My Bad Boy’s Ego — Chapter 42

After hours of waiting, Landon finally texted me back.

7:54 PM

Landon

At Scoop.

Second thoughts never occurred into my head as I ran down stairs and throwing on a random hoodie of Austin that was casually hanging on the railing. I couldn't manage to wipe off the huge grin that was plastered on my lips as I hopped into the car that I've abandoned.

Having an older brother definitely had its perks, but since he's away now there's no other way but to just myself.

While driving to Scoop, I couldn't help but think about how much happiness my family and I would be feeling after paying back the debt. We were a happy family, and I'm doing everything I possibly can to bring that back again.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from smiling like a huge idiot while driving down the sun setting road.

My heart started beating a little faster as I felt my car getting closer to Scoop. All of our hard work and failures is granted by a magical person, no other than Mrs. Winthrop. After being stuck in the darkness, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how cheesy that line may sound, it was true.

When I reached to my destination, I swiftly parked in one of the spaces before stepping out. Slapping the door to my car and locking it, I dashed into the ice cream parlor filled with a bunch of students from two different high schools hanging out on a Friday night.

My eyes scanned the packed space before landing on an the only empty booth, with the blue eyed brunette staring at the two milkshakes in front of him. A small smile crept among my lips, my heart fluttering and warming up from the look of him.

The closer I walked towards him, the more I curiosity I started to feel.

Landon didn't seem to act as confident as he always was. His was leaning back against the red seat, eyes barely blinking and showing any liveliness in his actions. He seemed to be so deep in thought.

I approached behind him quietly, standing behind him as I was hesitating to greet him. There was something about it that didn't make me want to approach him.

I took a quiet deep breath before speaking up, "Hey."

A second after I spoke up, Landon immediately turns his head around, looking up at me as he passes a small smile, "Hey," he responded.

I stood there awkwardly before making my way towards the opposite side of the booth, sitting myself down across from him. He watched me as I watched him. His light blue eyes were suddenly darker, his eyes were a little bit red, while his body posture showed signs of exhaustion.

I was about to speak up and tell him about the good news, but he stopped me. He held his right hand up, shaking his head as me working weakly speaking, "I'm sorry, Aubrey."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I have to go," he stared down at the table, fiddling with the pocket of his leather jacket before standing up.

I furrowed my eyebrows together in pure confusion, watching him get up as he turns his back towards me, "Landon," I called his name.

He started walking away from me, and for some reason I started to feel irritated from his change in mood. Why is he acting like this?

I got up and followed him out of the door, calling his names multiple times without him even bothering to pay any attention to me.

My back started to heat up as I felt myself soon losing patience with his bipolar mood swings, "Landon, seriously!" I exclaimed almost at the top of my lungs.

And that was when he finally stopped his tracks.

I squinted my eyes, staring at the back of his head with my lips slightly parted. I felt like he was avoiding me, I felt like I must have done something wrong for him to push me away like that.

We both remained quiet as all we did was stare forward.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, with a calmer voice this time.

I watched him as he tilts his head backwards, staring up at the sky that was soon getting darker. His brunette messy hair was flapping against the wind as I see him tilting his head back down, shoving his hand into his pocket as he pulls out a pack of cigarettes.

With the silence peering over us, I watched him and ignored all the other loud customers that were walking in and out of the parlor. It didn't take long for me to see smoke exhaling out of him, floating into the open air in front of him.

I looked down at his feet, slightly parted as they were fully facing the opposite way of me. I pressed my lips in a thin line and started walking towards him.

No words escaped from my lips as all I had the urge to do was wrap my arms around him and feeling the warmth of his body against mine.

And that's what I did.

Trailing my arms around his waist, I could feel his body suddenly stiffening in surprise of my touch. I leaned against his back, closing the gap between us as I leaned my head against his shoulder blade.

A second into the back hug, I could feel his body softening up, soon allowing me to continue holding him. I closed my eyes as my breathing begins to stabilize.

Suddenly, I felt a little jolt in his body. I sensed his hands dropping as I heard the little cigarette hit the floor. His body moved just a little bit as I assumed that it may be him stepping on the lit cancer on the floor.

Then he turned.

I loosened my grip and looked up, as he spins around in my arms. Without being able to realize anything in that moment, his arms sneaks around my body, pulling me into his chest as he plays with my hair.

I tightened my arms around his waist, as my head was perfectly resting on his shoulder. I was staring at his neck and the wall besides us. One of his hand was wrapping around my back, as his other was caressing my head against his shoulder. I could smell the lingering stink of the cigarette, but it didn't bother me enough to pull away.

"No matter how much I try," Landon whispers, "I can't get myself to push you away."

My brain started to cloud up. I furrowed my eyebrows and made a weird expression to myself before looking up at him, "Why would you want to push me away?"

I saw him sighing with a soft smile, as he looks down at me. Since our faces were so close, he had to inch back a bit, before locking eyes with me, "It's a long story."

"I have time," I muttered.

"But," he paused, "It's not my story to tell."

With that, he lightly pushed my head against his shoulder again, hugging me tightly. That seemed to shut me up pretty well before I felt his hand brushing up and down my back. He's the sad one, yet it feels like he's the one comforting me.

"Anyways," I mumbled onto his body, feeling his heart beat against my hand, "I came here to tell you—"

He interrupted me with a hush, combing his fingers through my hair as he rocks ourselves back and forth, "Don't ruin the moment," he whispers softly.

I awkwardly stood there in silence, blinking in confusion.

- - -

I zipped up the cover of the dress, then hanging it on the over-the-door hanger I had on my bedroom door. I smiled at the sight of it. It was a beautiful dress, and I fell in love with it. But there was no use in keeping it if there are no other occasions for me to wear that beautiful creation for.

I sent a sad smile towards the dress, as if it could read my emotions.

It didn't take long for my attention to peer from the dress to the ringing of the doorbell. I straightened up, fixing the little strands of hair that was hanging on the sides of my face with my hair a ponytail. I rubbed my palms against my thighs and made my way downstairs and towards the front door.

Slowly, I opened the door revealing Mrs. Winthrop, dressed in a white, formal long sleeve a-lined dress. She had a nice pink blazer and to complete the look with soft elegant curls that were bright orange against the sunlight. Although Mrs. Winthrop was an older woman, she could easily be pulled off as a late thirty-year-old lady.

I smiled at her.

"Greetings, Aubrey," she greeted, peering behind my shoulder as she looks into the crammed house.

"Morning, Mrs. Winthrop," I grinned, stepping to the side as my body motion has welcomed her in.

She steps in without judgement on how small my house was. Instead, she looks at me with a soft smile, playing with the strands of my hair before removing her hand to hold her clutch, "You look beautiful, darling."

I heaved a small giggle, "Thank you," I politely answered before leading her towards the stairs.

"I've put the dress a the cover it came with so it wouldn't get dirty or messed up," I told her, facing forward as I heard her following me up the steps towards my bedroom.

"That's fine," she beams, I can sense her smiling behind me.

I skipped towards the dress that was hung up on the door, and took it off. I turned around and handed the dress carefully to her. I laid the dress in her arms as she held it bridal style, in effort not to mess up the beautiful piece.

"Dear, you know these dresses are over forty grand?" she asks me.

I pressed my lips together in a thin line, and shrugged my shoulders, "I knew it was expensive, but I didn't know a dress is able to cost more than a car," I slightly laughed at the comparison.

Mrs. Winthrop laughed along, nodding her head in agreement, "This is the only piece ever created by Ellie Saab before his retirement."

I tilted my head to the side, not understanding the importance of an Ellie Saab dress.

"This dress was passed down, royalty to royalty until it was sold off for a bid for fifty grand," she explains.

My lips unconsciously formed a circle, as I blinked at the dress.

"I don't know how Landon managed to get this dress for you," she chuckles, "but you must be very special to him in order for him to spend so much money on this dress."

"I went with him and it just seemed like he threw the dress in front of me, and just took it," I joked. We both laughed, showing our pearly white teeth.

"That's adorable," she commented.

I nodded to her response.

In the end, Mrs. Winthrop and I spent hours talking in my room, bonding over things such as boys and how much she missed the past stories with her husband. It was a memorable moment. She was definitely someone I would love to go to for advice in life.