Seven Weeks to Forever (Love / Romance)

Chapter Thirty-Two

I pull into my driveway about half an hour later. My heart isn't going crazy like it was when I left the note for Selena, but the late night and the early morning are catching up with me. I turn off the ignition, then lean back to rest my head against the seat and close my eyes. I'll just stay here for a couple of minutes, and then I'll go inside.

A light tap on my windshield makes me open one eye a few seconds later. I look at the glass in front of me, wondering what's fallen on it. I expect to see a leaf or maybe a twig, but that's not what's on my windshield at all. It's a white feather. It looks identical to the one that's on the floor of my car.

I still have no idea who the feathers are from, or what they mean. I stare at the feather on my windshield until I'm jarred out of my thoughts by the sound of my cell phone ringing. Maybe it's because I'm sleepy and still feel like I'm floating, or maybe it's because I assume it's Riley calling me, but I answer it without looking at the screen.

"Hey you," I greet him.

"Hello." My phone starts to slide past my fingers and I fumble to catch it before it falls to the floor. It's not Riley.

"Aunt Sarah," I pause. "Um, hi."

Hearing my aunt's voice is the last thing I expected. My mouth clamps shut, even though I have dozens of questions running through my mind.

"Is everything all right?" she asks, after what feels like more than a minute of silence on the line.

"Uh, yeah. I was just about to ask you the same thing." I have to wonder if I'm dreaming this. The way we left things when I kicked her out of my house, I was pretty sure I'd never be talking to her again.

"Your uncle is in surgery all day and asked me to check in with you, so..." her voice trails off.

"You can tell him that I'm fine."

More silence. I look out the car window, hoping either to be inspired for something that I can say, or for something I can use as an excuse to get off the phone.

"Look, the way we left things..." My aunt lets her voice trail off again, as though she expects me to say something. She's probably waiting for an apology.

"You mean the way you tried to boss me around in my own house and then force me to get on a plane with you?" I correct her. "The way you're trying to make me to go to college somewhere because it's some sort of family tradition, rather than what I want?"

She takes a breath, then exhales. "I think your uncle and I are both having trouble understanding what it is you want."

"To be in L.A. Is that so hard to understand?"

"For that boy who was at your house?"

"No," I tell her, but she clearly isn't listening because she interrupts me.

"We don't even know anything about him or what you're doing there, and you expect us to be okay with a sudden change in your college plans?"

I grit my teeth. "What I'm doing here is living my life. And as for that boy, his name is Riley. He's a journalism student at USC. He also writes novels and is working on one now. But that's not what you want to know, is it? You're probably more interested in what his parents do, where they live, and what their social status and income is. Am I right?"

"I actually just wanted to know if you're happy."

I freeze. She sounds serious. I know I should say something, but I can't.

"I know you think I'm an ogre, but I'm not." Her words are quiet and I hold my breath, straining to hear her.

"I don't—" I start my weak protest, but she keeps talking.