How Not to Fall In Love

Chapter 22

The rest of the day went by without any more run-ins with Blake or Taylor, which had me worried because I knew they were up to something. They were waiting for the opportune moment to pounce when our guard was down. 

Austin had told me to be ready at six tonight before heading off to football practice. He didn't tell me where we were going, just that I needed to be ready by that time. Sophie told me she'd run home, then meet me at my house to help me get ready. I got in the car and headed home to make sure Jules could get in the house without any trouble. I pulled into the driveway right as Evie's mom pulled in front of the house. I quickly grabbed my stuff out of the passenger seat, then raced to the front door to unlock the door for Jules and Evie. 

"Hey, I heard you're going out with Austin tonight," Jules said, walking up the front steps. 

"How...Never mind." I opened the front door. 

"I was about to say..." she laughed. 

"I stopped myself before I finished my sentence. Do you need any money?" I asked as she walked up the stairs with Evie. "I might." She disappeared down the hall. 

I got twenty dollars out of my wallet to give her because we still needed money for food. I had no idea when Dad would be back, so I had to make the money last. Even though he was an asshole, I couldn't see him altogether abandoning us for long. Then again, he would leave me for a long time and not think twice about it. He would never do that to Jules, though. 

"Rylee! Where are you?" Jules hollered. 

"I'm in the kitchen!" I hollered back, closing the refrigerator door. 

"Did you say you had money for me?" Jules asked, walking into the kitchen. 

"Yeah." I handed her twenty dollars. "Sorry, I couldn't give you more." 

"It's okay. I've got some saved up from my allowance. We're leaving now. I'll be home sometime tomorrow. Bye, Rylee, love you." She hugged me, then disappeared out of the kitchen. 

"Bye, Jules, Evie." I followed them out of the kitchen and down the hall to the front door. 

They both turned and waved, then flew out the front door and down the steps toward the vehicle. I stood there in the doorway and watched them climb into the backseat of the SUV, and I found myself jealous. Jealous of their carefree attitude and how they acted like they didn't have a problem in the world that they couldn't solve. 

Evie's mom waved and pulled away from the house. I walked out onto the porch, closing the door partway behind me, and watched them drive away. I looked up at the blue sky, watching the white clouds gently roll past the house. A few cars drove past, and a small group of kids walked on the sidewalk, laughing and talking amongst themselves, not realizing I was watching them from the porch. And again, I found myself jealous, wishing I could be that carefree. Once they were past the neighbor's house on the right, I turned and went back inside the empty house. Normally, I would've enjoyed being all alone in the house, but for some reason, today, all it's doing is bringing me down. I couldn't understand why I was so depressed about being in the house alone. I stood in the middle of the house, listening to the deafening silence. I turned to walk back into the kitchen when there was a loud thud against the front door. I stumbled, trying to turn around, looking for something to grab as my heartbeat echoed in my ears. 

"Rylee! Help!" Sophie yelled through the front door. 

"Sophie?" I opened the front door to find her standing there with her hands full. She had a bag draped on her left shoulder, one in her hand, and a drink carrier in her right hand. I took the drink carrier out of her hand. The smell of coffee teased my nose.