He's Dying to Get Inside

Raylee swung open the door with her free hand and went to step outside, but a large brown-mustard colored envelope caused her to stop in her tracks. She turned around and placed her books onto the table by the coat rack and bent down to pick it up. As she opened it, her brows met in confusion by the sight of a black composition book labeled Pouring My Heart onto Your Floor; a sheet of paper fell out as she turned the envelope over. As she scanned the page and realized it was from Alex, she shoved the paper into the book and set it down on the table, picking up her books and walking towards the school.

With each step, Ray's mind burned with curiosity.It irked her that he hadn't given up yet, she believed that if she could move on, so could he. In her mind, there was no point in fighting for someone who didn't want you... She didn't see why he didn't just call the chick from tour and leave her alone. But in the back of her mind, she knew that as soon as she get home, she wouldn't look at her home works, she wouldn't crack open a text book -- she would read that notebook from top to bottom.

Raylee found herself to be a hypocrite. Honestly.

She wanted Alex to move on more than anything in the world, yet everyday she found herself striving to find him in something. She's stare at blank piece of paper until she could picture her memories with him as photographs. Sometimes she's stare at boys with his hair in gym class and pretend that one would approach her and sweep her off of her feet. But who was she trying to kid? No one else could read her thoughts, she didn't know why she put up such a strong barrier between them.

As she stepped onto the front steps of her school, she let her curiosity of the notebook slip into her daily ponders on what lessons her teachers would be teaching. Ray made sure not to let herself think about Alex, because she knew dwelling on it would make her want to believe every word that he'd wrote to her.

~x~

"When do you think she'll call me?"

The girl twirled a strand of hair around her finger as she stared at the boy across from her at the campus' cafe, "I dunno Alex, you need to give her time to read all of that."

"How long should I give her before making another attempt?"

Lisa placed her lunch on the table and stared at him, not really knowing what to say to him. She just waited for a moment before picking her sandwich back up, hoping that he would find something else to talk about.

"Leese?"

"Before you ponder how long, my dear, how about you tell me what you're next plan is."

It was his turn to stare.

"I'll call her in a few days, after opening exams. If she tells me about the book, I'll ask her how she feels about it and all, then report to you... only what I find you need to know."

"Excuse me?" the boy snapped.

"I'm friends with her now, Lexy, she trusts me -- I cannot betray that."

"Since when do you care about betraying people?"

The slender girl narrowed her eyes, arching one of her brows at him, "Are you seriously giving me a hard time about cheating when we were together? At least I was with the same guy, and I didn't advertise my cheating to all of Dulaney!"

"Lisa-"

"Don't add that hum to your voice, you're not winning my approval over again. I'm starting to tier of you, and I am oh so tempted to tell Raylee that you are the worst piece of scum on this planet."

"I wasn't trying to offend you," he argued as the girl stood up and collected her books, "don't leave, I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry Alex, maybe one day you'll learn a lesson. You cannot always get yourself out of trouble with a pouty face or someone else's solutions, you have to fight for things... Especially the things that mean the most to you, like you claim Ray does."

He didn't say another word as she walked out of the small cafe, he ignored the few looks he was being given and grabbed his coffee and left. Alex went through the college campus without even looking up, as he approached his father's car he let out a low sigh and leaned against the driver's side door. He hated it when others were right and it wasn't in his favor; but he knew Lisa had a point. If Raylee found it within herself to be with him again, she probably wouldn't be too happy to find out nothing was his idea.

~x~

Raylee picked up the notebook as she shut the front door, she didn't stop in her father's office like usual to ask him how his day was; she went straight to her room and dropped her backpack on the chair of her desk, taking the notebook to her bed and laying down on her chest. She crossed her feet as she waved them in the air, scanning her eyes over the letter again, causing a small smile tugged at her lips. Ray opened the notebook and stared at the chicken scratch handwriting for a couple minutes before beginning to read it, knowing that the words could make it harder or easier for her to fight him off.

It wasn't until it was too dark for her to read, that the teenager placed a sticky note to mark her page and took her eyes away from the notebook. She ran her hands over her face before getting off her bed and heading down the stairs, a frown clouded her expression as she saw her mother clearing the dinning room table.

"Did I miss dinner?"

The middle aged woman looked startled, since she hadn't noticed her child walk in, "Yes dear, I figured you were studying, I didn't want to disturb you. But, there's a place in the microwave, I'll heat it up hun."

Raylee stared blankly at the silverware set up at her seat, she knew it had to be at least seven o'clock, and she hadn't even looked at her textbooks. She needed to extend the break from reading Alex's story for her, she had to admit, she thought his writing talents would only cover lyrics, but they didn't. She closed her eyes for a moment as she heard the microwave beep, she had no idea how much that boy was capable of until he tared through her life and left her with distraught emotions.

"Are you alright, you look bummed?"

The girl looked up at her father's voice and smiled, "I'm fine, daddy."

He sat down and ignored the look his wife gave him as he did so, "How was school today, razor?"

"Oh it was fine, we had a long senior assembly today," she replied, still not sure of her father's nickname for her. She couldn't decided if it was insulting or not, but she tried to believe it wasn't.

"Is it finally sinking in that high school is almost over?"

She chewed her forkful of carrots and didn't reply, from day one it felt like high school was almost over; everything was going quickly until Alex unsettled her routine. Raylee scooped up her mashed sweet potatoes and stared back as her father waited for her to reply.

"I guess it is then."

"I'm just a little out of it, I've got a lot on my brain."

"Is he bothering you again?"

She looked up at him, knowing that she should tell him the truth. But she couldn't bare to see what would happen if her father flipped out on Alex and the teenager didn't listen. "Oh no, he hasn't talked to me since I broke up with him."

"Good, because if I so much as have a suspicion that that boy is bothering you again, I will put him in his grave."

She gulped, hunching over so her curls could cover her expression until finish her meal.