The girl in the Striped Dress

17.

I stood in front of Ryan's door. I rang the doorbell and sighed. The door opened and I was met with a shirtless Ryan with gray sweatpants. My breath hitched as I scanned his body. I cleared my throat as I shoved past him. "You didn't need to do that you know." I said. "It was a huge mess!" Ryan exclaimed behind me.

"But still, I could have payed for it at least." I said. "I guess I owe you one."

Ryan gave me a mischievous smile and I instantly regret saying that I owed him. "Let's go to my room." He suggested.

I laughed nervously and moved back. "Ryan you're nice and all but I don't really want to take that step yet." I said as I continued to move back. "No. Not that. I actually started to stop- wait, did you say yet." Ryan said.

"That doesn't mean anything." I denied. "Are you blushing?" He asked as he pinched my cheek. "No, I'm not." I said as I tried to hide my face with my hands.

"I think that means something." Ryan said trying to move my hands.

"What?" I hugged myself with both my arms.

Ryan gave me a playful smile. "You, Harper Henders, has a crush on me."

I froze. Do I? His eyes dugg into mine as I felt a tingling sensation erupt in my body. I think I do.

"No I don't." I denied. "Well, I do." He replied. I blushed even harder than before. "You're adorable, you know that right." Ryan flirted as he grabbed my waist.

"Woah, woah, woah." I said taking his hands off me. I instantly snapped back into reality. "Stop trying to get into my pants."

"So I can't?" He joked. I gave him a death look. "Okay, okay." He said putting his hands in surrender. "But I swear, I'm not trying to get in your pants Harper. I actually like you."

"I actually like you." Those words dugg deep into my mind as a stared at him. "Oh." I replied.

He rubbed his neck. "I'm being honest."

I laughed. "Whatever Ryan."

"Ever since your mom's death, you've acted like this." Ryan snapped at me."

"What-" I was confused. Acting like what?

"I never really payed attention to it. Your brother really never told me anything about your mom. So I chose not to ask." He finished.

"Oh shut up. It's not my fault my brother never told you we had a dead mom. It could have been obvious, everyone's personality had changed except of my little sister's." I snapped back.

"Just get over it. Let it go. Get over your mom's death. It happened, now it's time to let go." Ryan took my hands and squeezed them.

Ryan had a playful smirk on his face. Did he just tell me to let it go? Did he just tell me to let go of my mom's death? Who the hell does he think he is?

I lifted my right hand and started to mentally aim at his cheek but then put it down. I scoffed.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Telling me to 'let go' of my mom's death. You don't know how it feels. You don't know how it feels like being too attached to someone that when they're gone, you don't know how to live your life. She wasn't only my mom, she was my best friend Ryan, my best friend.

"I promised her I wouldn't forget her. I promised her that I'll still keep her close in my heart. My mom has a special place there. And I know my mom is waiting for me up there. When it comes to loving my mom, I never let no one come my way." I grabbed my phone as I made my way to the front door.

"Wait, Harper I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger you like this. I just wanted you to see that I really, honestly, like you." He said as he grabbed my arm.

"Well how about you, 'let it go'?" I snarled. "I'll never like a guy like you anyway. You might have an STD or something." I slammed the door and made my way to my brother's car.

• • •

"Can you pass the hot sauce?" My dad asked me. "Sure." I said as I started to put my fork down until Hunter leaned against me grabbing the hot sauce instead. "Get off of me!" I managed to snap as I pushed him off. "Okay gosh." He said giving dad the hot sauce.

"So, kids, I'll be working on a serious case, and it's in California." My dad said as he opened the hot sauce bottle.

"Oh that's cool. I've always wanted to go to California." I said. Hunter and Sophie both nodded and mumbled in agreement.

My dad gave us a weak smile. "You guys won't be able to come." My dad blurt out. I sighed. Of course, we are never allowed to come. It makes no sense, we're not short on the money at all. But I guess we're an embarrassment to him.

"Well since you're going to California, I was wondering if I could go to Florida with Cole." Hunter said too casually. I snorted. "You have to stay here with your sister." My dad responded. "Dad it's fine. I'm not gonna do anything anyway. Me and Sophie would have some girl time for once." I said.

My dad put on his thinking face as he drunk from his orange soda which earned giggles from Sophie. "Okay I guess. How long is this trip?" My dad agreed as Hunter threw a fist in the air. "It's just Friday afternoon to Monday. We have no school on Monday because staff development." Hunter explained.

"Can we go see Bubble Friends?" Sophie asked and I automatically groaned.

Bubble Friends is this band for toddlers that teaches valuable life lessons and stuff like that.

"They're not even in town." I said giving her a smile. "But they're in the next town over." Hunter said smirking.

"Yay!" Sophie yelled as I pinched the hell out of Hunter.

•••••••

Sorry guys I couldn't update that often as usual. School just opened and I get extremely busy.
And not only that, I had to take the Catholic High school Entrance exam. So I had to study for that test and I had multiple school work after that.

But it's starting to settle down now, so updates will now be every Thursday.
I love all of you guys who are reading this book and actually took the time to read this section.

-Sarah