Resisting the Player -- [Completed - Unedited]

Chapter 11: You're Weird

"Ooh, turn it up," Gracie says excitedly to Cole, who is sitting in the passenger seat beside her.

Gabs, Aaron, and I are all sitting together in the backseat of Gracie's mom's SUV, Gabs on the left, me in the middle, and Aaron on the right, and Adrian is sitting in the third row.

Lucky him.

Cole called shotgun before I could, and I swear I would've murdered him if Aaron hadn't shoved me into the car.

I huff just thinking about it.

Cole complies with Gracie's request and turns the radio volume up, and Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time by Panic! At the Disco sounds through the speakers.

"Champagne, cocaine, gasoline

"And most things in between

"I roam the city in a shopping cart

"A pack of camels and a smoke alarm!"

Gracie and I belt out the lyrics at the same time, along with Adrian from where he's sitting in the third row.

"Turn it off," Gabs groans.

She hates Panic! At the Disco.

I don't know why—I personally and absolutely love them and all of their music—but she does.

But, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Even if that opinion sucks.

"Get their album out of the glove compartment," Gracie instructs Cole. "I love them, like, they're absolutely my favorite song people ever. Gabby hates, them, which is weird, but, okay. I remember hearing their first song, and I was like, I love it, and I've been listening to them ever since, and—oh my gosh, look at that puppy, it's so cute. I've always wanted a puppy, but my parents don't think I'm responsible enough. I don't know what kind though. Maybe a Maltese. Or a Husky. Yeah, I like Huskies, they're so adorable and fluffy and I love them so much. Do you think if I ask my parents one more time, they'll say yes, I mean..."

Gracie continues on and on as Cole searches for one of the albums with a soft smile on his face. He even turns his head to stare at Gracie as she talks and gestures wildly with one hand, the other remaining on the wheel.

The weird thing is, he's not trying to interrupt her, he's just... letting her talk.

I admit, there have been times where I've interrupted Gracie, and Gabs does it all the time—more recently than in the past— but everybody else she's ever talked to has always tried to interrupt her monologues with things about themselves.

Cole, he's just... listening.

Gracie's eyes are shining, her cheeks are flushed with energy, and she looks excited and happy and herself. She's never like this with anybody except people she knows because she's always afraid she'll talk too much.

I love seeing her like this with people she doesn't know; Cole actually listening to her and keeping up with her abrupt changes in topics makes it ten times better.

I guess Cole sees me looking at him and Gracie out of the corner of his eye because he turns his head and makes eye contact with me. Upon noticing the happy grin on my face, his smile turns into a scowl and he goes back to looking for the album.

He thinks I don't see him still sneaking peeks at Gracie out of the corner of his eye.

I give a soft chuckle.

"What's so funny, Cassie?"

"Nothing," I say, shaking my head as I turn to look at Aaron.

He studies my face with a smile. "You know, you really can't sing."