HIS GIRL

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER SIX

ADAM

The chill wind kisses the exposed part of my arms but that does not get past the beads of sweat pooling all over my body, staining the white wifebeater sticking to my skin. My heartbeat feels louder, the pace of my legs quicker as I run through the woods. I’d switched up from my regular routine of jogging to the park and back; a total of twenty minutes from my house. A few leaves fall beside me as the gentle morning breeze nestles them from their home on the trees lining up the dusty road. There is something magical about the fragrance of the morning dew and maybe that is what keeps me jogging for the next few minutes. I circle back at some point, taking a different route and only stop when I spot a familiar face. It is the girl working at my father’s bookstore. She stands at the top of the staircase in cute elephant pajama shorts under an oversize white tee while holding what I instantly presume to be a trash bag. Judging from the expression on her face, she is certainly no morning person. She is staring at the trashbag; almost as though questioning her life decisions and I almost smile at that. Well, since we were going to be working together, why not be a little friendly, right?

“Ella,” I call, waving with a small smile.

She stares at me for a few seconds, almost as though she is waking up and then suddenly she lets go of the bag, bolting inside the house. I frown. Did I get her name wrong? I’m very certain she said her name was Ella from yesterday. Perhaps I spooked her. I shrug, resuming my jog.

Covering the few remaining miles, I walk into the house and straight to the shower. A record time of seven minutes later, I step out, a towel hugging my hips. It does take a long time to get ready for school and I’m about to walk out of my room when my gaze falls on the closet drawer. Without thinking, my hands dive underneath the tangled mass of socks, retrieving the almost full bottle of smirnoff Vodka. I doubt Dad even notices it's missing. And even if he does, he definately thinks it's mum and well, since he would rather be quiet than conform into an argument with her, it serves in my best interest.

The opening of the bottle meets my lips, the lime notes burning through my tongue and down the back of my throat. I like it unchased. The bitterness that crawls on my tongue, burning its way through my liver and into my empty stomach, is the only relief I get in this hopeless life. Am I crazy for that?

More than a few sips later, I feel incredible, much lighter. Unfortunately for me, I’d forgotten to buy a new mint mouth spray. Grabbing a mint gum, I push it into my mouth, chewing for a few minutes before spitting it out and switching it with another. I spritz some spray on myself and as a last minute thought, I pick a pair of retro round clear lens glasses I got for myself last year. I stop at the mirror, pulling a small smile.

Perfect. I looked exactly how I wanted the world to see me. Normal, happy and a good person. Looking at the person in the mirror, I almost believe it too. But I know better. I’m nothing like Archie. My twin brother was the walking ball of perfection; one that I can only dream of. I walk downstairs and mum seems to be in a pretty great mood, judging from the amount of pancakes she was making for breakfast.

“Good morning, mum,” I say, settling next to my sister. I ruffle her hair and she quickly turns into a complaining whimsical.

“Mommy, Adam is messing my hair,”

“Morning Adam and can you quit messing with your sister’s hair?” She warns as she sets breakfast, of course with my assistance. I avoid the coffee, not wanting it to downplay the euphoric lightness creeping in on me. Thank you vodka.

“I didn’t hear you come in yesterday night,” Mum questions, peering at me over the rim of the cup in her hand.

“It was great, actually. Though we talked a lot more about tonight’s halloween party,” I shrug, “By the way, Dylan is throwing an after party of sorts. So I might be home a little late and don’t worry, I know eleven-thirty is curfew,”

“Yeah, I’d hate to take your electronics again,” she sets down her cup, “Do not let your father hear about this, alright? You know he doesn’t like your friends. He thinks they are not…of positive influence,”

“I’m well aware of that mum,”

“And so what did Mia say about inviting her family over?” She asks. I knew she would ask this. If we are being honest, I do not want my girlfriend to feel pressured because of me. I’ve been a spectator in one too many relationships breaking because of this.

“She is okay with it, of course. She was going to talk to her parents and tonight at the school halloween party, we could talk about it,” I say.

“Of course,”

Dad comes down for breakfast a minute after we are done. A cut greeting stumbles out of his lips and I answer back, bade everyone else goodbye before getting into my car with Joanne. Ten minutes later, I’m dropping my sister off at her school and heading to mine. Dylan and Jax are by lockers, talking to a group of junior year girls and I bet it's about the afterparty tonight. I shake my head. Those two really need to get into relationships before they end up sleeping with more than half of Silver Falls High. I spot Mia by her locker, chatting animatedly to her friend Chloe. I greet the boys, gossip a little about the upcoming halloween afterparty, then head over to Mia.

“Good morning beautiful,” I pecked her on the cheeks.

“As if my douchebag of a brother hadn’t already tried enough to make me barf,” Chloe rolls her eyes. Right. Her older brother Eris, captain of the football team and the self-proclaimed bad boy of Silver Falls High.

“Good morning to you too, Chloe,” I smirk at her.

“Well, this is my cue to leave. So see you in math?” She asks Mia who nods then turns to me, “And oh, if you happen to run into my brother, can you tell him to give me back my pencil case?”

“Once again Chloe, Eris and I are not even friends,” I say.

She sighs, “Just pass the message when you see him, alright?”

“Sure. Whatever you want, Chloe,” There is certainly no point trying to argue with Chloe. There is a reason why she is in the debate club. She could literally win an argument which was never there in the first place.

“Don’t worry, one day she’ll get it,” Mia smiles, “So I picked up our costumes and trust me, tonight we are stealing show,”

“And are you going to tell me what we are going to do?” I ask even though I’m very certain its a fruitless attempt.

“Nope,” she pops the P, “ Anyway, we should head to Math before Gregory gets us into trouble,”

“Whatever you say, Beautiful,” I say, waving over to my best friends, signaling them that I was heading to class and with my arm around Mia's waist, we grace the first period.