The Bad Boy's Reward

Chapter 4: The Nook

The car's silence was brief as Tiff played a song from her phone through the aux cord. "Calm down" by Rema and Selena Gomez played, despite Rodney's protest.

"Babe, no. Not again. How many times are you going to listen to this song?" He sighed, exhausted by it.

Tiff began to sing and dance merrily beside him, rubbing her shoulder against his. He tried to fight it off, but the smirk was obvious. It was a sweet moment to witness, making me wonder if I would find someone to love when I went off to college. I knew there was no chance of it here in Lavender Hills, at least not for me — not with Dad around.

We arrived at the hospital shortly after, seeing JJ standing outside. He was leaning against the hospital pillar with his foot propped up behind him. He jogged up to the car with a big smile, which only faded the moment he saw me in the back seat.

"What's she doing here?" he asked Rodney, holding the door open as if he were unsure if he should get in.

“Get in, asshole. She saved your life.” Rodney surprised me with the way he spoke to JJ.

“Oh, did she now?” JJ got in with a big huff, as if sitting next to me was pure torture. I knew this was a bad idea.

“If you call pulling your idiotic self out of the water and giving you CPR until you were breathing again, saving your life. Then, yes, I saved your life,” I replied dryly, clearly not liking the attitude. “Thank you guys for this. I’ll just take my leave now. I know when I’m not wanted.”

As I went to open the car door, it locked, and Rodney drove away. I knew he had heard me, but through Tiff’s pokes, he understood, ignoring me. She was up to something. It was clear by the way she had orchestrated this whole thing, although I couldn’t quite deduce what it was yet.

“JJ, I believe it’s only right to thank the person who saved your life, don’t you?” Tiff arched a brow at him, showing she was the one in charge in this vehicle. Seeing how she handled these guys made me both like her and want to stay clear of her.

“I didn’t ask her to save me.” He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and looking away from me.

“I’d be sure to let you drown next time,” I retorted.

“I like her. She bites back,” Tiff giggled, as she spoke to the guys as if I weren’t in earshot.

“I wonder if she squeals, too,” JJ scoffed. I’d heard this so many times before. They were asking if I snitched to my dad, who every teen referred to as the pig. Because, you know, cops were just pigs, apparently.

"Just shut up." I rolled my eyes, keeping my gaze fixed outside the window. Daffodil's Bakery had a line out of the door as Delilah had a new pastry come out today. You know there's not much to do in town when a decent chunk of it goes to a bakery to try a new baked good.

"Rodney, let's drop off the dead weight and go to our usual spot, yeah?" JJ tapped the side of the driver's seat, trying to get his friend's attention.

"Sorry, man, Tiff's in charge today." Rodney shook his head as he lazily steered with one hand, clearly enjoying himself by the smirk he was trying to hide behind his other hand.

"And as such, we shall go to the nook," she announced, grinning widely at JJ like she knew she was telling him the worst news possible.

"What's the nook?" I asked, feeling out of the loop about a place for once. I knew there were underground places where a lot of kids my age would go to party. Again, being the kid that never got invited, I didn't have the faintest idea where these places were.

"It's our spot, and we're not taking her there. Over my dead body, Tiff."

"Oh, yeah? Well, guess what? You died last night, JJ! You died! So don't give me any lip after the s**t you pulled. She's coming, and that's that because she is the only reason you're alive. I owe her everything for saving you, and so do you. So shut it, right now!" Tiff yelled, surprising all of us.

The car was silent except for Tiff's music quietly playing. JJ didn't jab at me further or dare to say another word as Rodney drove us.

We reached the town's limits, nearing the old textile warehouse. It was once a bustling mill, where fabrics were manufactured and processed. However, as time passed and the textile industry declined, the warehouse fell into disuse and people left it abandoned. I found it odd when Rodney parked in its unpolished parking lot.

Tiff was the first to step out of the car, opening my door with a bright smile. She reached in, grabbed my hand, and pulled me out as she led the way, while the boys followed a few feet behind. They were whispering to one another, clearly talking about me, but I couldn't make out a word of what they were saying. Tiffany led me towards a wall, which I quickly realized was false as she pushed on it, revealing a narrow staircase that led down to a series of tunnels. They were dimly lit by lanterns, leading us deeper into the underground.

Tiff knew exactly where she was going, but I quickly realized I would be lost if I tried to turn back now. We eventually emerged into the main chamber, greeted by a raw and edgy atmosphere. Graffiti adorned the walls, although whether it should be called graffiti or art depended on the person you were asking. It was absolutely stunning, taking my breath away as I looked at it closely.

The air was filled with the scent of incense, adding a touch of mystery to the space. They had a collection of mismatched furniture, clearly salvaged from various sources. Old couches, beanbags, and repurposed crates provided the seating. In the corner stood a vintage jukebox surrounded by walls covered in posters of famous bands and artists I quickly recognized. Beside the jukebox was a makeshift bar with snacks and a mini fridge, which Rodney opened to reveal sodas. He grabbed a few, handing each of us one.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, hearing the familiar snap of the can open as I took a drink of the refreshing liquid.

“Welcome to the nook,” Tiffany said as she spun in the center with her arms outstretched.

JJ fiddled with the jukebox, playing “Do You Wanna Dance” by the Ramones. He turned with a smile that sent my heart a flutter. The jerk was too handsome for my own good. I sipped at my soda, watching Tiffany and Rodney dance around goofily with one another. They were cute, and seeing them act silly together made me smile.

“I didn’t ask you to risk your life for me, so don’t think I owe you anything,” JJ said, now standing beside me, looking out at his friends.

“I didn’t say you did. I want nothing from you.” Remind me why I find this i***t attractive.

“You sure about that?” he smirked. “I thought maybe you wanted a kiss. I could taste your chapstick when I regained consciousness.”

I think I snapped, because without thinking, I punched him right in the face.