~Chapter 5~

I didn't get the chance to find out that day what Ryland meant when he said we both were raising ourselves. Well, actually I didn't take the chance and run because my pride took the best of me and I left his room and slammed the door. Nice exit, huh? But, I had enough of his ignorance and I was done for the day. With what felt like a concussion, seven stiches on my left shoulder, and three on my cheek I was worn out. After bickering with my childish mother, I told her not to fire Tom because it wasn't his fault. She said I would never be a model like my picture perfect eldest sister or a ballerina like one of the others now and that I could thank his gang banger son for it. She kept on going that he was scum and deserves to live in jail. I'm not sure what it was about that comment, but she made my blood boil. How could she be preaching those words to someone? And, she doesn't know him, but now that I think about it, she doesn't know me either.

So, after I had my fill of my mothers ignorance of the world, I went to my room and called my best friend Emilee. Emilee Alexandria Shooster. We met in the first grade, and both loved the Junie B. Jones book series. It was a match in heaven. Everything started from lunchables in the cafeteria then continued to middleschool and beyond. But anyways, I called Em at tenish. She said she'd come over and help me with my make up in the morning and she said she'd been sewing a new jacket for herself, but I could wear it to cover my new found stiches. Emilee loves fashion designing. She's in the honors program at Franklin and loves it. And thats why I love her partly, I get some Emilee Alexandria originals. At around elven, I had a glimer of hope somebody, cough cough Ryland, would show up, so I told Emilee the Queen Bee otherwise known as my mother, needed me and hung up the phone.

And I sat on my balcony. Looking down at the pond and pool we have never seemed so sureal to be, but it was deffinatly georgeous on ths fall night. After forty five minutes, I went to my bed angry for some reason. He didn't say he would come over. He didn't say he would call me. He didn't say he'd show up like a knight in shining armor waiting to carry me away from my witch mother. But, I was angry. And I didn't quite know why.

So I slipped on some of the best silk jammies I could find, hoping that will settle me and be gentle on my freshly stinging wounds. And I slid into my cold bed. I fell asleep after an hour of tossing. And awoke to a key twisting in the lock of my french doors to my balcony in the morning. The fresh fall air bounched off the soft pink of my walls, and the warmth it created on my black and white sheets was captivating, but Em was here of course. Bright and early. At 6:00 am. So I let her in and the soft breeze blew my shear white curtains around the room. She quickly led me into the bathroom, and turned my shower. She practically pushed me in, and told me she'd pick out my outfit. Which means I will end up looking like an extra on the set of gossip girl, but for one day it's alright.

When I got out of the shower she was placing my close onto my manequin Queen Bee had made for me. Emilee loves that thing. I offered it to her once, but we couldn't get it over the balcony. So, here it says. I told her I'd just get dressed quickly and she would do my hair and makeup. Due to the fact that her's was already done, she looked stunning. Her pale blonde hair curled and twisted into an adorable updo. Her ice blue eyes shining with what ever goo she placed on her eyes. With her dark skinny jeans tucked neatly into her patent leather boots. Along with her blazer she hand made. Charcol with pink plad. A fashion statement I predicted.

When I came out, I looked alright. Emilee loved it. A knit black highwaisted skirt, acompanied with a white drapey shaul. She quickly took my wavy brown hair, placed a posh feathered headband in the front and continued on the rest with a flat iron. She finished my hair to a perfectly straight curtain flowing over my shoulders, and continued onto my face. My pale ivory skin imperfected with stiches on my right cheek bone. Emilee did the best she could on the stiches, but we got to talking about what happended. "So, this a guy who did this to you? Is he atleast cute?" She questioned me. That got me thinking. Ryland was pretty good looking. Tall around five ten and a muscular build. With a side of wavy dark brown hair in a cut that didn't pass his eyes. Deep kelly green eyes and a few freckles danced across his tan nose.

"Yeah, he's alright." I said. "What is wrong with him. He's such an ass. I would like to do this to him." She defended. "No." I said a little sharper than expected. She quickly stoped dusting powders and potions on my face and looked at me sternly, "What do you mean no? He did this to you! And didn't you say on purpose? If he was hot, this could be over looked maybe? But, he was rude to you. You told me everything last night." Yeah I had. But did I leave out the part on them needing the money? Or him actually being kill-me-now-and-let-me-lay-in-your-arms-forever-georgeous. I must have, but I was not about to tell her now. I just said "Well, he's okay. He's pretty cute and nice on most occasions." "Stop defending him. You must love this guy or something." She spat back. Defending? Love? Wow. Not words I would of picked for Ryland. "Whatever," I began. "Can you just finish so we can get to school, I wanna stop at starbucks on the way." And she finished with in minutes. Leaving me looking like Teresa, you know Barbie's forgotten friend. She's all dolled up too with a nice outfit and everything. But, everyone notices Barbie first. Thats like my mother with my sister. I'm the second one constantly. Kierstyn, my oldest sister, must be Barbie. I think the witch is going to her latest fashion show tomorrow. Thank god.

Emilee had gotten me thinking. And at school that day I just couldn't stop wondering about Ryland. What he was doing at Evans. What he had eaten for lunch, or had he eaten at all? What was he wearing... those jeans again... Woah, wait. What was I thinking? I had begun to go mad or something. But all I knew was I couldn't wait for three thirty to roll around and me to be stepping off that bus. Looking for Ryland.