Chapter 5: Stranger

What is love exactly? I never knew the answer to that, but I suppose it's different for everyone. I thought I found it when I was in 9th grade. That was when I had my first boyfriend. He was so nice at first and always made me smile. As I got to know him and trust him, I finally told him about my past. He was okay with it for a while but one day the rumors and the stories got to him and he left. I couldn't be with anyone after that because of how much I loved him and how much he broke me.

The police came and took the guy that was harassing me that the store, asked me and Vole a few questions, then left with his condolences. I turned to Vole who was starting to put my bike in a big black Chevy Silverado.

"Hey what the hell are you doing?" I called out to him.

"I'm putting your bike in my truck so I can take you home. That's what I'm doing." Vole called back indifferently as he strapped my bike up so it wouldn't fall out.

"I can ride home perfectly fine by myself thank you very much." I glared a little bit and walked over to him.

"I just want to make sure you get back safely since trouble seems to follow you around." He shrugged and had a little smile.

I looked down while my face started turning red. "Well It ain't my fault."

"Not saying it is. But I understand why they do it though. You are a beautiful woman. And don't worry I'm not gonna try anything." He smiled more and opened the passenger door for me. "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman. A very nice one at that." I pulled myself up into the seat and put my seatbelt on.

"That's how I was raised. To respect woman. And I'm not regretting it one bit." He shut the door and got into the driver's seat.

"Yet." I laughed at little.

"Yet." He agreed and gave a smirk at me.

I told Vole where to go and during the drive we talked about small things. Our favorite stuff to do, stupid things he did as a kid, and so much that it made me learn a lot about him. I started to see he was just a generally sweet guy that wanted nothing more than to just live his life to the fullest.

"You know this is the most I've ever talked to someone and gotten to know a person in like years." I told him when we arrived at my house.

"You know same for me actually. I just feel you are easy to talk to and I normally do not feel that way with many of my friends. Besides we just met what? 3 hours ago? It is a little surprising that a stranger can make me talk and open up this much." He looked over at me and smiled lightly.

It really warmed my heart to see that smile.

"You know what? Come in for a bit. I can make you some of my amazing hot chocolate. It's the least I can do for saving me earlier and bringing me home." I said while getting out of his truck.

"You know what? I think I like the sound of that. And you don't need to thank me at all." He got out and locked his truck while I unlocked my door and opened it for him to carry my groceries inside. "Just set that on the counter in the kitchen to your left."

He nodded and walked off into the kitchen while I hung up my keys and made sure the door was locked behind me. I went into the kitchen to find him unloading all my groceries.

"Spaghetti ingredients, pizza, lots of cheese, milk, sweet tea, burritos, taco ingredients, hot Cheetos, hot sauce, pineapples, barbecue sauce, and life cereal. Jeez I'm guessing you like hot stuff as well as Italian food and Mexican food?" He said while laughing and grinning at me. "Also what's with the pineapple and barbecue sauce?"

"What can I say? I love that shit. Also, they are for the pizza. Which is why I only bought cheese pizza because I love making barbecue pineapple pizza. Trust me it's super good. I was gonna make it for super if you stayed that long." I said while giggling and putting the food away. Knowing that all intentions of making hot chocolate were all but forgotten now.

"Well now you have me intrigued so obviously I'm going to stay and be a taste tester of this disastrous creation of pizza." He laughed loudly which really made me smile.

"Hey! It is not disastrous!" I laughed a lot, so much I had to clutch my stomach for support.

"We'll see about that won't we then?" He stood there challengingly while giving the biggest smirk I've ever seen him do since I met him.

This was going to be fun.