로그인RIVERThe outing with Lana and Elise is for noon, but I can't help but get out of bed at the crack of dawn.“God curse my stupid habits,” I murmured to myself as I slipped out of bed to get water from the kitchen.By the time I got home last night, the lights in Taylor’s room were switched off. I was not sure if he was sleeping already since I heard a quiet noise from in there, but I knew he was trying to avoid me.I was grateful since it was a bit icky for me to face him now, not after how far I had gone to humiliate both of us.My eyes caught a shiny pack sitting on the counter; I moved to it and picked it up. My eyes scanned the handwritten sticky note stuck on it.I am sorry you had to lie like that yesterday. Take this as a peace offering, and I hope we can go back to being friends and not be awkward around each other. PS: the snack isn't poisoned, maybe not (smiley face emoji) - Taylor.I stared at his handwriting; for some reason, I did not expect his handwriting to look this g
RIVER“What was what?” I asked with a shrug, ready to disappear to my room.“All of that?”“Should I have kept quiet while she called me all sorts of names?” I asked, passing by him. The memory of what had just happened was haunting my mind. I tried to act as if it meant nothing when I knew I was probably going to toss and turn all day trying to make good sense of it.“No, but…”“Oh, I know how to deal with bullies a lot,” I added in case he was wondering how I managed to fight her off. “I also hope you will talk to her so she does not show up here like that again.”“I promise to take care of that,” he said, and before my fingers could connect with the door, the doorbell rang again. This time, Taylor got it, and it was the delivery guy. I paid, and he left.“Why don’t you set the plates while I clean up the mess at the door?” He asked, setting down the paper bag onto the table and turning away with a broom and a washrag. I set the table, and he came back later.The meal was awkward, a
RIVERThe doorbell rings, and I get up, walking over. The food must be here, and Taylor takes it as his cue to get plates out. After I suggested we have breakfast, we stayed on the couch in silence as we both stared at the image moving on the television screen.I could not even remember what the show was about, but we both sat there watching as if we were comfortable.“I will get the plates.” Taylor’s voice finally broke the silence as I pulled the door open.“How…” My words stopped in my throat when I realised that instead of the breakfast delivery guy standing outside. Vanessa is staring at me with her hair in a bun on the top of her head.Her eyes widened as the bag in her hand dropped to the ground, the contents of the bag spilling against the ground, soup spilling out.“You! Why are you here?” She muttered, her voice barely getting out of her throat.“Vanessa?” Taylor’s voice broke the intense stare between us. “What are you doing here?”“I should be asking this slut the same thi
TAYLORThe smell of smoke that filled the atmosphere and woke me up, and by the time I was standing in the kitchen. River is over the stove, fire extinguisher in hand and smoke is filling the entire house.I coughed as I tried to stand, the thick air filling the entire room; it was more of a wonder how the fire alarm had not been triggered. Many questions played on my mind, but I just wanted to make sure that she was okay and not hurt by whatever had happened here.“River?”She turned to me, eyes widened as she shook her head, almost as if she had been framed. She moved gently as if she was afraid the fire might start again if she made a mistake. She dropped the extinguisher onto the table and straightened her back.“I have no idea how that happened; it just…”“Happened?” I finished for her when she trailed off, and she nodded.“I was making pancakes and suddenly there was fire in the pan and smoke and then everything was just…” She stopped again.She looked like she had gone through
TAYLOR“Vanessa?” I called, and her head whipped to me, a smile climbing her face.Her face was red, and it was obvious that she had been drinking and was heavily drunk. She flipped her hair from her face, but it fell back every time.She pouted and let out some air from her mouth before rolling her eyes angrily. She pushed herself off the car and tried to stand straight but kept on swaying from side to side.“Taylor,” she slurred and tried to move towards me, her legs getting tangled in each other. “There you are! “I have been waiting for a long time,” she added, picking each word gently.“What are you doing here?” I tried to try and see if River was still in place, but there was no one there. I sighed and focused on the drunk girl standing in front of me.“Vanessa?” I snapped my fingers in her face when she just stayed staring at me as if that was the response to my question.“I am here to see you.” Her tone was too light. I sighed as she continued to sway from side to side until sh
RIVER“Stop him from coming? Why would I do that?” She asked, and I cleared my throat. “Are you saying you haven’t told your father about Taylor?” she added in a hushed whisper.“I do not know how he is going to react,” I murmured, and she sighed.“I will see what I can do, but I suggest that you speak to him before then because I have no reason to keep him here.”“Thank you, Aunt G!”“I haven’t done anything yet; don’t you think you should hold off on singing my praise?” She finished, and I sighed. The call cut off after a series of back-and-forth goodbyes.“Hi,” I murmured as I slipped back beside Taylor. He looked up at me, and my eyes caught the already melted ice cream beside me. “That’s a waste now,” I murmured, taking it up and getting ready to trash it.“Shall we?” He asked, standing up, and his hands pointed at me. I stared at it as if taking his hand was going to change the course of my life.“Of course.” I took his hand, and when he pulled me up, our faces almost met. I gul