Fair Warning

Chapter 11

It had been two months since Ryan and I had spoken at the lake when I slapped him, we hadn't made any dares or made any attempt to speak since that day. Whenever our friends hung out, one or both of us declined or we'd both be there and avoid each other.

One night I was in my bedroom listening to my parents argue downstairs, which was nothing new.  I decided to get up and have a shower instead of listening to them bickering.  After I had showered and dressed, I made my way downstairs, but stopped when I didn't hear my parents arguing.  They were talking in the living room. That can't be right, they never talk anymore, at least not at a tone that doesn't alert the neighbors.

I walked into the living room and my parents looked up at me. They were both sitting on the sofa next to each other. It was a strange sight to see considering neither of them had spoken to each other in years, other than yelling.

"What's going on?" I asked as I sat on the love seat across from them.

"Well honey, we have something to talk to you about," my mother said and I looked at her as if she was crazy. When did she start calling me honey? I'm not sure she'd ever called me a pet name before.

"Okay, what is it?" I asked impatiently.

"We're just waiting for--" my mother started but was interrupted when the front door opened and Kat walked into the living room. As usual she looked beautiful, her brown hair was cut in a bob and it suited her well. She was wearing tight jeans and her favorite purple sweater that showed off her perfect curves. 

"Hey, what's so important that I had to come home?" Kat asked, flopping herself on the love seat next to me.

"Well, since you're both here..." my mother started but stopped and looked at my father as if she couldn't find the words without him. Kat and I both looked at each other with confused looks as to why our parents were acting like they should be in the loony bin.

"Girls, you both know how hard it's been in this house for the past few years. Your mother and I have not been getting along," my father said and I chuckled, that was an understatement. My mother glared at me before turning her attention back to my father.

"What I'm trying to get at is...your mother and I are getting a divorce," my father said and I looked at both of them in stunned silence. I knew they hit a rough patch for reasons I didn't know and I wondered why they were together, but a divorce?

"Are you guys sure about this?" Kat asked, obviously able to find her words before I was.

"Yes, we've both been very unhappy for a long time and since you're both grown up, there is no need for us to be together anymore," my mother said and I glared at her. I understood that Kat was out of the house to college in a few months but I still had over two years left of high school to finish.

"Your mother is going to stay in this house and I found a townhouse on the other side of town. Hailey, you can live with your mother and visit me whenever you want. Every weekend if you want," my father added and smiled at me.

"So I don't get a choice of where I want to live?" I asked, glaring at both of my parents. I was still a child in their eyes, one that didn't get a choice or an option.

"Of course you get a choice," my father said and I shook my head and stood up.

"Well you both have decided all of this without talking to me so clearly I don't get a choice!" I cried and ran out the front door. I knew I was acting childish but I didn't care.

I got in my car and sped out of neighborhood without thinking about where I was going. I ended up at my favorite spot at the top of the mountain overlooking the city. I parked my car, got out and walked through the trees to the cliff overlooking the entire city. I wasn't sure how long I sat on the flat rock of the cliff, but I watched the sun starting to set and I knew I still didn't want to go home.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" I heard a familiar voice from behind me and I jumped a good foot off the ground. I turned so quickly I started to fall backwards but his strong arms steadied me. Once he was sure I wasn't going to fall, he sat beside me on the flat rock and looked out at the beautiful view and after another moment of staring at his perfect face, I joined his gaze, looking out at the city.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, still staring at the landscape in front of us.

"I was driving by and saw your car," Ryan answered and I looked up at him quickly. Why would that have stopped him? I was sure if he had seen me on the side of the road, he'd hit me with his car before he'd stop and talk to me. Good thing I wasn't near the road when he was driving by, I thought as I returned my gaze to the city in front of us.

We sat in comfortable silence for some time before he grabbed my hand and led me to his car, which was parked next to mine.

"I am so not getting in a car with you," I said when he opened the passenger's side door and nodded for me to get in.

He put his hand on the small of my back, leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I dare you."

"Damn you," I said and he chuckled.  I sat in the passengers seat and he closed my door before going around the car and into the drivers seat.

He started the car and drove down the mountain. I wasn't sure where he was taking me but for some reason I didn't really care because I didn't want to go home yet. Although if someone had asked me last week what I would be thinking if I got into a car with Ryan, I would have said he'd been trying to find a place to dump my body, although that could be what he's planning now.

I played with the radio until I found a song I liked and started singing quietly, almost forgetting Ryan was next to me. He started singing as well before both of us were singing along with nearly every song that came on the radio.

"So where are you taking me?" I asked and turned the radio down a little so we could talk.

"Nowhere," he answered and I looked at him.

"You know there are easier ways to kill me," I said and he laughed.

"Hailey, is that really what you think I'm going to do?" he asked and chuckled when I shrugged.

"Maybe," I answered and he shook his head, a small smile on his face.

We continued to drive around but didn't speak, although I was surprised it was a comfortable silence. When we passed a fast food restaurant my stomach growled and Ryan chuckled and turned into the drive-thru. We ordered then drove back up the mountain. When Ryan stopped he parked next to my car and we started eating.

"There's a party tonight if you want to go," he said.

"Yeah, I'm not ready to go home. Where's the party?"

"Follow me," he answered and I got out of his car and got into my car. I watched him back out of the space before I followed him.

What just happened, Ryan and I haven't even spoken in two months and even before that, we were enemies.  Why was I trusting him?