(Collab with @ineffable)colтon ĸrυger & jυlιeттe rιverѕ
locaтιon:
Juliette's House - On the way to Delbrook - Delbrook Senior Parking Lot - Delbrook Field
ιnтeracтιng wιтн:
Each Other - Riley
@Apoalo Colton smirked at Juliette as she walked up, complimenting his moves which, had he not been able to keep his cool would have caused him to blush.
"Well ain't you just a sweetheart. Where ya' headin, Darlin? Going to the game, tonight, I presume?"Without really meaning to, Colton took a real look at her starting from her eyes all the way on down to her shoes and back up again to return to her eyes. Juliette was, and had always been a girl he'd liked. Both personality
and looks were in her favor. Somehow God had blessed that girl with the best of both worlds, and Colton, in that moment, had wished he was single for once. He swallowed hard, shaking away his impure thoughts.
What would Cat say, had she known what he was thinking? A part of Colton tortured him for thinking the things he did, but the other half knew all-too-well how Cat would react. Their relationship had been hanging by a thread for months, and she'd hold no hesitation in breaking up with him right then and there.
Juliette blushed as she saw Colton looking her up and down and mentally checked her appearance in her head. Her hair should be fine, right? She reached up a hand to pat her head and take out the rubber band holding the bun together so her wavy hair came tumbling down. Better.
"What a western gentleman, Colton. But yes, I'm going to the game as well as the party. I suppose you are, too?"She leaned against the truck, coolly. God, he was so cute. She'd never really had a long time boyfriend and this little harmless crush was weirding her out. I mean sure, she had one or two back then but they weren't as handsome and they just went out to awkward lunch and dinner dates while Juliette tried to salvage the date. She had given up a bit after that. After all, if she couldn't find real love what was the use of faking all of these relationships for just that tiny bit in her poetry, her writing or her music? She snapped out of the thoughts and smiled at Colton, waiting for his answer.
Colton laughed at her gentleman comment and shrugged his shoulders.
"Guess it comes with being a Texan." His expression suddenly dropped when she asked if he was going to the party afterward.
"Well, uhh.. I am the one who started the talk 'bout it, so, I'd only hope so!" he laughed, a bit nervously. Tilting his head, he patted the side of his truck and asked,
"Would you like a lift? It's getting quite dark and it's a bit cold out. Be rude of me not to ask." Colton bit down on the inside of his cheek hard.
Was he pushing this too far? ... no. It's just a lift to the game. Potentially another to the party afterward. Harmless! Colton saw Juliette's grin and couldn't help but flash one back at her in return.
Juliette was dazzled by his grin for a second but just winked at him instead.
"Well, the party is a nice time to bust some moves..." She says a bit shyly. When was she ever shy?
'I must be out of my mind,' Juliette thought to herself before leaning a bit further in the open window to see his eyes better. She had a weakness for grey eyes. She brightened up with his suggestion and replied happily,
"Especially rude for you not to ask." She teased before nodding a yes and holding up her finger
"Let me get dressed, first. Wait here, western gentleman."Juliette rushed up to her room, rummaging in her closet for something to wear before deciding on a knitted white dress and her boots. She slid on a golden charm bracelet and heart locket then bent over her vanity, adding a streak of eyeliner and some lip gloss. That should do the trick. She flashed a sweet smile at herself in the mirror and rushed off down the steps, grabbing her brown messenger bag and cardigan before rushing out of the door to meet Colton.
Colton raised an eyebrow at her raised finger that was practically shoved into his face, looking back at her about to say something before she ran off into her house. He simply rolled his eyes and chuckled, pulling off to the side and out of the way of the stop sign so that the impatient person behind him could pass. Sliding his truck into park, slouching in his seat just a bit as he sat and waited for Juliette to get ready. He hoped she'd somewhat hurry, as he was already semi-late to practice, but he wouldn't tell her that. He'd hear it from Coach later, though. For sure he'd have to do some push-ups or laps around the track. Maybe some laps up and down the bleachers on Monday. Dead-Man's Mile. Eh, whatever. For now, it wasn't going to bother Colton. The station Colton was listening to before was stuck on commercials for what seemed to be forever, causing Colton to let out a heavy sigh before changing it over to the Rock station he loved to listen to from time to time. The song Renegade by Styx played, already halfway through the song. Getting lost in his music, Colton began to sing along and play the air drums, and even air guitar to the song, banging and swaying his head all the while.
"Oh mama I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law. Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long! ... The jig is up, the news is out, they've finally found me! The Renegade who had it made.. retrieved for a bounty. Never more to go astray. This'll be the end today, of the wanted man. The WANTED MAAAAAAAAAN!" He continued to bang his head to the beat, tapping on his steering wheel as the song came down to a close.
Juliette slowed in her steps when she saw Colton playing air guitar, drums and banging his head to a rock song.
'Styx, nice taste,' she thought silently before making her way again over to the car window.
"Hey, I'm here...sorry for the wait." She shifted in her boots, suddenly feeling self-conscious of her outfit
Snap out of it! What are you? A girl who cares what others think about her? A girl who follows the stereotypes she so hates? she frowns at herself before straightening up and resting a hand in her messenger bag, She'd packed all the necessities: Her wallet, a couple of candies, her sketchbook and pencil (Just in case the party gave her any song-writing ideas are anything.) liquid eyeliner, lipgloss and a couple of CDs with her songs burned into them. She wanted a small spin at the DJ booth. Judge the songs by the audience's reactions to them. She's done it many times, but it really was a good way to try them out. She gestured towards the truck
"Should I get in?" Colton shook his head, waving a dismissing hand to her as he turned his music down.
"It's totally cool. No worries." He offered a simple smile to her, checking the time on the dash of his truck.
'Shit..' he thought to himself before turning back to Juliette.
"Yeah, I think it'd be best. Gotta get going. They can't start without me." Colton laughed nervously and shrugged, adding,
"Well, I mean, they can, I just.. ya know, would like to be there to play, and not get benched for being late." Colton half-smiled in a sort of apology, hoping he didn't sound like he was trying to rush her, which wasn't completely his intention but at the same time it was. He hated being late to anything, especially practice and games. Football was his life, practically.
Juliette walked over to the other side of the truck and hopped in as quick as she could . She instantly dug out her notepad and pencil. She could hear the faint sounds of Colton's music and hummed an overlay tune to herself. That would make a marvelous mashup, actually. She shaded in the music notes, carefully as she kept on humming the notes. Pretty soon she started writing the lyrics. The silence in the car was a bit unbearable to her. There was no inspiration drawn from it and as much as she appreciated it from time to time sometimes it was simply just too boring.
"So...tell me more about yourself, Colton." The name rolled off her tongue as if she'd spoken it her whole life. She sneaked a glance at him. He was mysterious all right, sure everyone was in their own way, people who had something in them that was secret to everyone else but Colton...well...he intrigued her. He had something different in him, at least much more different than his teammates. And Juliette wanted to know more.
While Juliette ran around to the passenger side and jumped in, Colton pulled his phone out and sent a quick text to Riley.
нey мan. мιgнт вe a lιттle laтe тo pracтιce. нad тo pιcĸ ѕoмeone υp. waѕn'т eхacтly planned. тell coacн ι'll вe тнere aѕ ѕoon aѕ ι can!
As soon as Juliette was able to get buckled in, Colton dropped his phone into the cup holder and released his truck from park to drive off towards the school. As they drove, Colton could just barely hear the music playing on the radio but the air between the two seated in the truck was more awkward silence than it was music. When Juliette spoke up first, Colton let out a mental sigh of relief. He was bad at small talk and wasn't usually one to speak first unless spoken to. Growing up in a military family as a child, you pick up a thing or two. Juliette's question threw him off-guard, however. That was another thing Colton hated besides small talk, was being put on the spot. Specifically about himself.
A chill ran down Colton's spine as he nervously spoke up to answer her question,
"Well, umm.. like, the simple shit, or the gnitty-gritty kind of stuff? Cause if you're looking more for the last one, we might have to save that conversation for another time, Darlin'." As he came to a stop at a light just down the road from the school, Colton glanced over at her from the corner of his eye and gave her a half-hearted smile. There was, indeed, a lot about Colton's past that he wasn't too sure he was ready to share with her yet. Just thinking about it forced him, out of habit, to pull his scarred left hand from the steering wheel and tuck it down between his thigh and the truck door.
Juliette looked at Colton once more before giving a small sigh. That boy was completely closed up.
"Simple shit," she replied plainly. She knew Colton would never get down to the nitty gritty stuff. He was already secretive and closed up.
"But really what I mean is...Just talk. Please." Juliette flashes a smile and laughs
"I hate awkward silences. I hope me exposing that this is an awkward silence wouldn't lead to another one." She tries to lighten the mood a bit seeing that Colton was being so tense. She changed some of the words of her lyrics, mumbling and hummng under her breath as she waited for Colton's answer.
She noticed him taking his hand off the steering wheel and she followed the movements with her keen eye. She had the sudden impulse to reach out and grab the hand.
What was even wrong with it?[ She restrained herself, though, and settled back in her seat, fiddling with her pencil.
Colton was glad for the light turning green, pulling up into the parking lot near the football field.
"I-It's all good. I guess for starters, I'm technically homeless." He turns on her as he pulls the truck into a spot, putting it into park and tugging the key from the slot. Colton raised a soft eyebrow at her, staring her down with his grey eyes, a neutral expression on his face.
"I own three dogs. They're at my friend's house for the night so I don't have to worry about them come time for the party. They're all pit bulls. I used to breed them with my cousins but had to stop once I got 'settled in' with the new adopted family. Their son who is my age doesn't like me and used to pick on me constantly. I told them they could keep the check coming in and I'd just stay away, but they help me out every month when the check comes."Reaching into the small space behind his seat, he pulls out his shoulder pads and jersey, looking back up at Juliette.
"No one knows about the whole homeless, living-out-of-my-truck thing.. so if you would," he motions back and forth between the two of them,
"Please, keep it between us, love." Colton gave her a small half-smile, his eyes almost pleading.
"Of course I will keep it between us, but really, if you ever need someplace to stay...my mom makes the 'awesomest' pancakes and my brother will have you in stitches laughing. Oh and three dogs! Pitbulls! I'm going to come right on over to wherever you keep them and hug the living life out of them, I'm sure they are pretty cute. But fun aside. Come to visit me, kay? I'm serious." She casts him a serious glance, at his worried half smile and couldn't help melting a bit inside. She picks up all her stuff and was about to get out of the car when she leans across the middle bit between them and kisses his cheek, wiping off the lipgloss after, giving him a last sweet smile and walking out of the car to where the field was. She settles down on one of the bleachers and sits down, flicking through her CDs to check that they were still there. As she looked at the milling crowds she thought silently to herself.
'Colton sure is one hell of a mystery, I'll uncover it, earn a bit of love as well, which is an added bonus to my writing, something I've always dreamed of. That's my plan.' Juliette crosses her legs and stares out to the field, determinedly.
Colton smiled at her offer and eagerness to meet his furkids, tilting his head at her in a playful way when she became serious, nodding in agreement.
"Alright. Alright." Although Colton agreed, he didn't know how much of it was truth, figuring her parents wouldn't be too happy with a
boy trying to come live with her. Boyfriend or not. The thought alone caused Colton to turn a soft shade of red, more so when she leaned over and kissed his cheek before hopping down from the truck. Colton would deny it if you asked, but he was sure to
watch her go. He smirked to himself, reaching over to smack the passenger door lock down before jumping out of the truck himself, doing the same with his side.
Once Colton got his truck locked up and his belongings together, he slung his duffle bag over his shoulder with his gear in left hand as he ran as fast as he could to the field. Coach would most likely be mad with him and reprimand him later for being late, but Colton didn't really mind. Anything Coach might make him do wouldn't be hard, not with the way Colton was constantly running and working out, anyway. As Colton made it to the field, he dropped his bag, quickly slipped on his cleats and slid his shoulder pads on, waving over to Riley with an apologetic smirk.
