her.
He nods with an emotionless expression. He
knows I’m right. He knows that he’s let this little threesome has
gone on long enough.
And as Rosa nears the top of the steps,
silently I pray that he makes the right one.
Me.
Chapter 15
“ Love is like a mountain, hard to climb,
but once you get to the top the view is beautiful.” ~ Daniel Monroe
Tuttle ~
Outside, I pace in front of Henry’s house. I
focus on the porch swing, with its iron chains and hooks and oak
planks as the wind blows, tossing it back and forth. I think of how
many times I sat on that swing with Henry and how if Henry picks
her instead of me, it might be the last time I ever look at it.
Rosa watches me intensely. A look of worry
takes over her child-like facial features. “You’re scaring me,
Ry.”
I’m scaring myself.
Loud chatter and drunken laughter interrupts
my thinking process. I stop mid-pace as several kids from my grade
stroll across the perfectly manicured lawn to their cars. Two husky
boys, linemen from the football team straggle behind the rest of
the group and I’m careful not to make any sudden movements. They’re
talking to one another and I’m trying to eavesdrop.
“Did you hear all that noise?” I don’t
remember this boy’s name, but he has a bulging belly and a bald
head.
The second guy is slightly smaller in girth
and in height and he has thick orange hair that is sticking
up—spiked. “Man, Henry is probably giving it to her real good.”
Uncle Fester brushes passed me and raise an
eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you?” he asks orange hair. “If I had a
girlfriend that looked like Callie Banfield I know I would be.”
“I know,” orange hair replies. “Have you ever
seen how short she wears her cheerleading skirt? Ouch. Staring at
that ass gives me a toothache.”
I turn toward Rosa, staring out as her pale
face becomes a blur of white. My lips quiver. “He picked her,” I
say mechanically. Tears stream down my cheeks, drip off my chin,
and my knees buckle. Rosa is next to me in a flash and she catches
me before I fall. I bury my head in the crook of her neck. “I don’t
understand.” The words come out so hushed I can barely hear myself
say them.
Rosa embraces me tighter, smooths back my
hair, and whispers comforting words into my ears. “I know this is
probably going to be hard for you to hear right now, but it’s his
loss and if he’d rather be with someone like Callie over you, then
he doesn’t deserve you.”
I know she’s right. I’m thankful that I have
Rosa and I regret not telling her about Henry sooner. She’s so
smart and strong and that’s exactly what I need right now. I need
her strength because I’m so overwhelmed with hurt and heartbreak,
that I might consider running up to Henry’s room and asking him why
he’s doing this to me. Even if I walk in on them doing explicit
things, I don’t care. I want an explanation—no—I deserve an
explanation.
I head toward the front door and Rosa grabs
me by the arm. “No way, Ry. You’re not doing it. You’re not going
up there. I won’t let you.”
I’ve endured enough torture at Henry Garner’s
hand, a little more isn’t going to kill me or will it? “Rosa, I
have to know why.” I wipe the tears from my cheeks and more roll
down them. “I have to hear it from his lips.”
There’s no room for speculation when it comes
to love and heartbreak. It’s best to have every complication laid
out in front of you. That way there is no room for error. If Henry
tells me to my face that he picked Callie, there’s closure. Without
hearing it from him, there’s nothing.
Rosa positions herself directly in front of
me. “Riley, I’m not going to let you go up there.”
More waterworks and now my nose is running.
“Please,” I beg then sniffle.
She shakes her head and at that point, I’m so
hysterical that my whole body convulses. “You’re supposed to be my
best friend. Why do you insist on making me stay out
He nods with an emotionless expression. He
knows I’m right. He knows that he’s let this little threesome has
gone on long enough.
And as Rosa nears the top of the steps,
silently I pray that he makes the right one.
Me.
Chapter 15
“ Love is like a mountain, hard to climb,
but once you get to the top the view is beautiful.” ~ Daniel Monroe
Tuttle ~
Outside, I pace in front of Henry’s house. I
focus on the porch swing, with its iron chains and hooks and oak
planks as the wind blows, tossing it back and forth. I think of how
many times I sat on that swing with Henry and how if Henry picks
her instead of me, it might be the last time I ever look at it.
Rosa watches me intensely. A look of worry
takes over her child-like facial features. “You’re scaring me,
Ry.”
I’m scaring myself.
Loud chatter and drunken laughter interrupts
my thinking process. I stop mid-pace as several kids from my grade
stroll across the perfectly manicured lawn to their cars. Two husky
boys, linemen from the football team straggle behind the rest of
the group and I’m careful not to make any sudden movements. They’re
talking to one another and I’m trying to eavesdrop.
“Did you hear all that noise?” I don’t
remember this boy’s name, but he has a bulging belly and a bald
head.
The second guy is slightly smaller in girth
and in height and he has thick orange hair that is sticking
up—spiked. “Man, Henry is probably giving it to her real good.”
Uncle Fester brushes passed me and raise an
eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you?” he asks orange hair. “If I had a
girlfriend that looked like Callie Banfield I know I would be.”
“I know,” orange hair replies. “Have you ever
seen how short she wears her cheerleading skirt? Ouch. Staring at
that ass gives me a toothache.”
I turn toward Rosa, staring out as her pale
face becomes a blur of white. My lips quiver. “He picked her,” I
say mechanically. Tears stream down my cheeks, drip off my chin,
and my knees buckle. Rosa is next to me in a flash and she catches
me before I fall. I bury my head in the crook of her neck. “I don’t
understand.” The words come out so hushed I can barely hear myself
say them.
Rosa embraces me tighter, smooths back my
hair, and whispers comforting words into my ears. “I know this is
probably going to be hard for you to hear right now, but it’s his
loss and if he’d rather be with someone like Callie over you, then
he doesn’t deserve you.”
I know she’s right. I’m thankful that I have
Rosa and I regret not telling her about Henry sooner. She’s so
smart and strong and that’s exactly what I need right now. I need
her strength because I’m so overwhelmed with hurt and heartbreak,
that I might consider running up to Henry’s room and asking him why
he’s doing this to me. Even if I walk in on them doing explicit
things, I don’t care. I want an explanation—no—I deserve an
explanation.
I head toward the front door and Rosa grabs
me by the arm. “No way, Ry. You’re not doing it. You’re not going
up there. I won’t let you.”
I’ve endured enough torture at Henry Garner’s
hand, a little more isn’t going to kill me or will it? “Rosa, I
have to know why.” I wipe the tears from my cheeks and more roll
down them. “I have to hear it from his lips.”
There’s no room for speculation when it comes
to love and heartbreak. It’s best to have every complication laid
out in front of you. That way there is no room for error. If Henry
tells me to my face that he picked Callie, there’s closure. Without
hearing it from him, there’s nothing.
Rosa positions herself directly in front of
me. “Riley, I’m not going to let you go up there.”
More waterworks and now my nose is running.
“Please,” I beg then sniffle.
She shakes her head and at that point, I’m so
hysterical that my whole body convulses. “You’re supposed to be my
best friend. Why do you insist on making me stay out
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