Her way ✧ (Richie White)

8.

Richie and I woke up in each other's arms, fingertips touching. The breeze from the incomplete window made me shiver. He kissed along my goosebumped skin (not the type that one gets in the cold, but the type one gets when touched) stroked my hair, and covered me with his shirt.

"Last night was amazing," he smiled goofily.

"I wish it didn't have to end."

"Yeah me too," he pecked my lips before rolling over and searching for his watch. "What time is it?" I yawned, stretching out. "Nine-thirty" he answered calmly. "Shit!" I jumped up and scrambled around, throwing my clothes on.

"What's wrong?" Richie asked. "My parents would've noticed I was gone and we're late for school," I fussed, almost toppling over to pull my jeans up. Richie stopped me by grabbing my arms. "Relax, let's skip today" he urged.

I contemplated it, and since we were already late I gave in. "Fine, but only today," I replied. "Let's meet back here in a couple of hours," we hugged, kissed and said goodbye before going our separate ways.

It didn't take me long to reach home on my skateboard. I snuck in quietly through the backdoor but froze when I heard my parents' voices from the living room. "Where the hell is she?" Dad demanded. "I don't know hun, maybe she's at school already?" Mom responded.

"Don't bullshit me, Rita. When my daughter isn't in her bed at seven in the morning there's something seriously wrong!" Dad fumed. I cursed under my breath, I hoped they would've been at work by now. I hid in the kitchen eavesdropping in bitter silence.

The sound of the phone slamming made me flinch. "The darn school aren't answering my calls. Our bosses will be wondering where we are" his voice raised. "Samuel calm down. Let's drive to work before we get fired. We'll talk to her when she's home and if she doesn't show" Mom almost choked on her words "We'll call the police."

I heard the car keys rattling before they left. I gave it a few minutes to make sure they weren't coming back before making my way upstairs to shower. I felt bad because it wasn't my intention to hurt my parents but that wasn't going to stop me from having fun with my friends.

A couple of hours later I met Richie at the condo. I told him about my parents and he comforted me. "They're acting overdramatic" he rolled his eyes and held my hand "You're fine, baby."

We walked around the community, dodging any cop cars and keeping to backstreets. We decided to stop by a supermarket to buy some candy when we bumped into the last person we expected to see, Judy White.

She wore hippie clothes that complimented her slim figure and perfume that smelled ever so pleasant. "Richard?" She glanced at him, then did a double take "What're you doing out of school?"

"Adrien's not feeling well so we're searching for medicine" he nudged my rib and I faked coughing into my arm. Judy knew too well and broke into a lighthearted smile. "I find that hard to believe. Why are you really out of school?" She questioned.

"We were late this morning and decided to skip," I admitted. I waited for Judy to discipline us, but she never did. "Well, since you're here you can carry the grocery bags" she handed one each to us. "Yes ma'am" Richie grinned. Judy's laid-back attitude was far from how my parents would react if they knew.

Richie and I spent the day following Judy around as she ran errands. It was around four pm when she invited me over for dinner, and I accepted. She drove us back to their apartment complex which appeared newly built. I followed them up two flights of stairs to their apartment.

"We're home Simon" Richie called out. His younger brother ran into his arms as Richie spun him around, causing Simon to squeal excitedly. Judy thanked the babysitter, paying her the money before the old lady left.