How Not to Fall In Love

Chapter 11

I could see my father's truck in the driveway when I turned onto Conley Street, and my heart began to race. I knew what awaited me the minute I opened the door, and I wasn't prepared for it. Dad knew I had tutoring after school, but that didn't change the fact he wasn't happy about me doing it. Maybe he'd be in a good mood and wouldn't start in about me being late or his dinner not being on the table when he got home. But then, I reminded myself that he missed Mom, too. 

I pulled into the driveway, staring toward the house, wishing his truck would disappear and that I would be able to walk into the house, not having to worry about being yelled at or worse. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and opened my car door. 

"Where have you been?" My dad came flying out of the house, yelling at me. "Your sister was here by herself! Well, where were you?" He kept yelling, not letting me answer. 

I reached into the car, grabbed my bookbag, and closed my car door. I went to take a step back when, all of a sudden, my body slammed against my car. 

"I asked you a question!" My father screamed at me again. 

I raised my hands, pushed myself away from my car, took a deep breath, and turned around to face my father. "I was at school tutoring another student. Can I go inside and start dinner?" 

"Your sister started dinner. At least she cares if I get fed or not." His hazel eyes burned with rage. He ran a hand through his dark hair, which had a few flecks of gray. "Go to your room." He turned and headed toward the garage. 

I hurried toward the front door and up the stairs to my room, closing my door behind me. I didn't dare lock my door because that would set him off again. I flopped my bookbag on my bed, then hopped up, propping pillows behind me. 

"Rylee, can I come in?" Jules asked through my closed door. 

"Yeah." 

"Are you okay?" She eased the door open, looking over her shoulder toward the stairs.

"I'm okay. You better get back downstairs before he catches you talking to me. Then, he'll be mad at you as well." I wiped a tear from under my eye. 

"I tried to tell him you were still at school, but he wouldn't listen to me. I don't know what's gotten into him. He was never like this when Mom was alive." She glanced over her shoulder again. "I better get back downstairs before he comes back inside. I'll bring your dinner up here." She closed the door. 

I grabbed my phone and started to text Sophie and Cole to help comfort my mind and soul. They were the only ones who knew what had been going on since Mom's been gone and have kept my secret even though they knew it was wrong. I didn't want to be separated from Jules, which was precisely what would happen. So, instead of texting them individually, when this happens, I start a group text so it would be easier for me to keep up with them. They each asked if I was all right, and I told them I was okay, and they insisted that I needed to get away from him. I knew what they were saying was true, but he would never let me take Jules with me. 

Wednesday morning was a new day, which meant that Dad was already at work, or so I thought. I got ready and walked downstairs to get breakfast when I happened to catch a glimpse of Dad's truck sitting in the driveway. I stood there for a few minutes, staring at his truck, clutching my bookbag, contemplating facing him in the kitchen or running out the door and sitting in my car until Jules came out later. The longer I stood there, the more I wanted to run out the door. 

"Rylee, is that you?" Dad hollered from the kitchen. 

I let out a huge sigh. "Yeah." 

"Are you hungry?" 

I wasn't starving but knew it would set him off if I didn't eat. So I strolled into the kitchen slowly, biding my time so I wouldn't have much time to eat. I stood in the doorway, afraid to walk in any further. He was over by the stove, flipping pancakes and turning bacon, unaware I was watching him with cautious eyes. 

He turned around, almost knocking the pancakes off the plate. "Rylee, you scared me." 

"Sorry." 

"Would you like some pancakes and bacon?" Dad motioned to the plates. 

"Do I smell pancakes?" Jules asked, easing past me and setting her things down beside her chair. She turned her head slightly, motioning her eyes toward my seat at the table. 

Against my better judgment, I set my bookbag down by my seat and grabbed plates for everyone. Unfortunately, I didn't share my sister's excitement over the pancakes. I just wanted to get out of the house and far away from him as humanly possible. I didn't like feeling this way about my father, but he left me no choice. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to get past everything he's done to me.  

Dad set our plates on the table while Jules and I got drinks for all of us. I wanted to know why he wasn't at work but didn't have the guts to ask him. Jules must have been thinking the same thing because the minute she sat down, she asked him why he wasn't at work. I kept my eyes plastered to my plate as I cut up my pancakes while waiting for him to answer. Finally, he sat down at the end of the table next to Jules and told her that he was going in late and wouldn't be home until eight or nine tonight. I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but I held it in for later when we left for school. 

"Rylee, are you going to be tutoring today after school?" Dad asked. 

I took a bite of bacon, glanced over at him, and shook my head, trying to keep my answers to a minimum. 

"Does your sister have a way home after school?" 

"Dad, my friend Evie wanted to know if I could go with her and her mom to Downtown Mall for a little bit after school?" Jules asked, not taking her eyes off her plate. 

He sat there trading glances between Jules and me. "Well, I guess I have no choice but to let you go because your sister has decided to neglect her responsibilities around here." 

And there it was, the snide remark I'd been waiting for him to make toward me, followed by a disapproving look. A look that said I'd let him down because my sister wanted to have fun with her friends. And instantly, I'd lost my appetite and just wanted to leave for school. I waited until he wasn't paying attention and nudged Jules with my elbow. She must have read my mind because she got up and grabbed our plates, telling Dad we needed to get to school. I drank my juice and took my glass over to the sink. Jules told me she'd clean up our dishes and asked if I could get her phone out of her room. I told her sure as I grabbed our bookbags and headed up the stairs to make it look like I was going to her room. I went to her room, took a couple of steps, and then walked back out as if I had grabbed her cell phone. I yelled that I was heading out to start the car when I reached the bottom of the stairs. 

Five minutes later, Jules came out the front door, jumped in the passenger seat, and told me to leave before Dad could come out. I put the car in reverse, backed slowly out of the driveway, and stepped on the gas easily until we were halfway down the road, then slammed on the gas. I couldn't put enough miles between us and the house. 

Author's Notes:

Rylee definitely has problems at home that she shouldn't have to face alone. 

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