Bradford.

20. Fireworks.

Chapter 20: Fireworks.

"That's not part of the rules?" I say, yelling at Tobias.

We're playing Monopoly and he won't stop cheating.

"Hey, no fair." Riley yells as Tobias snatches his rent money from her hands.

"It's the rule of Monopoly, Riley. Get used to it." Tobias tells her and she sticks out her tongue at him.

"Can you guys stop bickering?" I yell at them as Ginger climbs on my lap.

"No." Riley says, rolling her eyes at me.

My phone rings in my purse and I pull it out.

It's Zachary.

"Stop trying to reach me." I say as I bring the phone to my ear.

"Then stop answering." He says, chuckling.

Asshole.

"What do you want?" I ask him.

"A date. Just one date, Valarie." He presses.

"Why are you so bent on taking me on a date? Look, there's no us anymore. We're strangers now." I tell him.

"Then just go on a date with me. After that I promise I'll disappear." He says, anxious for my answer.

"Fine. Pick me up tonight at eight. Don't be late." I tell him before I hang up.

"Was that Amir?" Tobias asks me.

"No...it was Zachary." I reply and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"It's not like that, it's just one date. What could possibly happen on one date?" I ask him.

"You'd be surprised." Tobias says, leaning back in his chair..

I roll my eyes at him before I head to his kitchen to get a glass of water.

***

It's 8:54pm and Zachary is a no show.

"Maybe he forgot." Riley says, sipping her coffee.

"I don't even give a fuck." I tell her. Throwing my purse on my bed and taking off my shoes.

"Maybe you should-" Riley is cut off by my ringtone.

I grab my phone and the name on the screen aggravates me.

"Who is it?" Riley asks, sitting straighter on her bed.

"It's him." I say, still staring at my phone screen.

"Answer it." She yells at me.

"He's probably calling me to cancel." I tell her.

"You don't know that. Answer the goddamn phone." Riley says, scowling at me.

"No." I say, dropping my phone on my bed.

Riley jumps off her bed, spilling her cup of coffee in the process, and grabs my phone and answers the call.

"Hey Zachary." I hear her say with a soft voice.

"Don't talk to him. What the hell are you doing?" I whisper, trying to pry my phone out of her hand.

"Mhm. She'll be right out." She says and I sigh.

He's here.

"No problem, thanks." Riley says before she hangs up.

"What did he say?" I ask her.

"You didn't pick up the phone, so you don't deserve to know. Wear your shoes, he's waiting for you downstairs." She tells me and I roll my eyes at her.

I wear my shoes and pick up my purse from my bed. Collecting my phone from Riley, I stare daggers at her.