take your order" spiel. Everett looked down at his unopened menu, searching for his words. It didn't take long for Ash to jump in, quickly spitting out a random order that Everett didn't have time to process. However, Everett just allowed the mystery of it by ordering the same. The women scribbled down the orders, her previous gleeful face replaced with dreadful deadpan directed at Ash. With that, she had left.
"Do you know her?" Everett cautiously asked. Ash shrugged slightly.
"kinda, not really, her name is Mariah; she's good friends with Jennifer."
"and Amanda!" Everett jumped in. One of Ash's eyebrows raised.
"Did I get her name right?" Everett coiled back into his seat.
"Yeah, you did; it's just Amanda's different than all of them." He said carefully, choosing his words wisely. Ash explained how he met Amanda. It was about two years ago. He had just gotten his job at the docks, only been working there for about a month. He saw her a few times, but she didn't say much. Over the next month or so, she would continue to linger around the docks, still never really speaking to him. It wasn't until Jennifer started to show up that she finally introduced herself. Ash explained how she doesn't really talk to anyone besides himself and Jennifer. They had invited him to a bonfire once. It was with Jennifer, Mariah, Amanda, and a few other guys. Amanda stayed close to him and didn't say anything, not even to the people he assumed to be her friends. She shows up a lot like how she did today, and she never really bugs him, so he doesn't mind her.
Everett was surprised to hear this about her, she seemed outgoing when he met her, perhaps a little standoffish, but he assumed that was normal. Though Everett thought she sounded sweet, nice, and overall a well-rounded person, maybe someone he would be able to get to know better. He felt like he was getting to know Ash better, and he only knew him for a little bit, so maybe the same will happen with Amanda. Everett thought it would be nice to make another new friend.
Mariah slumped back to their tables, the two matching plates of food in her hand. She flopped them down with not much gusto. The rest of the evening felt pretty nice, with some back and forth banter between Everett and Ash. The same kind of banter that they had in the little shack yesterday. Even though Everett led the conversations, he never felt like he was overtaking it. It was just small talk, but for some reason, to Everett, it felt as if he could talk for hours. Simple questions that should leave you craving more were decadent. Ash had a way of smiling that was so soft yet rich. The kind of smile that felt lackluster yet genuine. Everett had the type of smile that could light up a room, an expressive face that demanded attention.
The two left the little dinar feeling full but not heavy. The sun had started to settle, diming the world slightly. It was still early evening, and the soft cool air felt refreshing after being in a stuffy atmosphere. Ash didn't go to his car right away, instead he turned the corner to a more isolated cobblestone path behind the restaurant. Everett followed without much thought. It was a tight spot, nestled between a tall concrete fence and the side of the building, wide enough that Everett could move around freely but narrow enough that more than two people would feel like a crowd. Ash slipped down with his back pressed against the concrete slab. Squatting down while reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out a little box, a pack of cigarettes. He slipped out one, rolling it around in his fingertips before pointing it up to Everett. Everett nodded, sliding down the wall beside him. He gently grabbed the cigarette from Ash, placing the end in his mouth. Ash lit his lighter, a gentle flam dancing. He held it out, Everett leaned in, the end radiating a vibrant orange colour. Taking a deep breath in, Everett felt the smoke fill his body. A burning engulfing his throat and lungs, like gargling boiling water. He couldn't help it, his face flaming a bright red as he violently coughed, smoke exiting from his mouth and nose. Ash spat as he tried to hold in a laugh.
"Why did you take it," he asked, wiping the tears from his eyes. Everett held his tongue out. His nose crimped, and his upper lip tugged up. Tears also lined his eyes.
"I was curious." Everitt pouted. Ash took the cigarette from Everett, slipping it against his lips before holding it in his mouth. He took a breath, then let the smoke puff out his nose and into the air.
"Don't be; before you know it, you'll be depended on them," Ash explained while still fighting back his laughter. After a moment of clarity, Everett joined in with a good laugh. The two shoulder to shoulder, using each other's weight to keep each other up.
"Thank you," Everett softly expressed. Ash lumped his face down, shaking his head slightly. Rephrasing that there wasn't any need to thank him.
"Thanking me makes me feel guilty," Ash frowned, his eyes squinted. Everett leaned back slightly, his shoulders down, matching the same expression as Ash.
"I was nice to you because I understood what it felt like to be in your situation," Ash admitted. Everett just nodded. "Of course, you know that," Ash said while blowing out another puff of smoke. Everett leaned back more, anchoring himself against the wall to not put too much pressure on his leg as he stood up. A large smile lighting up his face, his hand held out to help Ash up to his feet. Ash reached out, his hand firmly grasped tightly, Smooshing the cigarette out on the cold cobblestone ground before making his way up. A slight trip once on his feet made him lean close to Everett, just a hairsbreadth apart from each other. Ash looked up at Everett.
"I don't think that anymore," He smiled, breaking away and making his way to the exit. "well, are you coming?" Ash turned back; Everett jumped slightly before hurrying his way to Ash. The two walked slowly beside each other mimicking each others' steps before making it back to their vehicles.
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