Introvert

twelve

*this was just an author's note chapter originally to celebrate 1,000 reads which is crazy to look back on, but now I'm making it a chapter*

Following Everett into the cafe next to their favorite record store, Dylan was still riding on her excitement of the new vinyl she had purchased on sale. The two best friends loved looking at the clearance bins because sometimes there were some great finds. The boy ordered their drinks as the girl went to their spot on the two comfy chairs.

She set her backpack and vinyl bag on the floor by her feet, then pulled out her phone. She hadn't heard from Austin since his text earlier that day about going home early.

Pickle: you feeling any better?

Porter: lots

Porter: cough drops are life savers

Pickle: that's good, did you at least get to take a nap when you got home?

Porter: yeah, which also helped

Porter: what r u doing?

Pickle: just went record shopping, now getting coffee with Ev

"Are you texting him?" Everett asked as he sat down next to Dylan.

Instinctually, the girl scrunched her nose. "What about it?"

Her best friend handed her drink as he shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with it. I just find it amusing how wrapped around his finger you are."

Rolling her eyes, the girl took a sip of her iced dirty chai.  "You are the worst," she said when her phone buzzed. Raising his eyebrows at her, he laughed to himself while she looked down at Austin's message.

Porter: we'll have to listen to them when I feel better

"He doesn't feel well and I'm being a good friend, checking in on him." Dylan attempted to make an excuse, but they both new it was bullshit.

"You were not that concerned when I caught the stomach flu last year," Everett said as he set his drink on the table between their chairs. "I was literally puking my guts out for a week and I got like, three texts from you, total. Austin had a sore throat this morning and will probably be fine tomorrow."

"Whatever."

"You know I'm right."

Their conversation about Austin ended there and moved onto their plans to go apple picking the following weekend. Since the apple farm had a pumpkin patch attached to it, November was the perfect time to go to the orchards because the October rush was finally over. It was something the two tried to do every year the weekend before Thanksgiving since they were kids. At first, it was a family thing that the Joneses did every year and Everett always invited Dylan to it. Eventually though, it turned into just the best friends.

Once their coffees were finished, the two left the cafe and headed back to Everett's car.

"Hey, on Sunday, do you want to come over and finish watching Freakshow?" The boy asked. During October, they tried to binge watch American Horror Story. Between Everett's own stuff and Dylan spending more time with Austin, the two hadn't found any time to finish up the fourth season and move on to the rest.

The girl nodded her head. "Just text me when you want me to come over and I'll be there."

Everett glanced over to her and flashed a smile. "M'kay."

For the rest of ride, Dylan listened to her best friend sing along to HS1. His car didn't have the ability to aux, so she had gotten him a physical copy of Harry's album for his birthday. Since she had given it to him, it stayed on repeat in his car.

When they arrived at the Arreaga house, the girl said her goodbye and headed up her lawn to the front door. As soon as the door was opened, she was greeted with the smell of her mother's pozole. She walked toward the kitchen, finding her mom chopping up onions and cabbage. "Hey, Mom, I'm home."

"Okay, I'm going to have dinner ready in 15 minutes or so. If you're headed upstairs, let B know please."

Dylan nodded before heading to her room.

She pushed open her bedroom door and set her bags down in the middle of her floor. She pulled off the clothes she had worn to school. Tugging the Texas A&M crew neck her parents bought her over her head, she put on her gray sweatpants after. While pulling her hair up into a bun, she walked out of her room and across the hall to Brandon's.

Unlike her brother, Dylan always knocked on his bedroom door before entering. Knocking twice, she waited to heat a muffled 'come in' or 'yeah' then opened the door.

Brandon was sat at his desk staring at his computer. She could tell by the screen that he was working on a song the boys must have been recording. The boys had their SoundCloud where Brandon would post the songs he produced, but the girl had never actually listened to their music.

"Hey, Mom said dinner was going to be ready in like 10 or so."

"Dyl, would you do me a favor?" Brandon asked completely ignoring what his sister said. His eyes were focused on the mix he was trying to finish.

The girl shrugged from the door way because she didn't know what that meant. Realizing he couldn't actually see her, she said, "I guess, what is it?"

"Could you listen to this part and tell me if I should take out this layering part?" Brandon clicked on one part of the screen. "This is the sound that I'm debating." The brother played the snippet he wanted her to listen for before playing the part of the song he was working on.

Dylan walked into the bedroom and sat down on her brother's bed as he played the song bites for her. She knew which voice was Brandon's immediately because of how much he sang around the house. Although she knew that her could sing, she was shocked at how good the other four voice's were. They all had very distinct sounds and meshed well together.

As soon as the song finished, he looked away from the desk top to his little sister. She smiled at him as she spoke, "B, that's really good. I think it's fine as is, stop overthinking it."

The boy smiled back and turned back to his song. "Thanks, Dyl."

"Yeah, no biggie." The girl stood up from her seat and headed downstairs for dinner.