I Promise

13

That evening, I write "RFT" in my notebook. Dad drove all of us home except for nana, who decided to stay and get dad comfortable in his new condo. I know she just wants to know how he's holding up, and make sure that he's actually alright.

Reason for tears: Mom's and dad's divorce, and getting my own bedroom.

I smile at what I wrote. At least I smile at the second portion. The first portion makes me feel like I am repeatedly punched in the stomach, and it sucks all the breath out of me.

I roll on my back, looking happily at the ceiling. I called Scarlett the moment I came home, and we met up and I told her everything. Well, I just told her about the divorce, not the reason. I cried, but I wasn't ashamed. She expected me too, but it didn't hide her surprise. In all our years of being friends, I have never cried in front of her once. But I've never cried in front of anyone, ever.

I was in a really good mood when I finally got home, which was at around midnight. My mom didn't scold me, but she couldn't because she was out herself. I cringe every time I think of who she's with right now.

And then, just as I was lying in bed contemplating about all the stuff that happened in a matter of days, my phone rings.

"Guess who," Matt says.

I smile. "Zeus, you learned to talk?" I ask, faking shock.

I hear laughter on the end of the line. "Okay, you got me," Matt says.

"What's up?"

"We're going on an adventure bright and early tomorrow," he says.

I groan, and I hear stifled laughter. "How early are we talking?"

I can feel Matt grinning ear to ear. "six in the morning," he says.

I begin to protest.

"Relax, beauty queen. You'll get your sleep on the ride."

"What ride?" I ask, a smile tugging at my lips.

"We're going somewhere and I'm going to pick you up tomorrow at six. You better be ready, or else I'll holler down the whole street and risk getting arrested. And then our adventure will end much too soon."

I laugh.

"Okay, you got me. But I have a feeling you won't tell me where were going," I say.

"A secret for you to find out, Rynn Connaughy. Think of it as being one step closer to uncovering the mystery of our world..."

"One Matt Redford mystery at a time," I finish.

Matt laughs, and the laughter rings on the line for a good couple minutes.

Once he hangs up and mentions that he will actually holler down the street, I tell him that I don't doubt him and shut off my phone. And then I realize I'm going on a trip with him, alone.

So I do what anyone with their right mind would do. I dial Scarlett as fast as I can.

"Didn't we just talk?" she asks. She doesn't go to sleep early, so I know she'd still be up.

"I know, but it's kind of an emergency and I'm kind of freaking out," I tell her. s

So then I explain to her the past couple days with Matt, and how he found me doing drills out on the soccer field. I don't mention the crying, or why I was out.

"So, you're going on a date," she concludes, and I snort.

"No. We're trying to find uncover the mysteries of Santa Barbra."

"Let's see. Mystery road trip, he's picking you up, and just you two. That's a date in my books."

I shrug, but then I realize she can't see. "But he didn't ask me out. It's just, a thing," I say. Even as I say it, I know it sounds lame. But no way was I going to begin assuming things.

I can almost see Scarlett's frown. "Rynn, he digs you. I could see it the moment he jogged up to your locker like it was a magnet or something," she says.

"Stop with those love metaphors," I say, and we both laugh.

"I'm not going to assume anything," I say. "It's just going to be fun, and we'll go our own ways in the end."

"Okay Rynn. But if he takes you out to dinner, it's a dead giveaway,"

"I'm going to hang up now if you don't stop making up this stuff up," I say.

"He loves you," Scarlett begins, drawling her voice. "Matt Redford likes Rynn Connaughy. Rynn and Matt, sitting in a tree...." she drawls on, so I laugh and hang up. I can almost hear her satisfied laugh along the line.

Before I go to sleep, Matt texts me, reminding me for the hundredth time when he'll be at my place, and to dress in my most stereotypical tourist attire.

Before I know it, I drift off to sleep, trying to figure out what the hell I have in my closet that looks like tourist attire.

Bear with me, this is a short chapter. But hey, it ended with a sort-of cliffhanger, right? Stay tuned for the adventure of a lifetime - believe me, it will be worth the wait. More up tomorrow!! 

Yours, 

FanaticWriter15