Just

Chapter 13

                There was some small talk beforehand, but not long after my lengthy explanation, we were back in the truck. My head was against the window, and sleep was sounding very tempting. I was so tired, I even let Niall play his own music, which is very hardcore rap. It’s hard to fall asleep to, but somehow I managed. Even while Niall was pathetically trying to talk along to the music.

                We were parked outside my house when I woke up, startled to find Niall’s face inches from mine. He laughed as I pushed him off, my coordination not at its best.

                “Want me to walk you up?” he asked, leaning back against the driver’s seat, watching me as I unbuckled my seat belt and began to open the car door.

                “In all honesty I don’t want to go at all.”

                “There’s no way your parents are still awake.”

                “Unless they’re waiting up for me.”

                “They’ll kill you if you go back with me.”

                “Are you sure about that?”

                “Pretty positive.”

                “How long would I be grounded for?”

                “I’m going to guess anywhere from a week to two weeks.”

                “What do I have coming up that would be bad for me to miss?”

                “Chance’s back to school barbeque thing next Saturday.”

                “Shit.”

                We’ve gotten good at weighing the risks of things. We don’t like getting in trouble, but when we do get in trouble, we like to do it for good reasons.

                “I’ll walk myself up then. You go home, babe,” I said, kissing him goodbye.

                “Love you,” he said, when I pulled away.

                “Love you too. Drive safe,” I said, stepping down from the truck and onto the grass in my front yard.

                “Heavyn?”

                I looked at him, stopping myself from closing door.

                “It’s not your fault. What happened with the baby. That wasn’t your fault,” he told me, seriously.

                And the way he stared at me so intently, made me want to believe him. Maybe one day I will. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”

                I could tell he wasn’t content with my answer, but he nodded anyway. We exchanged “I love you”s one more time, and I closed the door. He waited until I was inside my house before driving away.

                I closed the front door, turning around, where I was faced with my father.

                “You scared me,” I said, exhaling, shrugging my purse off my shoulder.

                “Did you have fun?” my dad asked, nothing in his tone giving away that he was mad.

                “Yeah. The Lightning won,” I said, walking past him. He followed me into the kitchen.