PICS and IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

32. The Cry

Tess, who's sitting behind me at the class, and Milk who's hidden inside my hoodie cap that's dangling behind me are playing Hi Five during the class.

I feel the collar of my neck strangle me as Milk keeps reaching out for Tess.

I would yell at those two to cut it out if it wouldn't land me in detention.

The whole thing is partly my mistake.

I had a sleepover at Tess's place last night with Becca and had the kittens with me.

Today morning I dropped the kittens at Raylan's place. I waited until Raylan had left for school to go there, since after the fight with Frank I didn't want to be in Raylan's room unnecessarily and especially while Raylan was there.

It also meant I was late for school, so in a hurry I left my backpack in Raylan's room after dropping the kittens, only to remember it missing after reaching my car.

I ran back, picked it up and got back to the car, not realizing Milk had gone into it. And that's how I ended up in this situation.

It is extremely hard to hide a small cute animal with girls around. They all want to play with it, while I do my best a teacher doesn't find out.

By lunch time I'm exhausted. I can't leave Milk stuck inside a locker, and I can't just leave him outside somewhere where he could run off from or someone else might take him.

My friends and I look around at the cafeteria for a table when I see Raylan and his friends.

I promised myself I wouldn't needlessly interact with Raylan, but this is proving to be more difficult than I thought. I leave my tray at the table my friends and I find for us and head to Raylan's.

I'd already told him in the morning that Milk is with me. After I reach him, I take out Milk from my hoodie's cap and drop him on Raylan's lap. "I watched over him all morning. It's your turn now."

I don't wait for his response and head back to my seat. After I sit down I notice all the boys from around have congregated at Raylan's table to see the kitten.

And I thought the girls were hard to manage.

After school, I see Raylan waiting near my car. When I reach him, he hands me Milk.

"What are you doing?" I say.

"Take him home. I'm heading out with the guys," Raylan says.

"I don't want to bring him there, just take him yourself," I say reaching Milk out in my hands for Raylan to take back. But he doesn't take Milk.

"I told you I've to go. Just leave him at my place," Raylan says.

"No! I don't want to take him there, just take Milk with you," I say.

Suddenly Raylan slams the car door, startling me. "You fucking slept in my arms on the same bed and now you won't even go to my room because of that asshole?"

Stunned, I just stare at Raylan while his friends start calling for him from the school gate. "Take him home," Raylan says and goes to his friends.

Quietly I put Milk into the basket on the passenger seat and walk over to the other side and get inside the car. I turn on the engine and place my hands over the steering wheel.

But I don't drive.

What did he just say to me?

What did he just say to me?

What did he just say to me?

Sometimes Raylan says stuff to tease me or get back at me, but this one didn't seem like either. He must've heard from Tony about my fight with Frank. But... even if Raylan didn't like Frank why did he have to say it like that?

It's true. In the ship, during our Euro trip, I did sleep next to him when the ship was swaying under the weather. And I'd done it another time too at Raylan's place. I was tired. I laid down on his bed to rest. When I woke up he was there too.

Why would he bring that up? And why like this?

I start stomping my foot at the floor of the car.

Milk meows at me.

I stop and look at Milk. "Don't you dare grow up to be like him and talk to a girl like that."

Late evening, I open the front door and find the door bell ringer to be Raylan.

He begins, "Look, Ellie, I'm sorr-"

"Don't bother apologizing when I know it doesn't mean shit to you."

"I was just-"

"You know, for someone who goes around judging others, how about you take a good look at yourself first?" I say while realizing how similar I just sounded like Frank when he plied all those accusations at me. And this makes me even more angry.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Raylan says.

"Oh, you don't know? Let me show you," I say and take out my phone and start looking for the photos.

"Stop," Raylan says.

I don't stop. I tap on one of those photos and bring the screen up to his face. "Does this jolt a memory?"

"I told you she fucking kissed me, and I fucking pushed her away. What about you, you're going to continue to let Frank fuck you up?"

"I don't know!" I yell and once again the floodgate just suddenly bursts open.

"Oh, fuck," Raylan says. He reaches his hands out for me. I slap them away while continuing to cry. "Why won't you guys just give me break?" I say.

"Okay, sorry. Alright? I'm sorry. Don't cry. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you before like that, and for now too. I just... Ellie, I'm sorry. I just... I just don't want you to get hurt."

"So hurting me yourself is better?"

"No. That's not better. Ellie, I... The truth is I..."

"What did you do?" We hear a girl's voice say.

We both turn to the voice coming from at front.

Tony's older sister, Iris, is here.

End of chapter

A/N - Whenever you can, leave a feedback for the story. That helps me improve :) Bye now 👋