No Regrets

Chapter Sixty-Two - Stand As One

KATIE'S POV

  Today, Thursday, is when Dominick is supposed to wait for me after school and we go home together; because Mom's firm holds a big meeting once a week and Dad tries to work overtime on Thursdays and Fridays. However, when I went out to the parking lot I found Dominick's assigned parking space empty. I called his phone and no answer, there isn't a missed call or message from him or my parents. Dominick's voicemail box is full.

"Katie, is everything okay?" I hear a familiar voice ask from behind me.

   The sound of the voice sends a wave through me. I turn my head a bit to look over my shoulder, "I think my family got their dates mixed up." I say. I make the side of mouth curl up, "Everything will be fine." I turn back to face the parking lot as I stand on the sidewalk closest to the main entrance of the high school.

  "If you need a ride home, I'm sure Grace would be more than happy to drop you off." Sawyer says walking closer towards me. "She should be here soon."

   You have no other way home. I tell myself. I put on a grateful smile, "If it's not too much if an imposition, that would be great." I say. I have a lot of homework to do, the sooner I'm home the better.

"None at all." Sawyer says. A tan car pulls into the campus parking lot. "There she is." Sawyer says pointing at it.

   The car pulls up to the side of the curb and the passenger window rolls down. "Hello Katie!" Grace says cheerfully. "How are you doing?" She puts the car into park.

"I'm doing good, how are Lucy and you?" I ask.

"Doing real good." Grace says smiling. She looks over at Sawyer, "Where's Ezikel and Chris?" She asks.

"Ezikel drove himself and I think Chris caught a ride home with a friend." Sawyer answers his sister.

   Grace mumbles something, "Call Chris and check, I don't have the time to run back here if he gets left behind." She says.

"Do you have time to drop Katie off at her house?" Sawyer asks.

   Grace smiles, "Not an issue. Climb in, you'll have to excuse my messy car." She says leaning over and pushes open the passenger door. Sawyer walks over and opens it further for me, he pulls his phone from his pocket and taps on the screen a few times. He lifts it up to his ear, he shuts my door after i've gotten in and steps back onto the sidewalk.

"How's your brother doing?" Grace asks me.

"He's doing fine." I answer. "This is his last year of high school."

"Exciting, is he talking about colleges he's interested in?" Grace asks.

  "If he is, I'm not the one he's telling." I say. I can feel an awkward tension form in the car. I quickly try to defuse it by adding, "He and I are don't talk about that stuff." However, the tension doesn't seem to go away until Sawyer opens the car door moments later. "Chris will be here soon, he got held up in his last class." He says.

   Grace lets out a sigh, "He does know that Nan and Pops want our help cooking, right?" She asks. She chuckles a bit to herself, "Of course he knows, that's why he's late."

   I pull out my phone and type out a text to send to Dominick and my parents, "Caught a ride with a friend, see you when I get home. Hope everything is okay."