Seeing Stars: A Blake Gray Story

6- Facing Addison

When you get to your front door, you realize you left your book behind. It's either in the Uber or at the restaurant and you don't know if there is much point in trying to track it down either place. As you fumble for the key Addison left for you, the door swings open and an angry face waits for you inside.

Addison: "What the hell? Where have you been?"

You: "I went to a cafe for lunch. You left the credit card and said to get lunch?"

Addison: "I said to order lunch, not take off in this city by yourself! Do you know how dangerous it can be to be out here by yourself in this town?"

You: "Well you can relax because I'm back safe, Mom."

Addison: "That's not fair. Don't call me that. You could have at least left a note or answered any of the texts I sent."

You looked down at your phone and realized you had a missed text from an unknown number and walked away while she was still nagging. You shut the door to your bedroom and stared at the text.

You are typing and retyping a response that doesn't sound stupid when you hear your sister talking in the next room. You walk to the door and put your ear against it and hear your sister telling your mom about today. Just as you're about to swing it open and tell her off, you hear Addison making an excuse for why it wasn't that bad. She even lied and said that you'd asked first. Why did she lie for you? You were still mad because your mom wouldn't have known anything if Addison hadn't told her first and you knew eventually you'd be hearing from your mom about it.

Thank God Blake had found your book. You send a text back, but it's so late you don't expect a response until tomorrow. Before you can even set the phone down, it buzzes and you can't hide your smile. You turn the phone over and see it's a facetime and immediately get nervous. You sit up and fix your hair before sliding across the screen to answer.

You: "Hey I didn't wake you up answering so late did I?"

Blake: "Nah everything is late night in LA"

You: "Sorry I look like a mess. I'm still on midwest time so I was already getting ready for bed."

Blake: "Are you kidding me? You look pretty much perfect."

You can't help but blush. The awkwardness is pretty much gone but the nerves remain. He is so cute that you can't even believe how many times he's smiled at you. You have never been bold before with guys, but when he asks how he can return the book to you, you blurt out:

"You can drop it off at my house anytime you want to come."

Blake: "I could come anytime, you are only here for a little while though so you tell me and I'll be there."

You: "Want to come right now?"

The boldness in your voice shocks even you. He quickly agrees and tells you to text him the address and he'll be on the way. As soon as you hang up you start to panic about how you're going to get out of the house undetected. You peek out the bedroom door and all the lights are off but you can see her bedroom lights are still on under the crack of her door. You send her a text apologizing even though you aren't sure you should be. She had involved your mom in the first place when there was no reason to because you are 18 years old. You were hoping though that the apology would stop her from coming into your room to check on you.