The Cline Family

Part 8

Chapter Eight

Riley's POV:

Before my alarm could go off, Landon bursts into my room yelling. Or at least it seems like he's yelling. "Riley, get up. Dad said we have to do our chores before school." I open my eyes and glance at him before looking at my clock. It's only 6:15, I can sleep a little longer.

I turn off my alarm, roll over and reposition my pillow. "I'll get up in a minute."

"Okay, but remember we have to leave a little early so you can talk to that teacher." I open my eyes and sit up.

" Shiitake mushrooms."

"You forgot?"

"Yeah."

"That sucks" he replies before walking out and not closing the door.

The other day I may or may not have gotten caught with Ryland in the teacher bathroom. Since I snuck out to hang with him, we've kind of been a thing but it's not official yet. The only person I told was Landon and thats only because Ryland's his best friend.

I get up and move to the closet. Since I know today's gonna suck, I go for a comfy look, picking an oversized shirt I stole from my brother, pairing it with nike shorts and hey dudes.

I quickly carry feed from the truck to the barn and fill the watering troughs, being especially careful not to endanger my precious shoes.

Landon pulls his truck up to the barn and gets out just as I'm finishing up. "You ready Ri?"

"Yep. Is my backpack in there?"

He heads back to the truck and opens the door before answering with a "yup".

I hop in the truck and we're on the way.

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We pull into the parking lot at 7:27 and I have to run to meet my teacher on the second floor at 7:30.

"Hey Ms. Hunt" I say trying to slow my breathing.

"Come on in Riley" she says looking over her glasses while grading papers. I walk in and sit at a desk close to hers.

"So Riley, I'm sure you know protocol for the situation I walked in on yesterday would be to immediately turn you into administration and allow them to suspend you, if not expel you. There is a no tolerance policy for that kind of..." she pauses looking for the right words. "... funny business. Now if it had been anyone else, I would have done just that. But I know both Ryland's, as well as your parents. I know that they will not tolerate that behavior and ensure that it never happens again. Therefore, I will be in touch with you're parents, as well as Rylands to make decisions on whether or not I should proceed with giving the information to administration."

As she's staring at me waiting for a response, I'm trying to process. I really got caught with my pants down, it just now sunk in. My parents are gonna kill me. I mean I'm not sure what they're going to do but it's definitely not shake my hand and congratulate me. I am in deep shit.

"Okay, thank you" I say before getting up and walking out into the hall. I turn the corner to go downstairs just as Ryland is heading up.

"Hey babe" he says kissing my cheek.

"Are you going to talk to Ms. Hunt?"

"Yeah" he says looking at his feet and then back at me. "Have you already talked to her."

"Yep, it's not good" I say wrapping my arms around his neck.

He puts his around my waist and rubs my back. "We'll be okay. They can't kill us." He chuckles slightly and I pull back to let him see the worry and tears in my eyes.

"Hey, hey, no." He pulls back into the hug. "We're going to be okay, I promise."

We stay like this for a minute before he has to go in to talk to Ms. Hunt. I wait outside the door while she gives Ryland the same speech. She shares her disappointment in both of us, but agrees to leave the final decision up to our parents. Ryland thanks her and then get up to leave. She stops him and says "I will call you're parents tonight and I'm sure they will punish you in a way that they see fit. I've seen the way they handle such situations. That is the only reason I'm not turning you into administration. So I never want to be put in this situation again, do you understand that" she questions.

"Yes ma'am" he responds.

"Okay then, have a good day sweetheart."

"You too" he says walking out into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

He finds me standing next to the door and hugs me. "I love you so much."

"I love you too" I admit.

"We're going to be okay Riley." He let's go and hold my hand as we walk towards the stairs.

"Our parents are gonna murder us" I say with tears coming back to my eyes.

"No there not." He looks at me, "they might beat our ass..." We both laugh. "...but they're not gonna murder us."

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At Dinner:

"Caleb, no sir! Go wash your hands" Dad says after watching him put strawberry jelly all over his hands. Both him and Kelsie look at each other giggling as he gets up, heading for the sink.

"Do you want a baked potato or mashed" Mom asks Kelsie but she's still watching Caleb and not paying attention. "Kelsie" she says trying to get her attention. "Kelsie Mae!"

"Yes Mommy?"

"Do you want a baked potato or mashed potatoes?"

"I want the one in the foil" she said reaching for the baked potatoes in the middle of the table.

"That's hot" Dad warned her as he pulled Calebs chair back out so he could sit down.

She picked it up and held it for a second before she realized it actually was hot. "Ouch! Hot potato!" Once she realized what she said she looked at Caleb again, both giggling.

Caleb proceeded to pick up his baked potato and toss
it between his hands saying "Hot potato! Hot potato" all while giggling with his sister.

"If y'all don't stop playin' with your food, then I'll put your food up and y'all can go play without dinner" Dad warns. Both of them quickly straighten up. "Hands" he says indicating it was time to pray. We all held hands. "Dear heavenly father, thank you so much for the food on the table and the family you've blessed us with. Please let it nourish our bodies. In Jesus name I pray, amen."

"Amen bitches" Kelsie screams at the top of her lungs and then looks at Caleb to see if he was laughing, but he wasn't. He was looking beside her. Kelsie turns around to see what he's looking at and freezes like a deer in the headlights seeing Dad's raised eyebrows. "I'm sorry" she says realizing she was about to be in trouble.

Just then the phone rings.