Punk Love

“Alex!” Ryan spotted him at the same time I did and waved to him. “We’re right here. Let’s go.”

Alex raised his cigarette in the air. “After I’m done.”

By then, a ton of people were filing back to their cars and scooters, getting the hell out there before the police started arresting people. And he was sitting around smoking a cigarette with some…some…gorgeous girl who wasn’t me?

Fuck that.

This was the day I discovered that I have the ability to surprise myself. If this day taught me anything, it was that I could never quite predict my own behavior at certain times. Because what I did next shocked Ryan, and maybe Alex, too, but it absolutely floored me.

I marched over to Alex—stomped, more like—and didn’t stop until I was right next to him and the girl.

“Alex,” I said, my voice cold and yet shrill at the same time. “We gotta go. Finish your cigarette in your car.”

Alex gave me a slow once-over. “Says who?”

“You might be slow, but surely you are not fucking blind.” I’d used his exact words against him, feeling part proud, part anxious. “I’m saying this. Me. Ryan’s so-called little friend. Now get your ass in the car.”

To my surprise, Alex didn’t do any of the things I expected him to do—like saying something mean, fight back, taunt me, or stomp on my head.

He flung the cigarette through one of the holes in the fence, even though it was only halfway done.

“Well?” he asked me, scowling. “What the hell are you waiting for, Layla? Go back to the car.”

“It’s Lara,” I ground out.

“Do I look like I’m preparing you a fucking birthday card? Don’t care!”

Gang, Alex did not, in fact, look like he cared. Or like he was about to make me any kind of card. He didn’t say goodbye to the girl beside him, either. That’s how fundamentally he lacked manners. He just up and left, turning his back on her like she wasn’t even there.

The drive home was full of the three of us exchanging anecdotes and opinions about what happened at the demonstration. Surprisingly, there was no trace of anger in any of us. I was breathless, exhilarated, and now that I wasn’t in immediate danger of getting punched in the face and/or arrested—also elated.

Ryan asked what I thought about everyone. I was respectfully indifferent about the guys, polite about the girls, but I did say I thought Jadie was a lady boss bitch.

“She is also incredibly gorgeous,” I added, which was factually true. I have since lived two more decades on this planet since that day, and only rarely come across women as beautiful as Jadie. Some girls were just born with that oomph factor. Jadie had an oomph.

“Yeah, she’s stunning,” Ryan agreed.

“Meh.” Alex spat out the window, eternally unimpressed by everything the world had to offer. “She’s got the curves of a billiard stick.”

“A billiard stick doesn’t have any curves,” Ryan said.

Alex knocked on Ryan’s temple. “Congratulations, dum-dum.”

“Impossible standards, Alex,” I teased. Internally, I mourned the premature death of our non-romance. If Jadie wasn’t good enough for Alex, I was basically toast.

“Got the hots for her?” Alex drawled.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I hissed. “I just think you’re full of shit. She is beautiful. Admitting it is not a weakness.”

“She’s average,” Alex gruffed. “Don’t get so butthurt on her behalf.”

“Don’t worry about my butt,” I retorted.

There was a beat of silence before Alex said, “I actually have no comeback for that.”

And then, after a minute of silence, he added, “Where’s home, Lara?”

He called me by my name.

I would have broken out into dance if we weren’t in the car.

“Just drop me off with Ryan. I’ll take the bus.”

Actually, I was going to call Daddy Dearest to pick me up, but that was even less rock n’ roll than driving a Volvo SUV.

“Just give me your address,” Alex snapped, seemingly grossed out by having to talk to me. “It’s not like I’m going to stalk your ass.”

Ryan was oddly quiet. Maybe he was processing what was happening. Alex actually having a conversation with another human. One that wasn’t an argument.

“I don’t want you to do me any favors.”

I was difficult, I knew, but only because I didn’t want him to know how much I liked him. Which made no sense at all. Yet here we were.

“You are literally in my fucking car. The no favors ship has sailed. Give me your address or I’ll drop both your asses on the side of the road.”

“And they say chivalry is dead.” I sighed dreamingly.

“You are such a pain in the ass.”

“You’re winning me over, Alex,” I said warningly, folding my arms over my chest. “A few more lines like this and I’m officially yours.”

“What’s her address?” He turned to Ryan, ignoring me.

Ryan shook his head helplessly. “I don’t know. Why…why do you care? Just drop her off at my place.”