For Rylie

Chapter 17

No, we couldn't go to that dinner. 

I didn't want to, but at the same time I was dying to find out what the bitch wanted to say. 

And, if I went, I could yell at her for being a bitch. Say everything I had wanted to when I was up in my room, crying because she wasn't standing up for me. 

Fat. Ugly. Four eyes. Freckle face. 

I shook my head as if it would shake the thoughts out too, and looked at Charlie expectantly. 

She was the oldest and she looked like she was considering it. 

"Can," she paused, scratching the back of her neck. "Can we bring someone for moral support?"

Oooh that was a good idea! Except, I wasn't exactly talking to Max right now....

But then again, no one else would be able to handle a situation like that like he does. 

Dad's strained laugh echoed through the empty house. "Do whatever you want. If you think it will piss Jade off more than do whatever you can!"

I know he was just saying this because he knew we all had a hard time, but it was a nice gesture I guess. 

My dad had blamed himself for years after she left, for not seeing how miserable we were and how much of a bitch she was. He hated not knowing and I still think he blames himself. 

Poor Dad...

"Well, I'm going with Adam," Charlie shrugged, a frown on her face.

Kye looked at me expectantly. "I don't know. If I don't crack and kill Max I'll take him so I don't snap and murder her."

"Should I be worried about all this killing people?" Dad asked, fake concerned. 

It made us laugh at least. 

"No, I don't ever follow through," I said. "Or do I?"

Kye and Dad laughed and it was clear Charlie was off in La La Land in her head. 

"Kye?" I asked, looking at my stressed, tired little brother. 

He sighed and nodded. "I'll come too. But you can't stop me if I throw the bite size main course at her stupid face."

I smiled. "I'll join you."

Dad said he had to go take a few calls for work so we were left in the kitchen, but soon decided to move it outside to my shed. 

I sat down at my piano while Kye and Charlie sat on the couch. 

I started playing Stay With Me, unconciously smiling at the memory of the phone conversation with Max. 

"What did she say to you?" Kye suddenly asked, him and Charlie dragging the couch to face the piano so we could have a proper conversation. 

"You must have been surprised," Charlie added, looking at me sympathetically. 

"To say the least," I replied to Charlie, then got prepared to tell the story. "Okay, so I just got home from paintball and stuff and I saw her car in the driveway. Obviously I didn't know it was hers so I walked in and literally dropped my bag and keys. She was sitting at the counter and Dad was yelling at her, but she was just tapping her fingers on the bench and pretending to listen."

Charlie and Kye rolled their eyes simultaneously and I nodded in agreement. 

"Then she saw me and commented on my bitten nails, and I had my mouth hanging open and she said 'it's not very attractive to have your mouth gaping open like that sweetie'."

"What happened then?" Kye asked as I poked at a few more keys, struggling to stay in time. 

"I left," I simply shrugged and he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no shit. But what happened with Max?"

Charlie smiled proudly at our younger brother and ruffled his hair. "Ah you know all the important questions, Kye!"

"We just met up at the park and I cried and we talked and we got lollies, that we didn't end up eating actually, then went back to his house, had dinner, played cards, watched a movie and went to bed," I rushed, not wanting any questions that I knew were going to come. 

"Details Ry! Jeez," Charlie flipped her light brown hair over her shoulder and crossed her leg over the other. 

"There are no details!" I protested and after a five minute argument, I finally convinced them that there were no details. 

After that, Kye and Charlie went back inside to do their own thing, and when I heard the door to the shed open after so long, I thought it was one of them. 

"Hey." Max ran a hand through his hair with a guilty expression on his face. 

I stopped playing and looked at him questioningly. 

"I-I just wanted to say I'm really s-sorry for being a jerk at lunch," he looked down at his shoes then back up to me, his green eyes captivating.

I smiled involuntarily at his sincerity. "You should be."

After a moment of enjoying his guilty expression, I laughed, not wanting him to feel too bad. 

"Am I forgiven?" He asked, walking over to sit on the couch. 

I frowned as if I were thinking about it, but the smile still danced on the corners of my lips. "If you come to dinner with me, Kye, Charlie, her boyfriend and my mother tomorrow evening so I don't have to do it by myself?"

Max tilted his head to the side like a confused puppy dog, looking just as adorable as one too. "Okaaay."

"Cool! Thanks. Now can you get out of here? I want to play," I said dismissively, trying not to think about how his lips felt on mine, or how his hand sent electricity pulsing through my veins this morning, or how every time he pinched my nose or nudged me with his elbow I involuntarily smled. 

He laughed and shook his head. "No, your dad actually asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. So you're kind of stuck with me."

I looked back at my piano and started to play, effectively ignoring him. 

I had to keep myself from gazing over at him because if I did...

Well, I doubt we would be 'just friends' anymore. 

Then a brilliant idea popped into my head. 

I needed to get payback for this afternoon, with him kissing me and all. 

So I just had to think of something better, more extravagant, that could have me win once and for all. 

And I had the perfect idea.