TROUBLE
The rest of the day was unforgettable. I enjoyed every single ride, water rides with my friends. I didn’t get bored for a single second. I always think my life is awesome but now I feel like my old life is nothing compared to this. It looks like Edgewood high gives me some kind of luck. I don’t feel like an Introvert too. When did I become an extrovert? I won’t have believed it if someone tells this to me from the future.
” It’s almost Eight. How can time pass like this?” Pearl laughed and tossed her wet hair back. She was the one who doesn’t want to leave the water rides.
” Today’s the best day ever. I didn’t even look at my watch until now,” I told her as we all walked our way back to the entrance.
” You don’t even have your watch, Em? Where did you keep it?” she asked.
” Oh, right, I gave it to Ryder before entering the water rides.” I turned back to see him talking with Jason.
” Where’s my watch…” Before I could finish my sentence, he gave it to me. He has been wearing mine all this time.
” We are going to take the bus to go home.”
” Who’s coming with us?” Dylan and Fred said, getting everyone’s attention.
” I already booked a taxi. Won’t you say it earlier?” Jason said, as made a call on his phone.
” I only thought of it now. Anyways, who’s coming?” Dylan asked looking at Ryder.
” I guess I’m not coming. Do you want to go with him, Emily?” Ryder asked me even though he knows the answer.
” Nope. What about you, Pearl?” I turned my head towards her.
” I think I will go with Dylan and Fred. In fact, both our house is nearby,” she said.
I gave her a ‘When did you get his house address?’ look. She hesitated and she gave a ‘tell you later’ look. I like this Best friend’s sign language. We reached the road and the three of them went on the opposite side to get a bus.
” Where’s the taxi? I’m tired.” I impatiently asked Jason. I’m capable of waiting for the taxi but I don’t know when I will fall asleep. I get sleepy after a long day. Everybody does, right?
” You wanted this, Milly. No Ferrari. No Lamborghini.” Jason reminded me.
” Right. But it’s kinda difficult to wait.” I admitted.
” I will carry you if you let me,” Ryder whispered in my ear.
” In front of all the people? It will be embarrassing.” I whispered back.
” No, it will be romantic.” He said, as his breath tickled my ear. The next minute, a taxi stopped in front of us. Finally! We got inside it. Just like on the bus, I caught in between them.
” Do you know we got some unfinished homework?” I remained both of them as tomorrow’s Monday.
” I don’t care. Maybe, he will be panicked.” Ryder said, mentioning about Jason.
” I don’t. We still have time. I guess we have to do it at the last minute.” Jason said, running a hand over his hair. His hair almost got dry after the swim.
” Yeah, But I got extra works too. I need to finish my work and tutor you,” I said, shifting my look back at Ryder.
” You? Tutoring him?” Jason questioned me.
” She’s been teaching me for a week. It’s my mom’s request.” Ryder lied in the first sentence. I only taught him one day and gone earlier due to that gossip issues.
” Oh,” that’s all he replied. So, what should I talk about next? I don’t like silence.
” So, can you both come to my home this Wednesday? It’s my birthday. Pearl’s coming too. I may invite Dylan and Jacob if they are interested.”
” You don’t need to ask me twice. I already bought a present.” Ryder replied. That’s a shock. It looks like my eighteenth birthday is gonna be something special.
” Hmm… mine is still yet to arrive,” Jason said.
” Wow, I didn’t expect a gift but thanks to both of you in advance,” I said feeling grateful. I only got gifts from my mom and dad. Since I left Paris, I won’t be getting any gifts from my dad. That’s sad. But I know he will do anything to not disappoint me.
” It’s nothing. Your eighteenth birthday needs to be fabulous. I will make sure it does.” Jason said smiling at me. Then I don’t want to talk about any other thing as I’m already tired. I looked at the view from the window. The sky is dark and the climate is a little cold. Slowly, my eyes closed without warning. I don’t remember anything until I heard loud voices. I want to open my eyes but feeling too lazy to do it. We should have reached home now, right? I thought to myself and brought some energy to open my eyes. I realized my face is buried in Jason’s chest as his arms wrapped around me. Instead of getting up, I started listening to the conversation which woke me up.
” What the hell is happening, Ryder? Is it your habit to bring any trouble to wherever you are going?” Jason shouted at him.
“It’s not my fault. You are too careless that you didn’t notice the problem when you booked a taxi?” Ryder shouted back.
” How can this be my fault? You are having many connections with criminals, which lead us to this situation. Well, I forget to mention that you itself a criminal.” Jason snapped. I have no idea what’s going on here?
” Can you both shut up for a minute? You know what Patrick wants, Ryder? You can’t escape from him forever. You took someone’s life and made him drown in misery. You can’t get away with that?” I heard another harsh voice. What the heck is happening? Ryder won’t kill anyone. He’s not that bad. Is that why he went to prison? I got up to look at the third person who talked now. It’s the driver.
” What’s happening here?” I asked no one in particular. I sounded panicked. My hands started to tremble when I looked at the watch. It’s almost eleven but I didn’t reach my home.
” I can get away with it or maybe I can do another murder too?” Ryder replied, taking a gun from nowhere. Is he carrying it with him all this time? I don’t feel like we are high school students anymore. Something goes wrong when everything feels alright.
” What are you doing, Ryder?” I asked in fear when Ryder pointed the gun at the driver. I don’t want to see any death or want Ryder to end in prison.
There’s no fear in the driver’s face or his movement. He’s calm like he didn’t spot the gun in Ryder’s house.
” She deserves an answer before she dies, Ryder? How long are you planning to hide your life? She can’t die in curiosity.” he said with a smirk. Patrick tried to kidnap me once. Now, are they planning to kill me? This is so bad. It seems like I may die at my Eighteenth birthday or even today. Please, don’t think like that, Emily? I told myself and realized I’m close to tears.
” Goddamn, do it, Ryder. You already did it before. We are already far away from our home.” Jason urged him. Why Jason’s taking his side?
” Let’s see who dies today?” Ryder silently whispered as he aimed the gun straight at the driver.