The Little Mistakes (boyxboy)

Chapter 21

If ever things could go from normal to horrifically wrong in a matter of a couple days, they just had. Patrick told Phoebe about me having a boyfriend. That made her insanely mad at me. And then when I wouldn’t tell her who it was she yelled at me for a while before she just stopped talking to me altogether.

Aria wouldn’t talk to me because she was so extremely loyal to Patrick. I realized I hardly knew anything about her and I’d been around for a month now. As for Patrick, I didn’t even understand why he had to be so nosey. It was really annoying. I tried to talk to Eryn since it had been weeks since we’d last Skyped. That only resulted in a very strongly worded email response from him. It made me feel like shit.

By Friday everyone I would normally talk to were ignoring me. Even Kieran was annoyed with me. I thought that he of all people would be there for me, but no. He was upset because I’d picked hanging out with Rikert over him most days this week.

I was getting really fed up with people yelling at me, too. I didn’t know why they all felt like that was the answer. Ignoring me and reminding me how stupid I was didn’t do a damn thing but hurt my feelings and bring me down. Even my uncles were getting on my case because apparently I spent too much time in my room when I was home. But what else was I to do? Nobody but my boyfriend would freaking talk to me. It made me feel more alone than ever before.

After a particularly heated argument with Patrick on Saturday morning, I was done. If I had to sit and listen to him tell me how much he despised me and wanted me out of his house one more time, I was going to explode. It was bad enough that he nearly reduced me to tears. That was simply humiliating. And then he just laughed at me and went to his room.

I wiped at my face and heard his shower start up. I didn’t know what to do. Neither of my mates were talking to me. Phoebe would probably not even answer the phone if I tried to call her. And...that was it. Those were the only people I had to talk to. None of them cared.

I thought about Rikert. I was dying to go see him. I knew he was usually busy with his parents, but I needed someone to talk to. He was my boyfriend. I needed to see him--to have him console me because without that I’d be a blubbering mess. Much like I already was.

Without bothering to stop and think rationally, I crept upstairs and snatched Patrick’s car keys off of the hook by the garage door. My uncles were nowhere in sight. I sniffled again and brushed the tears away from my eyes. I was glad to see the garage door was already open, so I quickly got into Patrick’s shiny car and started it. Within seconds, I was driving away.

I was lucky that by now, I knew exactly where I was going. I may not know how to get everywhere, but I knew the way to Rikert’s house by heart. I didn’t even dwell on the fact that driving here was probably against the law. And I ignored the thought that I would be in so much trouble when I got home. I was simply determined to see Rikert.

It took me ten minutes to get there. I parked the car, collected myself, and went up to the front door. I knocked on it nervously. I was starting to feel a little guilty that I hadn’t called Rikert first to ask if this was okay. It made my heart beat faster because I didn’t know what the outcome of this little trip would be. What if he was doing something important?

I waited for a minute before the front door swung open. I saw a tall, well-manicured woman standing right in front of me. I was instantly intimidated by her and I had no idea why. Maybe it was the look of contempt on her face.

“What?” she asked sharply.

“I-is Rikert home?” I asked, stumbling over myself.

She studied me with calculating eyes for a few seconds. “One second.” The woman shut the door, but left it open a tiny crack. I could hear voices inside the house. “Rikert!” she yelled irritably. I heard quick footsteps on the cherry hardwood floor. “Why the hell is somebody at the door for you?”