How Not to Fall In Love

Chapter 40

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The next few days were quiet and uneventful, which had me on edge even more. The swelling on my eye and lip had gone down, and bruising had taken over. Luckily, I had Jules to help me cover up the bruising best she could to where it wasn't as noticeable. A few of my teachers stared at my eye but never said a thing, which told me they knew something was going on. I was never good at lying, so each time I prayed, they wouldn't ask me about it, so I didn't have to come up with a lie on the spot. And they'd be able to see through my bullshit lie, and then the questioning would start. I didn't need that right now. I had to keep Jules and me together no matter what it took. I also didn't want to lose Austin either. I finally had the life I'd always dreamt of, and I wasn't going to let my father destroy it. 

The good thing about it being the weekend was that Dad wouldn't be home until Monday morning to make sure we were going to school. So, finally, the day's final bell rang, letting us know that the weekend had officially started. I grabbed my Spanish book and started to get up out of the seat when Austin took my book bag from me. I told him I could carry it, but he insisted on carrying it for me. He took a look around us, leaned down close, and whispered. "How's your eye and lip?" He kissed my cheek, lifted his head, and smiled. 

"Fine." I smiled. "How do they look?" I whispered, glancing past him toward our teacher, Ms. Ward, who was sitting at her desk, looking down at her phone. 

"Better than they did a couple of days ago. Let's get out of here." He took my hand, leading me out of the classroom. Walking to my locker, he asked me if I had to work today; I told him I was off today. He smiled, pulling me closer to him. I had no idea what that meant, but I assumed it was something good. He stayed close by me while I swapped out books at my locker, then walked me to my car. 

"Is Jules going to be home tonight, or is she staying the night with her friend?" Austin asked, opening the door to the school for me. 

"She's staying with her friend; why?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he had planned. 

"I talked to Sadie the other day, and she said you could stay the night with her so that you wouldn't be alone in the house. Logan and I will be over there most of the time, too." He smiled. "I don't want you at home alone without your sister. Your dad could come home and well..." He looked away. 

"Austin, you can't protect me from him. I will have to go home eventually. He's my father." 

"Exactly, Rylee! He's your father who should be protecting you from the world, not making you his personal punching bag!" 

"Shh..." I held my finger up to my mouth. "I don't want the whole world to know." I let go of his hand and stomped off toward my car a few rows ahead of us. 

I heard shoes thumping against the pavement behind me a few minutes later. "Rylee, I'm sorry. It's just he shouldn't be hurting you, and it pissed me off that I can't protect you from him." He grabbed my hand, pulling me back. "Please." 

Before I could stop myself, the words flew out of my mouth without warning. "Why do you like me when you could have any girl in the school?" I bit my lip to keep my mouth from falling open at the bluntness of my question. Austin stood there staring at me, stunned, as if someone had just hit him with a sharp left hook to the jaw. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stunned by what I'd just told him a few seconds ago. 

"What?" He stammered, blinking his eyes. "Why would you ask me that?" 

"Why not? It's a legitimate question." I unlocked my car. 

"Rylee, you're beautiful, smart, kind, brave, and your love knows no boundaries. Just look what you endure to keep you and your sister together. I know I wouldn't be able to stay if it were me. I would leave in order to stay alive." He wrapped his arms around me, leaned down, and kissed me. "You ready to get out of here?" He put my book bag in the backseat of my car. "I'll be by later, and you can follow me to Sadie's house. Will you be okay going home?" 

"Yes. Dad shouldn't be home today. He usually doesn't come home until Monday morning." I opened the driver's side door and slid into the seat. Austin closed my door. I started the car and put the window down. "I'll be okay." I smiled, pulled out of the parking spot, and headed home. On the way home, I made a quick trip to Coffee Oasis and got myself an iced latte. I didn't stick around because I knew Taylor and her friends would show up any minute. And sure enough, they were right on queue too. I wasn't even a few buildings away when I heard their big mouths talking and laughing. I paused, turned around, and watched them walk into Coffee Oasis. Taylor walked in first, then Blair, followed by their other snobby friends. 

                                                                                  ****

I was trying my hardest not to drink all of my iced latte before I got home. I turned onto my street and slammed on my brakes when I saw my father's truck in the driveway. My heart was pounding so hard that I could barely hear the radio. I took my foot off the brake and eased it down onto the gas. I didn't want to go flying down the road. I pulled into the driveway beside his truck, staring at it in horror, wondering what awaited me on the other side of the front door. I grabbed my phone and texted Austin that Dad was home and would text him later if he left. I opened the driver's side door, grabbed my purse and latte, then got my book bag out of the back. I stood there staring over my car roof at the front door, waiting for him to fling the door open and start yelling at me. I jumped from the vibration of my phone in my purse. I grabbed my phone to see what Austin had sent me. He asked if I wanted him to come to the house. He had no idea that would make matters worse for me. I texted him back that I'd be okay. 

"Rylee!" My dad flung the front door open, stomping out onto the front porch. "Where in the hell is your sister?" He asked, moving closer to the edge of the porch. 

I shoved my phone down in my purse before he could see it. "She's staying the night with her friend Evie. She'll be here in a little bit to get her stuff for tonight." My voice cracked. 

"What the fuck did I tell you about your sister staying the night with other people? Do you have a hearing impairment, or just stupid?" 

Those words cut me deep because neither of those things was true, and he knew it. I stood there fighting back the tears. "I'm sorry. Seeing my friend Sadie asked me to stay the night tonight, I didn't think it would be a problem." 

"So, you were just going to leave your sister here all by herself while you go running around with your so-called friends?" He stepped down off the steps, moving closer to me. 

"No. I wasn't going to go at first, but then she asked if she could stay the night with her friend Evie." I lowered my head, trying not to make eye contact with him so he wouldn't hit me. 

"You're a disgrace." He grabbed my arms. 

"Rylee! I thought you were going to wait for me." Sadie hollered, walking up. 

Dad let go of me, turned, and walked back into the house. I leaned back against my car, hoping it would calm the shaking down. 

"Austin texted me and had me rush over here. Are you okay?" She looked toward the front door. 

The tears started to stream down my cheeks. "Thanks, Sadie." 

She wrapped her arms around me. "Shh...It's okay, Rylee. Let's get your things, and you can follow me to my house."