The Life of Carissa Mann

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3:

The rest of the week went by in a blur. I hung out with Rachel in all my classes and at lunch. Sometimes Ryan and his friends would join us at lunch, but that only happened like twice. I never got a call from Callie that week, but then I didn't notice it that much because Rachel always had me doing something and I was usually exhausted by the end of the day.

Friday rolled along and by no time it was time for lunch. "So Rachel, what are we doing today after school? My mom said we could hangout." I said to her as we were sitting down. "Well, I was wondering if you would want to stay the night. We could have so much fun! I asked my mom and she said it was fine. Ryan can drive us to the movies if we want to go since neither of us have a car yet. It doesn't matter to me." she said. "Okay, I will ask my mom. Let me call her." I said, smiling. I pulled out my phone and called Mom. 

"Hey, sweetie. Is everything alright?" she asked. I could hear the concern in her voice. "Everything is great! But I was wondering, can I stay at my friend Rachel's house tonight? You already said I could hangout with her after school." I said to her. Hope filled my voice as I asked. I really wanted her to say yes.

"I don't care sweetie." she said. "Yay! Thank you so much Mom. I love you!" I said so glad she said I could say. "Hey, Ryan can take us to your house to get your stuff and then take us to my house if you want, okay?" Rachel said. She figured from my happiness that my mom said yes. 

"Okay. Hey Mom?"   "Yeah?"  "Rachel said her brother can drive us to the house after school and get my stuff and then take us to their house. Is that okay? You won't have to pick me up after school." I said. "Yeah, sure. See you when you get here. I'll call the school and tell them your going home with Rachel. I love you."  "Love you too. Bye." I said to her and hung up.

I jumped up from my seat and gave Rachel a big hug. We squealed and giggled and jumped up and down like little girls. Ryan walked over to us a minute later and said, "What the hell are y'all doing? Why are you so happy?"  "Carissa gets to stay the night!" Rachel said. The excitement evident in her voice. "You have to take us to her house to get her stuff after school and then take us home." she explained.

He looked at us like we were out of our minds. "And what makes you think I would do that?" he asked. "Mom said that if Carissa's mom said she could stay the night that you have to takes us to the places we want to go. She would take us, but she's busy tonight. If you think you have a choice talk to Mom about that." Rachel then pulled me off of the bench, because the bell had went off. "See you later." she called to Ryan while walking us through the doors.

 ******

At the end of the school day Rachel and I walked to Ryan's car. "We're ready." Rachel told Ryan. "So how do I get to your house?" Ryan said to me, ignoring Rachel. "Um, its on Maple Avenue. The house is number 309." I said. I had to give it some thought. I mean, I'm still not sure where everything in this town is yet. Not even my own house. "Hey! We just live one street over! How cool is that?" Rachel practically screamed. I had a huge smile on my face. That was awesome.

When Ryan pulled up to my house I jumped out of the car and told them both to come on. I pulled out my key and unlocked the door. "Hey Mom?"   "Yes?"   "I'm here with Rachel and her brother."

My  mom came out from the kitchen looking like she just had a food fight with flour. "Mom, did you have a food fight with cookie ingredients?" She just laughed at me and went to greet Rachel and Ryan. "Hello! Sorry, I must look like a mess. I'm Lisa." She said looking from Ryan to Rachel.

"It's okay. I'm Rachel." She said to my mom. "And you are?" Mom said looking at Ryan. Ryan looked kind of nervous under Mom's stare. I pointed this out to Rachel and we tried to contain our giggles. It didn't work very well because Mom ended up turning to me and glaring.

Ryan was glaring at Rachel and then said, "I'm Ryan, Rachel's brother."   "Well, it's nice to meet you both."   I pulled Rachel up the stairs to my bedroom and I started to pack my overnight bag.

When I was done, we went back down the stair to say goodbye to my mom. She was talking to Ryan and I new he was kind of uncomfortable. I laughed and cut Mom off by giving her a hug.

"Bye Mom. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you!" I say and start to head out the door dragging Rachel and pushing Ryan out the door. "Okay Carissa. Behave and have fun. I love you too." she says just before I'm out the door.

We walk to Ryan's car and get in. He starts the car and we're off.

*****

When we get to Rachel's house I look it up and down. It's a nice and welcoming two-story white house. I notice several rose bushes and flowers planted outside.

"So, does your mom like gardening?" I ask Rachel. "Yea. She absolutely loves it. I help her occasionally. Sometimes she goes overboard on it though." Rachel says with laugh. I laugh with her knowing exactly what she means. "Yeah, I know what you mean. My mom is exactly the same way. She loves gardening too." I tell her, smiling as I think of all the times Mom has gone overboard and crazy.

When we reach the door Ryan takes out his key and unlocks the door. When the door is opened Rachel pulls me up the stairs and into a room down the hallway.

I look around the room and take in all the pink.  It's not bad, considering I don't like pink to well. It's light pinks and meshes together well. "I so need to redecorate my room. Will you help me sometime?" Rachel practically begs me. "Of course, it does need it," I say giving her my honest opinion. She playfully glares at me and plops onto her bed.

I take a seat next to her and say, "So what are the plans for tonight?"  "I'm not sure since Ryan has to take us wherever we want to go. Probably something that we can all agree on and have his friends tag along if that's okay with you." I nod my head, "Yeah, that's fine." She nods her head absentmindedly, looking deep in thought. "There's several popular places we could go, do you care where we go?" I shake my head no. "Okay, I'll talk to Ryan and see where him and his friends want to go. Come on!" she says pulling me off the bed and bounding out the door.

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