How Not to Fall In Love

Chapter 27

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Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at an abandoned parking lot on the edge of town. It was behind an empty building at the end of the shopping center, where no one ever parked. Sadie had me kill the lights when we pulled in and parked at the opposite end. I got out of the car, closing it as quietly as possible by placing my hand at the top of the door. I walked around the front of Austin's car, looking behind us to make sure we weren't followed. The only light around was coming from the vehicles parked down at the other end of the lot where the guys were parked. I had parked as close to the building as humanly possible because of an area of thick shrubs or bushes across the small parking lot. The perfect place for axe murderers to hide and jump out to attack two girls who had absolutely no business being behind a darkened building by themselves. 

"What are we going to do?" I whispered, walking closer to Sadie. 

"Hopefully, try to stop them from doing something stupid." She motioned me to follow her. 

We started walking toward the other end of the lot in the dark, keeping the flashlights on our phones off and notifications silenced. We didn't want them to hear us sneaking up on them. The closer we tiptoed alongside the building, the louder the shouting had become amongst them. At one point, I could've sworn I thought I heard Austin shout Blake's name. My left arm barely brushed against the stone, and goosebumps instantly appeared. I didn't know whether it was from the coldness of the stone or because we were getting closer to the commotion. 

Sadie was a few steps in front of me, looking back every few seconds to make sure I was still behind her. Then, before I could whisper anything to her, she took off around the corner of the building, screaming at Logan. I plastered myself against the cold stone building, tilting my head back, closing my eyes, and trying to decide if I should take off around the corner or stay here like a coward. I didn't know Sadie, but I couldn't let her take on a bunch of angry guys alone. I took a deep breath and rushed around the corner before I had time to rethink my decision. I stopped dead in my tracks, staring straight ahead in horror, not believing what was in front of me. I couldn't pull my eyes away from Austin standing there with his arms around Taylor. 

"Rylee, I can explain," Austin said the minute his gaze caught mine. 

"Oh...Shit." Sadie said off in the distance. "Rylee, it's not what you think." 

"NOT, what I think! It looks exactly like what I'm thinking!" I yelled, my hands tightening up into fists down at my sides. "So, don't tell me otherwise. I'm not stupid! What is this? Let's fool the nerd because she won't know the difference." I waved my hands around at everyone. "You know what...Fuck all of you!" I turned and started walking back to Austin's car. I could hear Blake and his friends laughing in hysterics. 

"Rylee! Rylee, wait up!" Austin called after me. "Rylee! Stop!" He yelled. 

"Go back to Taylor!" I yelled over my shoulder. I felt a firm grasp around my arm, forbidding me from walking any further. 

  "Stop. Please." 

"Let me go. Was I some kind of joke to you?" I jerked my arm out of his grasp. "I have nothing to say to you. You can walk home." I turned and started walking again to his car. 

"Rylee, let me explain." He grabbed my arm again. 

"Don't fucking touch me!" I whipped around without thinking, smacking him across the face. I grabbed my throbbing hand, clutching it close to my chest. "Leave me alone." I stormed off while Austin continued to rub the left side of his face. I felt a little bad for smacking him across the face, but more so for my hand. My entire hand was starting to sting now.