Love Sick

18

A/N: this was supposed to go out yesterday but i got lazy sorrrryyy 😭

RYLIE

"Okay, what do you guys want?" Aaron asks everyone in the car.

"Happy meal!" Owen squeaks out.

"A cheese burger." Dylan says as he continues to play chopsticks with Owen. "Damn it!" I then hear a voice whisper.

Aaron then looks over to me in the passenger seat. "How 'bout you, Rose?"

"Uhm, ten piece chicken nugget." I try my hardest not to let my face morph into a sorrowful expression. He nods and places the order.

All of a sudden, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I look back to see Owen looking at me, "Can I have one of your chicken nuggets, please?"

I burst out into a smile and laugh. "Of course you can."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Alright man, Im going to get going." Dylan tells Aaron as he starts collecting his things and putting them in his pocket. "Thanks for the food."

Aaron nods. "Okay, bye. I'll see you at the track tomorrow." he says to Dylan.

"Bye Ry." Dylan says as he opens the door and smiles at me.

I do a slight wave, and soft smile. "Bye, Dylan." he exits Aarons room and closes the door. So now it's just Owen, Aaron and I. It's about a quarter to seven and Ive been with them for most of the day.

Maybe I should go home?

"Rylie," Owen calls my name, my head turns to the desk. "Can you help me with this drawing?"

I nod, "Of course, what do you need help with?" I stand up from Aarons comfortable cloud like bed and make my way to the desk. Aaron is on the floor plucking strings of his electric guitar.

"A giraffe, it's a school project and it's due on Monday." he tells me. I smile as he hands me a pencil.

"Where do you need it?" I ask as I try to imagine how to draw a giraffe.

He points to an area on the paper that is completely empty, I nod as Owen gets off of Aarons desk chair for me to sit down.

"Buddy, don't make her do your whole project." Aaron tells Owen as he sits down on his bed. I grin as I pull out my phone to look up a picture of a giraffe.

Around fifteen minutes later, I am done with drawing the animal. "Done!" I say as I smile at the amazing piece of work I created.

"Wow! This look amazing!" Owen exclaims as his jaw drops. "You're so good at drawing."

I smile, "Thanks, Owen!"

All of a sudden, I hear a vibration on the bed. I pick up my phone to see my mom text me.

We need to talk so come home the text read.

"Uhm, I should really get going." I tell Owen and Aaron as I grab my bag from the floor.

"Aw, man." Owen says as a disappointed tone takes over. "I was just about to show you my Hot Wheels collection."

A soft smile beams from my lips, "Next time, okay?" he nods. I look up once more as I grab the door handle.

"Bye, Rylie." Aaron quietly says. And before I could respond, I close the door and make my way back to my house.

As I put one foot in front of the other, I get anxious. I wouldn't be surprised if I got kicked out.

I open the front door to see Mom sitting in the dining room. My journal is there.

In her hands.

"Mom." I say, my breath shakey.

Her head snaps up to me. "Ruby's taking a nap so be quiet." she sighs, "Sit down."

I do as she says and sit down. "You went through my shit." I say, my voice more stable than before. "What the fuck is wrong with you. You think I relapsed?"

Her eyebrows knit together. "Of course I went through your room, Rylie. I never know what you do now." she speaks, her voice now bitter. "So, this is how you really feel?" she gestures to the notebook in front of her.

"That was a long time ago, Mom." I tell her, "I dont feel like that anymore." I look down at my hands placed on the table. "I'm better."

"No Rylie, you're not." she remarks. "But I'm trying so hard to guide you to sobriety but you keep pushing me away!"

"Mom, I am sober. And I'm not pushing you away" I scowl at her. "You're making me push you away by constantly thinking I'm out doing drugs. How am I supposed to get better when you're continuously hovering over me and trying to make me do shit like a drug test!"

She stands up the dining table chair. "Because I am trying to look out for you!" I see tears well in her eyes. "I dont want to go through the loss of my daughter all over again, I dont want to feel like that ever again!"

I look down at my hands once more. "What about how I felt? I whisper to myself.

"Excuse me?"

"What about how I felt?" I repeat, louder this time for her to hear this time.

Mom crosses her arms. "That is so fucking selfish, Rylie." she tells me. "What you did affected everyone around you, your brother, sister, and me. Your sister and I moved to a different state all for you!" she quietly yells at me.

I stand up from my chair. "But I didn't ask you to! I never once asked you to change your lives for the benefit of me. I never cared!"

She shakes her head in defeat and looks down at her tennis shoes, seconds later she walks out of the room.

But I lied. I did care.

I do care. But all my mom does is try to prove that I'm not sober.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It's now Wednesday, the day I'm supposed to be hanging out with Zach, and I'm suprised to say that I am actually excited.

It's been a while since I've hung out with people outside of my circle.

Except for Aaron, and Grayson.

"Hey want to hang out? And maybe go to the beach?" Kasey asks me as she slings her backpack over her shoulder.

I sigh, "I can't, I'm hanging out with Zach. But can we on Friday?"

Kasey nods and smirks, "Zach? Never mind, spend the whole week with him." she nudges my shoulder, "I want you guys to get together."

I chuckle, "No, we're hanging out as friends." I emphasize friends to make it clear I'm trying to keep my peace.

But I wouldn't mind dating him.

"Rylie!" I hear a voice call out, I turn around in the crowded hallway to see Zach jogging towards us.

I smile and quickly glance at Kasey.

He comes up to me and puts his arms around my waist, lifts me up and spins me.

That was very unexpected.

"Ready to go?" he asks as he puts me back on my feet.

"Yeah," I say as I look up at him. "Bye, Kase! I'll text you later!" and with that Zach and I walk out of the school.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YAY GUYS WE HIT 400 READSSS AND IM ALMOST AT 200 FOLLOWERS ON TIKTOK LOLL ty sm for the supportttt i love alll u guys 🤭😽