Mystery Loves Company

Chapter 16 - File #3.8: The Rant and Rave

Avery

At 4.23 in the afternoon, it was time to call it a day. I have a physics experiment to do, a report to write, a bunch of homeworks to do, and a teacher and a principal to convince. The barista, whom later I knew as Kyle, reminded Rhett how sensitive their professor was this morning. They were given another assignment, due Tuesday, as in four days from now. It seemed like Rhett wasn't as panicked as Kyle—either he was sure he would finish it fast, or he just didn't give a damn about it.

After giving him what turned out to be Paul's phone number, I decided to go home. I was going to take the bus, but he offered a ride. He felt fully responsible for taking me here, and the least he could do—besides the deal we made—was to take me back. I told him to drop me at my school because I would meet my mother there.

That wasn't true, of course.

It hadn't even been a week since I first met him, and I already almost got arrested twice because of him. He made me run around a park. He went to my school with false information. He made me memorize a police report that we obtained illegally. We were literally 'partner in crime'—emphasize on crime.

Even though he realized that I didn't always look genuinely interested at what we had been doing, he seemed to trust me. He didn't hesitate to spill anything to me, a stranger who just knew him for only four days. He had nothing to hide anymore because I had read his notebook, which was practically his whole life. He felt like I was a part of him now. He trusted me.

I just couldn't do the same yet. Not with fear still occupied the half of my body.

***

I was about to open the front door when I heard my Mom's car approaching. Alex got out first. He walked with his backpack strapped on, jacket on his right shoulder, and most noticeably, a big frown on his face. "I hate everyone," he stated, even before I asked what happened.

"Come on, Honey. They're not that bad." Mom took out a bag of grocery from the car's backseat and some tree props that were probably for Alex's drama performance. "Avery, are you just gonna stand there and let me bring all of this by myself?"

"S-sorry," I rushed to the car and took the grocery bag from her.

"You just got back?" She asked.

"Um..." I wasn't ready for this question because I thought they would go home much later. "I went to a friend's house after school for the physics project."

"A friend's house? A friend's house?" Mom was so surprised that she repeated the same sentence. She paused for a brief second. "Are you not feeling well, Honey?"

Of course, she would react like that. Both Mom and Alex knew I didn't like to socialize because they were not on the same level as I was. 'Great minds think alike', but theirs were not great... You could put two and two together.

"Mom, I just went to my friend's house, not getting involved in a crime or something," I gave an awkward chuckle. Oh, the irony. She probably would get a heart attack if she knew the truth.

"Just open the freaking door!" Alex groaned as he stomped his foot on the ground.

Confounded, I glanced at Mom who quickly took out her keys. "Bad day?"

"You have no idea," she said, and then opened the door. Alex was already running to his room and slammed the door. "Since he didn't want to participate in the performance, his teacher asked him to be her assistant. It means, he had the privilege to manage everything under Mrs. Rory's supervision. But, you know, kids... They didn't like to be controlled by their own friend."