Chapter 5 They Found Out

Every photo Derrick took of Tania was forwarded by Mom to the extended family group chat.

"Tania just keeps getting prettier," she commented on every single one of them.

I didn't open any of them.

My phone rang on the fourth night.

It was Tania.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Riley, why haven't you been replying? Did you bring in my dress?" She sounded annoyed. It was hard not to notice that familiar spoiled edge to her tone.

It was noisy in the background. I could hear the bustle of a restaurant and Derrick laughing.

"Where are you, anyway? There's no one home. I asked one of Derrick's friends to pick something up from our place, but he said no one answered the door."

I leaned against the corridor railing and watched the sun sink beyond the training field.

"I'm not home," I replied dryly.

"Then, where are you? Whatever, never mind. When are you going back? Can you go back tomorrow? I really need that thing," she whined.

"Tania." I cut her off. "I didn't bring in your dress. It's probably rained on by now. Also, tell Derrick's friend not to bother going over again. No one's going to answer the door."

There was silence for two full seconds before she asked, "What do you mean? Where did you go?"

I didn't answer.

"When are you coming back?"

Just then, a whistle sounded at the end of the corridor. The instructor's command to assemble carried clearly through the phone.

Tania's tone immediately changed. "What was that? Where are you, Riley?"

I lowered the phone and watched her name flash across the screen.

I hung up right after that.

She called me again in less than five seconds, but I declined the call.

Another five seconds passed before a message appeared in the family group chat. Tania had sent a message in the chat.

"Mom, Dad, I don't think Riley's home. There were some really weird sounds in the background when I called her," she wrote.

It took Mom three minutes to reply. "She's probably staying with a classmate. Don't bother with her. What time is it over there? Go to bed early."

Dad said nothing.

I stared at those words for a long time. The corner of my lips twitched as my eyes roved over her words over and over again, but it wasn't quite a smile.

'Don't bother with me, huh?' I thought.

It should be easy for them since they had been doing exactly that for 18 years.

When the assembly whistle sounded a second time, I switched off my phone and ran toward the stairs.

My combat boots struck the concrete steps, each footfall sharp and steady. My phone screen went dark behind me, taking the family group chat with it.

We were 3,000 miles apart. There, my family raised their glasses beneath the lights of Lome. Here, I stood on the training field of a military academy and began my 50th push-up.

They still had eight days left on their trip.

They had eight days before they returned home and discovered that I was no longer officially registered as part of their household.

They finally came home on the 10th day of their Europia trip. I only knew because the family group chat was bombarded with messages.

Mom sent more than a dozen voice messages, each nearly a minute long.

I didn't listen to any of them because the one line of text she typed afterward told me enough.

"Riley! Did you transfer your residency? Have you lost your mind?"

Tania immediately followed that up with, "Riley, where did you go? Mom and Dad are furious."

Derrick also chimed in, speaking in the same arrogant tone as always. "What kind of stunt are you pulling? Riley's so dramatic. Don't worry about it, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. Where could she possibly go on her own? Give her a couple of days, and she'll come crawling back once she runs out of money."