Reasons

Chapter 8

Rylie's POV

I kept replaying the events that had happened. Everything seemed to flash before my eyes. My father doubled over; Harry trying to explain himself; me telling him to stay away from me. It hurt more than I had expected.

My mom knocked on my door and walked in. She pulled me into her arms. "I told you so," she whispered in my ear. I knew she would say this. I knew she would accuse me. I still wasn't sure if I was ready to even talk about it with Gemma. The idea to meet her at the mall was still hanging in the air. I could do it. My mom left a bowl of soup by my night table and left me to do whatever.

I took this time to text Gemma. She still needed to talk about the "important" thing she had mentioned. She agreed to meet me at the mall.

I fixed my hair back to the way it had been before I fell asleep in Harry's bed. It didn't feel like only two hours ago. So much happened in the last few hours than my entire life.

"Honey? Where are you going?" my mom whispered. She was sitting next to my father, holding an icepack to his bruising face. She looked so worried.

I tucked my hair away from my face. "I am going to meet Gemma," I say truthfully. Lying wasn't the best option right now.

My mom opens her mouth to object, but my father speaks before she does. "Let her go." I was both shocked and pleased.

I stopped at my car and opened it. I was already inside when I noticed that my car was here. When? My dad hasn't left the house and my mom has been with him, tending to his bruises. The only person who would know where my car even was, was Harry. There was a note in the passenger seat.

"I'm sorry Rylie. I messed up. I picked your car up as soon as you left. I'm not trying to buy your forgiveness. I just assumed you would want it. But hey I am saying sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. Your...father did that. He started it. Okay well I should stop now before I write things I shouldn't."

I reread the note two more times before I finally folded it. I stuffed it into my pocket. I drove toward the mall, unrolling my window halfway there. It is getting way too stuffy in this car. My phone rang a few times, but I refused to answer. I was still trying to recover from what happened.

I parked in a space at the mall. I locked my car before walking inside. Gemma was sitting on the bench waiting for me.

"Took you long enough," she muttered, standing. She didn't seem mad, she just looked stressed out. I totally understood. We sat down at a table in the food court. We were going to talk and then get something to eat afterward. "So that important thing I was talking to you about...," she began, taking in a deep breath. "Harry and I are visiting the beach in a few weeks. I know you are homeschooled and all, but we wanted you to join us. Well I wanted you to join us. Harry is...undecided."

It pulled at my heart strings. I would have thought, since Harry liked me like he claimed he did, that he wouldn't have a second thought.

"But after what happened tonight, I wasn't sure if you would agree. You can avoid Harry, if you don't want to be near him. Before you judge Harry, though, your not...father hit him first," Gemma continues.

I pick at my fingernails under the table. "What did you say? 'Not father?'" I repeat. For the most part, I had forgiven Harry about what happened. However, now that Gemma knows the truth, I am beginning to grow upset again.

"Sorry, Harry told me...," she whispered. She looked sad. She must've meant to keep that a secret. "He didn't mean to tell me. He was just pissed."

I couldn't help but forgive Harry for the slip up. It has been a long day. I can't even think straight. My head was beginning to ache and I felt nauseated. This conversation wasn't going to go anywhere if I kept worrying about Harry hurting my parents.