Learning To Fall

Chapter 18

 Crystal laughed as she made Riley's mocha. "So, why the long face?"

Riley watched her. He could tell she truly didn't understand why he was so sad. "I miss you."

She hesitated for a second and stopped laughing. She finished making the salted caramel mocha (which was out of season, but Crystal brought it back because she knew Riley liked it), and stared at Riley with her large green eyes.

"I'm right here, Riley."

"But you're not. I don't know where you are."

Crystal leaned across the counter and kissed him. It was like their first kiss. He realized she was wearing a new flavor of lip balm. Watermelon, maybe.

Crystal pulled back. "Do you still think I'm not here?"

Riley considered. "What if this is just all happening inside my head?"

Crystal winked and slid his mocha across the counter to him. "Of course it is happening inside your head, Riley, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?"

"Quoting J.K. Rowling, huh?"

"Of course," she said as a Boys Like Girls song came on the radio.

"I remember what you wore on that first day. You came into my life and I though, hey, you know, this could be something." She sang along as she smiled at Riley.

Her blush looked so real.

"'Cause everything you do and words you say, you know that it all takes my breath away. And now I'm left with nothing." He sang back to her and touched her cheek. "Let's dance."

"It's kind of weird, you know?"

Riley tried to remember what Thomas was talking to him about, but he truly couldn't find his way through the fog in his mind. He could still hear Two Is Better Than One echoing in his ears.

Was he going crazy? He was still in his house. He was lying on his couch. Thomas was sitting on the recliner across from him with his feet up on the coffee table. He wasn't in Starbucks, and Crystal was still gone. 

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Riley, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?"

Was it real? Was Crystal still here?

No. She wasn't. His mind was just playing tricks on him.

He just nodded to Thomas in order to look like he had been paying attention. Thomas believed his act and kept talking. 

"I mean, I love going on vacation, but this is so sudden. Wanna come with us?"

Riley shook his head. He wasn't quite up for a vacation. "Have a good time, bro."

Thomas said his goodbyes and went home to pack. Riley went back to bed.

He woke up a few hours later, when he could see the sun setting outside his window. His room felt empty. He felt like he needed to get out of the house.

So he got up, changed into a plaid shirt and jeans, and walked around the neighborhood.He had never noticed how quiet the place could be. The houses were filled with people who were talking quietly among themselves, unwilling to come outside and breathe in the air that hinted at an early Summer.

He found himself standing outside Crystal's gate, just gazing at the lonely house in the distance. He almost didn't notice the weeded lawn and the cleared out mailbox.