Picture of Riley (Luke Bylik) on the side!
I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath; this was it.
Anxiously wringing my hands, I fidgeted on the hard leather seat just outside the boarding terminal.
Just a little over two and a half hours until it was time for me to go home.
Guess I shouldn’t be too bothered by the wait time, I had come last minute and a seat miraculously opened up.
Maybe my luck was finally turning around.
My eyes quickly flickered to my watch; 9:42.
I had time. Sighing, my eyes lids slowly fluttered closed as I leaned my head back on the seat and thought about the last hour.
“Erin please reconsider,” Riley begged as he pulled my luggage out of the trunk of his car, “Think about it first.”
I smiled softly, I couldn’t let them sway my decision regardless of the pain.
“Riley, I wouldn’t have let you come along if I knew you were going to be like this-”
“If you’re leaving, I’m coming too,” he insisted and there was no doubt in the sincerity that rang in his voice.
“Don’t kill yourself for me,” I scoffed lightly, “Riley this is your life. Live it. Don’t throw it all away cause of a mistake I made.”
“Erin shut up and listen! Please don’t leave!” Savannah sniffed as she wiped her runny nose, “You can’t!”
I laughed, trying to keep things light.
“This is what I need,” I explained as we all walked into the airport, “And its not like I’m moving across the country or anything. I’m simply going home.”
Drake anxiously eyed the floor and I rubbed his shoulder.
“Drake?”
“Uh yeah?”
“Thank you for taking the time to listen to me and my explanation. Means a lot that you’ve forgiven me despite all the awful things that happened. I appreciate it.”
Drake’s cheeks immediately darkened as he nervously ran a hand through his tousled bronze locks, “Yeah no problem Erin. Bummed we couldn’t get to know each other better.”
I bit my lip, fighting tears.
No, stay strong. You will not cry in front of them!
“You should check in now,” Adam suggested quietly, his eyes flickering over to the desk, “You have quite a long waiting time cause you’re a last minute flight so you know- check in so we can wait with you and stuff-”
I shook my head and grabbed my luggage's handle, “Yeah don’t worry. You guys should leave now.”
“Already?” Riley’s voice was small, like a child’s.
I nodded again, “Yeah, I think it’s best if you leave now.”
Savannah’s breath hitched up, “Is there anything we can do to change your mind?”
I smiled softly, “Deeds done Savannah.”
Everyone looked uncomfortably down at their shoes and I let out a loud sigh.
“Thanks for everything guys.”
Savannah choked up and leaned over to tightly embrace me, steady tears lightly trickling down her cheeks.
YOU ARE READING
Act like a LADY, Think like a BOSS
Teen FictionImagine lying to your entire school. Imagine being someone you're not. Imagine risking it all for someone you love. Erin Burkley loses her beloved older brother, Trevor, to terminal leukemia in late August. Prior to his death, Trevor, and his best f...
