Always Yours

I didn’t like him, I hated him so why couldn’t I stop thinking about him? Franko Mendez had somehow wormed his way into my head.

Why was he suddenly so interested in me?

“Aubrey can you come down here for a sec?”. My dad yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

Pushing my books to the side I got off my bed and headed downstairs. I found my dad sat at the kitchen table with a beer in his hand.

“Everything okay?”. I asked.

“Pizza for dinner?”.

“Yeah sure”.

“Your mom called me”.

“Okay?”.

“So you think you’re responsible enough for a car?”. He took a sip of his beer his eyes landing on mine.

“Yes”. I wasn’t stupid, I got good grades, I didn’t cause any trouble.

“I’m not against getting you a car Aubrey but what you need to do first is get a job so I know you can pay for it”.

I wasn’t against that.

“Okay”. I grinned. “And if I get a job you’ll really buy me a car?”.

“That’s what I’m saying. It won’t be anything new or flashy but no one’s first car ever is”. He laughed.

“Thank you, thank you”. I hugged him placing a kiss on his cheek. “Could we go this Saturday and have a look?”.

“Job first car second. Do we have a deal?”.

“Yes we have a deal”. Finding a job shouldn’t be that hard right? I could work at the diner or even scope out some shops in the mall. I would do anything to secure getting my own car.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

“You expecting company?”. He asked as he got to his feet.

“No”. I frowned. Unless it was Alice but I wasn’t expecting her.

“Some boy at the door for you”. I could see the disapproving look he was sporting.

My dad didn’t like boys, especially hanging around his daughter. Surely to god it wasn’t Franko? That’s the last person I needed showing up on my doorstep when my dad was home.

“You in some sort of trouble?”. He asked.

“What, no. Why would you ask that?”.

“Because his face looks worse than yours”.

He had lost me.

I didn’t know the boy standing outside my front door. I recognised him from school but that was it. My dad was right though. His face was a mess and I’m pretty sure his nose was broken.

“A-Aubrey right?”.

“Yeah?”. I frowned.

“Look I’m sorry for the other day”. He scratched the back of his head. “The milk carton”.

“Oh”. This was the guy that did this to my face.

“I’m really sorry I hurt you. If there’s anything I can do to make it better or maybe even take you out just-…”.

“I told you to apologise dickhead not ask my girl on a fucking date”.

Franko was here?

“R-right sorry Franko”.

“Now fuck off”.

And he did he scrambled off my door step almost tripping over his own feet.

As he walked closer my heart took off in my chest. The butterflies erupting in my stomach.

“Specs”. He winked.

Looking behind me to make sure my dad wasn’t there I stepped outside closing the door. “Did you do that to his face?”. I whispered.

“Maybe”. He smirked.

“Franko”….

“You’re lucky that’s all I did”.

“You didn’t need to do that”. I didn’t need people talking about me. Franko was popular and well, I wasn’t .

“The fuck I did”. He glared. “Look what he did to you”.

“I don’t need you sticking up for-….”.

“Aubrey?” My dad.

“You need to go”. I whispered. “My dad won’t like you being here”.

“Let me take you out”.

Not this again.

“No now please get out of here before-….”. The door opened behind me. Great exactly what I needed right now.

“What’s going on out here?”. My dad asked.

“Nothing dad, Franko was just leaving”. It was then I realised I should have used Francis.

“Franko as in Blues boy?”.

Oh god here we go. I’ll be grounded for life by the time he leaves my front door.

“Yes”. I sighed.

“I see and what business do you have with my daughter?”. He made his way outside making sure to block my view.

Yeah I was definitely going to be grounded for life after this. My dad didn’t like any boys sniffing around me never mind a bikers son.

“I was just checking Aubrey was alright sir”.

Sir?

“And why wouldn’t she be?”. He questioned.

I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

“After the other day at school. I witnessed what happened”.

“Who was the boy from before?”. My dad turned to me. “Where did he go?”.

“He was the one that caused this”. I pointed to my face. “He came over to apologise”.

“Right well you’ve got school work to finish so say goodnight to Franko”. The look he gave me before stepping inside told me a chat was coming.

A sigh fell from my lips.

“I get the feeling he doesn’t like me”. He smirked.

“I have to go”.

“Let me take you out tomorrow”.

“No”.

“Come on specs. Scared you might like it?”.

Yes that’s exactly what I was afraid of.

“No”. I glared. “Goodnight Franko”. And I closed the door in his face.

Foot on the bottom of the stairs I made a face when my dad called my name. Walking back into the kitchen I dreaded what was coming.

“I don’t want you hanging around that boy”.

“I don’t”. I frowned.

“He’s bad news. Stay clear of him”.

“I know that dad”.

“I mean it Aubrey. His family are trouble and that boy will be no different. I don’t need you getting caught up in it all”.

“Okay, can I go to my room?”. I asked.

“I’m being serious Aubrey. That boy-…”.

“Dad I get it. I won’t go near him. Now can I go to my room?”.

“Yes go, I’ll shout when dinner is here”.

My dad was right, I knew he was but I couldn’t get him out of my head. All the little comments he had made over the last few days. The showing up at my house, making that guy apologise.

And let’s not forget asking me out.

Why now?

Was he trying to make a joke out of me?

Shaking my head I squeezed my eyes shut tight. I had to stop thinking about him before I drove myself crazy. Franko Mendez was bad news and I couldn’t allow myself to fall for him.

…..

“I thought you were taking a few days off?”. My mom asked as she entered the kitchen.

I had decided I was going back to school. I couldn’t stand being off anymore. I was stuck in the house all day by myself.

“I’ve already been off for two days. I think it’s time I go back”. My face wasn’t any better than before colour wise, but the swelling was almost gone and the pain I could handle.

“You sure you’re ready?”.

“I’m fine. Can you drop me off on your way to work?”. I asked.

“Have you eaten?”.

“Mom”. I sighed.

“Okay, okay. Go wait in the car I won’t be long”.

I grabbed some snacks pushing them in my bag before heading outside.

“So dad tells me you had a visitor last night”.

Of course he did.

“It’s not what you think”.

“I don’t want you associating with that boy Aubrey”.

And here it comes.

“We’re not friends mom”.

“So, why was he outside the house last night?”.

“I didn’t ask him to come, if that’s what you mean”.

“Boys like that are nothing but trouble. You stay clear of him”.

“Like I said, we’re not friends”.

“Good”.

As she pulled up outside the school my stomach tightened. Alice wasn’t waiting by our usual spot. Instead she was standing with Tommy and his friends.

Or groupies.

The cool kids.

“Your dad and I will be working late. Will you be okay to sort yourself some dinner?”.

Franko.

My eyes landed on his for a brief moment but I was quick to divert my gaze.

“Aubrey, are you even listening?”.

“Yes mom, I can sort myself some dinner”. I unclipped my seatbelt and opened the door.

“Straight home after school”.

Her tone had changed, that’s when I knew she had spotted Alice amongst Franko and his friends.

“I know”.

“And remember”.

“Mom I have to go”.

“Stay away from that boy”.

I got out closing the door behind me. I didn’t move until I could no longer see her car.

“Your face doesn’t look any better”.

I turned to face her. “Thanks”.

“So, I think I like Tommy”.

I saw that coming. I wanted to know why he was suddenly showing interest in her. Don’t get me wrong, Alice was a beautiful girl but something felt off about the whole thing.

Of course I didn’t say any of this. I would be the supporting best friend and also the shoulder to cry on when he breaks her heart.

Because that’s what boys like Tommy and Franko do. I’ve never seen any of them with the same girl twice.

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“I’m just having some fun. He’s nice to me and I really like being around him”.

We’d never had boyfriends so a boy showing interest in her was exciting. Who was I to ruin that.

“Yo, specs”.

I didn’t have the energy to deal with him today. I had it drilled into my brain to stay away from him, and that’s exactly what I planned on doing.

“Franko wants you to go over”. Alice whispered.

Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach I kept my head low and my gaze on the ground. I wasn’t doing that. I didn’t want the attention from his friends and everyone else in the school.

I was a straight A student, a good girl. Franko wasn’t going to jeopardise that. I wouldn’t let him.

“Aubrey”. Alice grabbed my arm. “Let’s go over. Tommy is there too”.

“No”.

“Please Aubrey”.

I didn’t want to. I already felt uncomfortable just thinking about it. “I’m going to class”.

“Oh come on, please”. She begged.

“Why would I want to go over there and made to feel uncomfortable? We don’t belong over there, we don’t fit in with people like that”.

“Harsh specs”.

If being harsh was going to make him leave me alone then so be it. I couldn’t get caught up with him, or be around him, because the more I was around him the more I was beginning to like it.

“I’m going to class”. Alice was on her own for this one.

“Yo, Aubrey, wait up”. He chased after me.

“What is it?”. I sighed.

“Just checking we’re still on for tonight?”.

What?

“Tonight?”.

“Our date”. He smirked.

“W-we’re not going out”. I stuttered.

“We are babe. I’ll pick you up at 7”.

“No”. If my parents got wind of this I’d be grounded for life. “I never agreed to go out with you”.

“Never said you did darling but I’m still taking you out”.

“I-.. we can’t”. I hated how flustered I was becoming. I hate him, I’m not attracted to him, so why was my heart racing?

“7 o’clock babe. Be ready”.

“Franko we can’t, I can’t, don’t you-…”.

“7 o’clock Aubrey”.

…