He's Dying to Get Inside

Raylee stared down at the ground as she walked home, like always, today she was watching her shadow to keep her mind off of how her day went. She could feel eyes on her, that wasn't anything new either, but it was the fact that they were following her. When a hand gripped her arm she rammed it back, shoving her elbow into their rib cage, a move her dad had taught her to avoid any sick person walking the streets of Baltimore.

"Raylee, why do you keep hurting me?" Alex gasped as he clutched his ribs.

"Don't talk to me," she muttered picking up her pace.

"Look, I don't know if I did something to upset you, or if Lisa did. But I'd like to apologize either way, you've been through enough."

She turned to look at him, he stopped walking and stared at her in confusion, "You want to know why I got upset, hm?" she asked shoving him in the shoulders, "I'm upset because of how stupid you are; you had a girlfriend but you just had to go and take that bet, you had to screw up Darcy's life, messing up mine and Derek's along the way! How could you be so shallow?"

"I'm sorry!" he yelled grabbing her arms, trying to keep her from swinging at him again.

"I am a wreck now, I used to have everything figured out, not a problem in the world. Then you stepped into my life, like a hurricane. What haven't you destroyed? My grades are slipping, I have no friends, I can't even look at my parents with a straight face anymore because I lied to them," she let herself go limp, "get off me."

"Raylee, listen-"

"No!" she pulled free and backed away from him, "Don't follow me or I swear I'll call the cops as soon as I get home and tell them that you tried to abuse me. So just get out of my life, don't even look at me anymore."

Alex watched her take off down the street, her backpack bouncing as she ran home. He pulled at his hair in frustration before pivoting and walking towards Rian's house. Usually he went to Jack's to talk, but no one knew Raylee better in than Rian, so that was his only hope, he needed to make things up to her somehow...

~x~

"Let's go Darcy!" her mother called from the bottom of the stairs.

The girl was still in her room, putting the last of her stuff into her bag. She put a hand over her growing stomach as she took a seat on her bed, not knowing how comfortable the one in the school would be. Her eyes shot up as she heard Derek come in through the bathroom, he took a seat next to her and put his arm around her.

"I wish you could come with me," she whispered to him, "I'm going to miss you too much."

He rubbed her arm, "The day that you call and say to get you, I'll be on my way without a hesitation. I've got enough in my bank account to lease an apartment for a couple months, everything else is going to be tough."

Darcy hugged him, but as she pulled away he pulled her face close to his, gently pressing his lips against hers. She found herself pushing him away, a sad look falling on his face as he looked at her; she turned away from him and grabbed her bag, going down the stairs to the front yard.

"Derek, come say bye to your sister," his father said walking into the bedroom.

"I just did."

The older man clenched his teeth, "As she leaves, now, downstairs."

He stood up, walking past the man he wouldn't dare call his loving father if he didn't have to, and shot down to the bottom floor. As he walked outside he saw her getting into the car, he just waved, not knowing what else to do. Darcy waved back at him, but didn't look directly at him.; from the distance, he couldn't tell.

"You won't even miss us once you get into routine," her mother said as she backed out of the driveway.

"I'll miss you," the girl lied.

"Oh I know honey, I just don't want you to worry. I'd advise you to not even look at the baby once you have it, it'll just be harder to give the child away."

"Okay mom," she muttered, watching her hometown vanish.

~x~

"Are you okay honey?"

Raylee looked up at her father, her face wet with tears that had fanned out over her cheeks as she ran him. She wrapped her arms around his torso and he held her close to him, her tears started again and he ran one of his hands over her hand and held her with the other.

"What happened?"

"Everything is falling apart, dad, I don't know what to do."

"You'll be okay, you're a strong girl; you're smart enough to do the right thing, just follow your head."

She stepped away from him, "Can you home school me?"

He laughed at her puppy dog expression and rubbed her arm before leaving the room.

"Daddy, I was serious," she said following him, "I'm sure you have a higher knowledge level than my teachers, you have so many degrees!"

"In the work force, you have to work with people; school just prepares you for that."

She sighed, "I know."

"Raylee, calm down. After you finish your homework we'll go get some fresh air, you can tell me what happened at school, alright?"

She nodded and went up to her room, tossing her backpack on the floor and laid on her bed, not intending to do any of her work. After her nap, she was going to say it was done, and then she could get everything off her chest, she knew her dad would make it better.

~x~

Alex caught the frisbee and threw it back at Rian, the boys had been at the park since school ended. Rian had been listening to every word that his friend said, but he didn't want to hurt Raylee by satisfying him with answers.

"What's her favorite flower?"

"She doesn't like flowers, she doesn't have a green thumb."

"Chocolate?"

He made a face, "Ray is allergic."

"A book-"

"Name one she hasn't read," the drummer sighed before throwing the frisbee again, "I don't get why you care so much, seriously Alex. You made a mistake, nothing new; it is bothering her now, yes, but she will move on because she doesn't care about you. Raylee did fine without you before, she doesn't need you around; and you've got Lisa, she won't make anything easy."

"I want to be a better person, I need to make up my mistakes."

"Oh no," Rian mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Alex turned around to face the direction his friend was looking, a smile spread on his face as he looked at the girl, he tossed the frisbee in her direction as she was looking down and ran towards her.