Crazy Beautiful

We left Palm Springs and were currently on the road driving back home. I was excited to go back home. I hadn’t talked to Brian at all the entire week and half. He had left seventy voice mails and over a hundred text messages. I wasn’t trying to hurt him or show him what his distance was doing to me, but I needed to do it for myself. I hadn’t been single since I was fifteen and I was just taking this time to determine where I would like to be in my life.
I was sitting in the back seat next to a passed out Leana. She had been up all night at some club with Lacey. They were both drooling on each other and I laughed as I took a couple of pictures and sending them to Johnny and Jimmy.

“They may jump you once they see what you did.” Gena warned me from the passenger seat

I shrugged, “I’ve done worse to the boys.” I admit and she turns wanting to hear some of my stories.

Gena missed a lot of the younger things we had done because she didn’t meet Zack until they were older. She could be seen as blessed, but we were all crazier when we were younger. I would usually get in fights with girls who cheated on my boys. I would give the ugliest girls Brian’s number saying how he wanted to hook up in secret. I spiked jimmy’s water with liquor at least ten times in high school. I had cut a chunk of Zack’s hair off once at a party.

I explained about the time Jimmy jumped off a roof and broke his ankle all because I asked him what would he do for a Klondike Bar. I had gotten in so much trouble for that sort of thing by my mother. My father just shook his head and told me I’d fall in love with one of those boys. When I was fourteen I snuck out with the help of Zack and my dad caught us all tangled in a mess in my yard. He gave us a stern talk before allowing me to go.

I then told her about the time when I was sixteen and how I almost hit Brian with my car and how he tried drowning me in the lake. She laughs and says that Brian and I were meant to be. She reminded me of my dad and how he’d laugh at our bickering saying we’d be the perfect married couple.

“Have we ever met your dad?” She asks

“My dad died a while back,” I explain to her and she bites her lip

“I’m really sorry Riley.” She says sweetly and I shrug before looking out the window

I stare out at the scenery and think about all the ways my dad was an amazing father to me. He saved me from my mother and her cold ways. Her taught me to play rough and yet managed to teach me how to dance gracefully. He showed me how to play guitar and told me one day I’d love Brian Haner from down the street. I smiled a halfhearted smile. The pain was much to bear, but thinking about my father made me feel better when I felt alone.

The car pulls to a stop waking me from the sleep I had fallen into as the ride had carried on the basic chatter and music. I yawned widely and looked at where we were. I was at my house since I was apparently the first stop on the way. I collect my bags and head in towards my house. I felt ready to finally talk things out to Brian. We were in this for the long haul. We promised each other that when we were hardly seventeen.

“Brian I’m home,” I call out after walking into my home and placing my bags down on the floor by the door.

“You’re early,” Brian comments at the same time as Michelle walks down the stair case pulling her shirt down.

My mouth drops open and they both stare at me Brian has a horrified expression while Michelle carries that god awful smirk. I feel as if all the wind has been knocked out of me and I want to fall to my knees. I had truly caught Brian red handed with Michelle. I couldn’t breathe and felt like I was going to have a panic attack. I blink my tears away before my sadness quickly fades to anger. I glare at the man I thought I loved and told Michelle she could have him. I wasn’t going to settle for a cheater. My father didn’t tell me I’d fall for a heart breaker.

Brian calls out for me to stop but I just tell him I hate him and turn on my heel. I wasn’t going to hear another line come from that boy’s mouth. I wasn’t seventeen. I was a grown adult and I wouldn’t be a naïve girl that believed everything some man told her. Brian would never be the man she needed and she was ready to face life without him this time around.

“Goodbye.” I said not even looking at him

I grab my bag and quickly head towards my car and buckle myself in before heading over to Matt and Val’s place. Michelle wasn’t very welcomed there right now and Val had been there through things before. I’d maybe spend a night there before finding my own place. I didn’t need to be put through this pain. I’ll be strong because life goes on. I would have to get my things from Brian’s place later. I’d probably ask Val and Leana for some of their help with that.