The Safehouse

Riley

I pull into the dirt driveway and turn the engine off. Then I lean forward and rest my head against the steering wheel, listening to the old truck's fading hum as it settles down.

I close my eyes and focus on the sounds of the birds outside and the creaking of the old wind turbine in the field next to my house. I think about the garden behind my house, now abandoned and withered, and the tears that I'd been holding back for a week finally spring to my eyes. I squeeze my eyes tighter and try to clear my head, but the haunting voices come anyway. A disappointment...a good-for-nothing disappointment...

"Hey, Riley.

I jerk my head up to see Tyler Young peering at me curiously through the dirty trunk window. I smooth the tangles out of my hair, blink the tears out of my eyes, and roll down the window.

"Hey, Tyler," I say with a small forced smile. He looks good--his sandy hair shining in the fading sunlight, his neatly ironed suit blowing slightly in the breeze, his tanned hands shoved in his pockets. Tyler might be a really popular person and local heartthrob if he cared about that sort of thing, but for some strange reason he insists upon staying at the farm near mine and being my friend.

Tyler leans against the truck and squints at me. "Were you...um..." I narrow my eyes. "No, I was not crying," I say indignantly, already knowing what he was going to ask. "Honestly, Tyler Young, I'm ashamed that you think a girl with my amount of dignity would allow herself to be caught crying in public." Tyler gives me one of his trademark smirks. "No one allows themselves to be caught doing anything, Einstein," he says calmly. I roll my eyes and cluck my tongue sassily, but inwardly I'm thankful for Tyler and his distractions.

"Move," I command, gesturing to Tyler and his position against the truck. Tyler steps back obediently as I swing the truck door open and jump out.

"You look nice," Tyler comments as I brush the swirling dust off my skirt. "Thanks," I say politely without looking up at him, "you too." Tyler snorts. "Are you kidding? I'm itching to get out of this monkey suit." I finally look up at him. "Why don't you go home and change then?" I say, simply stating the obvious. Tyler's eyes become serious. "Because I wanted to talk to you." 

I can tell by the look on his face what he wants to talk about. I press my lips together and try to maintain my anger. "I've told you before, I don't want to discuss it." Tyler sighs and takes his hands out of his pockets. "Riley, it isn't good for you to--" I hold my hand to stop him. "I don't want to discuss it," I say with a sterner edge. "Look, thank you for coming to the service today, Tyler, but I've got things to do. I'll see you later." I shut the truck door, lock it, and start walking toward the house.

"Riley, c'mon, don't be like that!" Tyler calls after me, but I continue heading up the driveway, and soon I hear his footsteps going in the opposite direction.