A Second Chance

15

We pulled up in my driveway and it was weird not having my car there. Whenever Ryan took me home, my car has been sitting on the concrete, outside my house.

"Thank you, Ryan." I spoke, picking up my bag. I didn't have any outside lights on, the whole area only light up by Ryan's headlights and they beamed off my house back in to the car.

"Harper, I told you," Ryan started, turning to me, "You don't have to thank me."

I was digging through my bag, trying to find my keys. I wanted to roll my eyes but I suppressed it and took a deep breathe instead and smiled. "I know." I muttered in to my bag, a frown deepening on my face. "Come on."

I got out off the car and leaned back in, turning the interior light on, helping myself to it before emptying my bag.

"What's wrong?"

I groaned as I took out my wallet and phone, still searching for my keys.

"I can't find my house keys." I told him. I pulled out a set of keys to reveal my car keys.

"Wouldn't they be on your car keys?"

I shook my head. "No. Because my house keys have so many keys on the rings, I didn't put them with my house keys." I said in a sarcastic manner that was aimed at myself. I had keys for the back door, front door, two separate keys for the screen doors, keys for the screen windows, keys for the laundry that sat right next to the house, keys for padlocks and also for the shed in the back yard.

My car keys consisted of two keys. One that unlocks the car, the fob and the other for the ignition. That was it.

I emptied the contents of my bag, the tissues, the paperwork and small notes and receipts, the container of mints and gum. Everything, except for my panty liners. But my house keys weren't there.

"Fuuuuudge." I whispered, running a hand over my face. Did I even pick up my keys off the hook this afternoon?

"I came home, unlocked the door, put my keys on the hook and got ready for work." I tried to think what I did with my keys. "Or maybe I left them on the table next to my bag..." I bit down on my lip, trying to think. "No, I definitely had them when I left."

I didn't pay attention to Ryan as my face was in a deep scowl, trying to recall what I did with my keys.

"I had them." I remembered, telling Ryan.

"Maybe you dropped them?"

"Maybe. But either way, I have no way of getting inside my damn house."

*

With a defeated sigh, I went back home with Ryan. He offered a spare room and by the time I managed to lay down in the bed, it was eleven thirty at night. Well past my bed time.

I was embarrassed and mortified at myself because I only had what I wore and it is uncomfortable sleeping in a bra and button up blouse. I've done it before, drunk, woke up hungover, about seven years ago.

I actually had the wires from the bra poke me and one busted, a couple buttons from my blouse popped. I had marks on my skin from my bra and pants, telling me I wore them too long because they were also a size too small.

So Ryan had shown me to the spare room, and went to his, returning with a shirt for me. It was a basic black t-shirt, with the famous white Nike tick on it.

So now I was in bed, staring at the ceiling, in my panties and a shirt that's not mine.

I've lost my house keys and my real estate won't be open till Tuesday if I don't find them by then.