An Accidental Murder

Chapter 23

"Ryan, come get me right now," I said into my cell phone as I walked down the street in tears. What had I just done? How could I have made things any worse?

"What's wrong, Amber?" Ryan asked, sounding only partially concerned. "You sound like you're crying, are you crying?"

"Can you just come get me please? What is it with you people and asking so many freaking questions?"

"Whoa! I'm walking out to my car right now, chill."

"I'm not at home, so you'll have to pick me up down the block."

"Wait, what?"

"Just pick me up at the corner of Owen and Black."

"Amber, what are you doing?"

"For Pete's sake, Ryan just please! I'm hanging up now." I hung up just as the phone started ringing. It was my Dad. I wasn't answering it. Things were spiraling out of control way too fast. I was reeling from how I'd just spoken to my parents. I didn't know who I was any more. I knew that I'd have to face them, but not now. I'd have to fix this rift before they left, unless they decided to stay home, which would really suck - for me and for them.

I paced back and forth at the corner waiting for what seemed like an eternity before Ryan's silver Audi S5 finally pulled up. He rolled down the window, took one look at me, and instantly ordered me into the car.

"Do you want to tell me what the heck is going on?" He demanded.

"Drive, Ryan. We can talk on the way."

"Fantastic," he mumbled sarcastically. "Where would you like me to take you, your highness?"

"Can you just stop it with the crap right now?" I asked .

He shifted back into park, unbuckled his seatbelt, and turned to face me. "You're asking me to stop the crap? You've been the one acting like a lunatic for the past week, not me. You've been the one crying at the drop of a dime, not me. You called and I came, but I'm not going to keep putting up with your shit for much longer, Amber. You either move on and get it together, or I'm turning you in myself."

My face flushed with anger. "Are you really starting that again, Ryan? I just had to fend off an assault by my meddling parents and their nonstop interrogation. I don't need to get it from you too."

"Can you just tell me what is happening?"

"Stop acting like you care and take me to Cassie's house, please. Thank you."

We drove the rest of the way in silence. I'd say that I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I knew exactly what my problem was. I was falling apart. It was just too hard to deal with hiding everything from my parents. They knew me so well. If I could manage to steer clear of them until they left, I'd be able to cope, but that was proving far more challenging than I'd anticipated.

As we pulled into the driveway at Cassie's house, Ryan reached out for my hand. "I love you, Amber Reign," he said.

I couldn't force myself to say it back, mostly because I wasn't sure that I believed him or even if I still loved him anymore. I felt like everyone in the world was against me and I was slowly suffocating under the pressure of being something I wasn't anymore.

I forced a smile and asked him to come back and pick me up for the frat party at eight. As I sauntered up the steps to Cassie's house, I prayed that I could maintain my composure and hoped that for the night things might be like they used to be.

"Oh...my...gosh, Amber!" Cassie blurted out as she flung open the door. "What on Earth happened to you?! You look like you just got slammed by a bus!"

"Thank you, Cassie." I replied with a sardonic tone. "I'm fine."

"Well, come in," she said, pulling me into the foyer and closing the door. "There's no way I'll let you go to the frat party looking like that! Where's your outfit? Did you bring any of your stuff?"

"I left in a bit of a hurry this morning and forgot."

"I got your back, girl. You know you can borrow anything you want of mine. Come on, let's get you prettied up!"

The other girls were all excited to see me, which helped my mood immensely. Jessica was a basketcase trying on outfit after outfit and applying, and reapplying makeup. She was really taking her husband search a little too seriously, I thought with a smirk.

"What about this one?" she asked, frantically smoothing out a really tight dress.

I glanced at Hailey and gave a subtle headshake. Cassie, who stood behind me trying to curl my hair, bit her lip and caught my eye in the mirror. No one wanted to say anything about the fact that the dress was too tight because Jessica had recently put on some weight.

"Hello!? Seriously, is that a no?" She asked again.

"I think I liked the black one you tried earlier better," Hails told her before lowering her head to hide her chuckle.

I laughed, "me too."

"What's so funny?" Jessica asked, staring me down with her raised eyebrow.

I grabbed a rice krispie treat off the dresser and took a big bite so I wouldn't have to talk. "Nuffins funny," I snorted, trying to keep my food in my mouth.

"Come on guys, this is serious! How am I ever going to get Chad Haas to notice me if I don't give him something to look at?"

"Chad Haas?" Cassie asked.

"OMG that's who you're going for?" Hailey asked, shocked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Jessica replied in a haughty manner. "And he will be mine by the end of the night." With that she flashed her perfect white teeth and disappeared into the bathroom like a vampire in the night.