Abby Ryan has her whole life planned out, up until graduation that is. As a journalism student at the University of Southern Washington, she has one goal in mind for her last semester of senior year: secure a scholarship for graduate school. But whe...
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I glance down at the time on my dash as I pull into my neighborhood.
It's five minutes past eleven, and I'm running late. Ryan didn't waste any time setting up a date for us to do the interview. After comparing our schedules, we decided to meet at my place since one of her roommates hosted a study group at her apartment this morning. Glancing into the rearview mirror, I spot my mom's red Honda Civic following behind me, and I can just barely make out her and Olivia's silhouettes.
I hadn't planned to go out to breakfast with them this morning, especially since I usually crash after my morning workout if I don't have class, but when I woke up to a FaceTime call from Liv, who was walking into Over Easy, my favorite diner just down the road, it didn't take much persuading to get me to join them. I would have made it back in time if it wasn't for my mom's uncanny ability to make friends with everyone she meets. After picking up the bill, I was seconds away from sliding out of the booth and heading back to the house to meet Abby before my mom delved into an entire conversation with the waitress about her daughter, who also attends USW.
Abby texted me while they were mid-conversation to tell me she was here for the interview, and I quickly apologized that I wasn't back yet and told her to feel free to wait inside for me.
That was ten minutes ago.
I tried to excuse myself politely, but my mom insisted that she needed to get her Tupperware back from when I took leftovers home on Thanksgiving. And after I'd forgotten to bring it home to her for the past two months, she figured she might as well get it now while she's near campus. As I pull into the driveway, I spot the black Jetta parked out front. Glancing around the driveway, all three of my roommates' cars are also here. Well, two cars and one motorcycle.
Mom and Olivia are out of the car and walking up the driveway by the time I lock my truck, and I remind them again that I have a school project to work on, so they can't stay too long. My mom waves me off, and Olivia ignores me as she blanches at the shiny black Audi R8 sitting in the driveway.
"Whose car is that?"
I had a similar reaction when McConnell pulled up on move-in day. It's probably worth more than my parent's house, but since his dad owns a multimillion-dollar finance company, he was gifted the sports car on his sixteenth birthday.
"McConnell's," I say, pushing open the front door and standing back so they can walk in before me. I glance absently at the couch where all three of my roommates are sitting, their eyes glued to the flat screen as the sound of an automatic gun firing in quick succession fills the room.
"Behind you." Micah's voice echoes through the room and a new round of gunshots fires. I glance into the kitchen but frown at the empty room.
Where would she be if she's not in here or in the living room? A flush sounds from the bathroom down the hall, and I relax a little. So they didn't scare her away then.
