According to Plan

Chapter 28

   No words could explain that feeling of landing on home soil. Billy and I stepped out of the airport with him tugging our luggage behind him. Honestly, my first impulse was to find the nearest heat source, or anything that could cause a potential fire, and burn that wig to hades. But I figured it would come in handy some day, so I tucked it away.

   "Portland, I'm home!" I shrieked and spun around gleefully.

   "Hey," Billy teased, "cool it, miss. I don't think anyone's more excited to be back than I am. I can finally get back to my gaming."

   He whistled for a taxi.

   I laughed and nudged him in the shoulder, "Billy Fisher, after all this time, you're still concerned about beating level 4 on Halo?"

   He shrugged and I grabbed onto his arm, "that's what I love about you."

   At first, I had asked the taxi to take me home to see my family, but then I realized everyone returns home from Omaha tomorrow, so I had a day to kill.

   "160 Burrington Street, please," I told the driver.

   He pulled up to Leah Bromwell's house. Billy paid the man and I bolted it out of the cab grabbing my suitcase in a hurry.

   "I don't know why you're in such a rush," Billy replied, all slack and laidback, "you don't even know if she's home."

   I rolled my eyes, Billy's pessimism towards Leah was really starting to erk me, "Billy we told her August 25th we'd be back. So I'm pretty sure she'd be here."

   Hmm, maybe there's even a Welcome Home party awaiting out arrival.

  I squeeled and scurried to her door, wrapping on it impatiently.

   Ana Bromwell, Leah's mom, opened the door curiously, "oh, Stella hun, it's been so long!"

   "Hi Ana!" I smiled big, "Leah's here, right?  Billy and I are just stoked to see her."

   We looked over at Billy, who completely suggested otherwise. He was leaning against their fence, not even bothering to come any closer. I shot him a death glare.

   "Leah's not in, hun."

   I frowned, "what?"

   She smiled, her blue eyes caressing mine lovingly, "oh don't be upset. You know Leah, she's always running after some new boy."

   "So... she's with him right now.." I hoped so badly she would say no, and that I completely misunderstood her, and that my bestfriend wasn't what Billy said she was all along.

   Ana nodded, "they left the house together earlier, he's quite the looker too, such a handsome face that boy has."

   I tried to fake a smile, but failed epically, "thanks anyway, Ana."

   Billy walked up, staring at me.

   "Alright," I rolled my eyes, "go ahead and say it. Go ahead and rub it in."

   I kept running over excuses in my head for Leah; like maybe she thought I said the 5th instead of the 25th. Or maybe this new guy of hers had a seisure and she had to rush him to the hospital, or maybe...

   Aw, who am I kidding? There's no justifiable reason!

   He simply placed an arm around me, "how 'bout I call my dad and he'll come pick us up, and we'll go home, and my mom will make us a nice 'welcome home' bowl of soup?"

   I looked up at him, tearing up, but not crying. I guess being a guy has caught up with me and the tears just didn't flow, "really?"

   He winked, "I'll even throw in 'The Titanic' for you, I know how much you love that. And you're staying over at my place tonight, Stells, we wouldn't want you to be at home in that big house all by yourself, now would we?"

   I wrapped my arms around Billy Fisher, "I love you so much, you know that? You're the best friend ever."

   "I know," he teased.