broken trust | k. o'reilly [ON HOLD]

[ eight ]

Kyle doesn't come in with me this time. I make sure he doesn't come in with me this time. I don't want him coming in with me. I quickly shower and change into my pajamas. I go through my phone. It's about eleven when I get a text from Marina.

10:49 pm
marina: hey. sorry for the late text. still on for tomorrow for you to come over and help plan troy's birthday?

10:51 pm
rylee: of course! tell me a time and give me your address and i'll be there

She texts me her address and tells me that any time after one will work because Roderick is taking Troy out for a bit. Marina also warns me and says that Kyle, Adam, and Bobby are coming over for dinner. It's a thing they do most Friday nights. They have pizza night at someone's house. She told me I can stay if I wanted but it's up to me. I told her I'd think about it then fell asleep watching the last few episodes of the Cecil Hotel thing that Kyle and I were watching this morning.

***

My head is pounding when I wake up at a little past eleven in the morning. I stretch out and check my phone. I have texts and missed calls from Dakota and Shotzi. I text both back to let them both know that I got home okay last night.

I get up and decide to make an omelet and drink some water to get rid of this hangover before I go out. I take meds and eventually take a warm shower. I dress in a comfortable outfit. That outfit is a white high-low button-down shirt and black leggings. I wear black and white Converse sneakers and tie my hair up in a messy bun. I grab my phone, charger, wallet, and car keys before leaving my apartment at 12:30 to head to the Strong house.

It takes about 45 minutes to get there. There is one car in the driveway so I assume Roddy went out with Troy already. I gather my things after parking and turning off my car. I get out and lock the doors before heading up to the front door of the house. I knock three times then wait.

Marina answers the door seconds later. "Hey," she says. "Nice to see you. Come on in. I have a computer and papers set up in the dining room to write down notes and ideas or whatever."

I walk inside and look around. It's a cozy two-story home. Just big enough for a family of three and some guests. Marina closes the door behind me and we walk into the dining room. She sits in front of her computer and I sit adjacent to her.

"I was thinking about the party for a little bit and I came up with like simple things," Marina says. "A party at a house or at a park so the kids can run around and let out some energy, especially after cake and everything."

Those aren't bad ideas but a few more pop into my head. "There are also bowling allies or you can go to a trampoline park. I don't know if there are any trampoline parks around here but it wouldn't be a bad idea to look around."

She says, "Oh, I like the trampoline park. Would we have to go by the hour?"

I shrug and say, "I don't know. Something we should look into."

So, we spend the next few hours going through different trampoline parks in the Orlando area. We go through pricing and possible headcount. We also talk about possibly having a street party since there might be so many kids coming to this party.

At a quarter to four, Roderick comes back with Troy. Troy immediately runs to Marina and says, "Hi, mommy."

"Hey, buddy," Marina says. "Can you say hi to my friend Rylee?"

Troy looks at me and mumbles a little "hi" before hiding his face in Marina's shoulder. I smile and hear footsteps behind me. Roderick appears in the living room, where Marina and I sit. "Hey, Rylee," Roderick says. "How are you?"