Upside Down

Chapter Five

After I watched Kyle walk through the front door, I sat in front of the house and lost myself in memory. I thought of all the times I'd walked through that door. I remembered Asia and I playing under the oak tree at the edge of the yard. That tree had been the first tree that we had climbed and we gotten about five feet off the ground before we both froze and had to be helped down. I remembered my mom planting flowers in the small garden under the front window, flowers that had died when mom didn't have time to take care of them. And I remembered the last time I'd walked out of that door, holding back tears the whole time, as I clutched my stuffed animal to my chest.

I'd avoided driving past this house (my house? Kyle's house?) since I'd gotten my car. I'd never actually driven past it myself, it was always my mom or some else who did and I never looked at it was we passed it. It brought back too many memories.

Asia must know I want to avoid it though, because she never goes past it. She always simply goes out of the way and takes a different route. There is a reason she's my best friend.

When my phone suddenly started to play Asia's ringtone, I jumped and realized that the sun was making its way behind the mountains. I glanced at the clock as I raised the phone to my ear and realized I'd been in front of my house (HIS house, I corrected myself) for at least fifteen minutes.

"Hello," I said and heard my voice crack. I then became aware of the tears rolling down my cheeks and the lump in my throat.

"You are never going to believe what I am about to tell you!" Asia voiced exclaimed into my ear.

Wiping my tears off my face, I put my car into drive and pulled away. "Tell me," I demanded, in no mood for any foreplay.

"He lives in your old house!" She didn't bother to explain who he is. Even if I didn't already know this little bit of news I would know she's talking about Kyle

"Actually, I knew that," I commented in a flat voice.

"You did? How do you know?" she asked disappointment clear in her voice.

"I just dropped him off."

"What? What was he doing in your car and what were you doing dropping him off?" she questioned loudly.

"I gave him a ride home from school."

"Sweetie, school ended almost three hours ago. You have some explaining to do," she said in a demanding tone.

I sighed, "Asia, I'm really not in the mood right now. I promise I'll tell you everything tomorrow, okay?" I asked, my exhaustion seeping in through my voice.

"Sure," she agreed in a quiet voice. "You okay, Jo?" she inquired in a worried voice.

"Yeah... well... No, actually," I croaked out, my throat closing up on me again. I quickly cleared my throat, trying to force the lump to disappear. "But I need to go. I'm driving so I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye." I hung up before she said anything and threw my phone onto the passenger seat. Tears suddenly blurred my vision and I quickly pulled my car over before I crashed into anything.

I laid my head down on the steering wheel and took deep breaths, trying to clear my head. I gave up soon though, because I couldn't turn my mind off. I had too many thoughts running through my head.

My phone started to ring again and I resisted the urge to scream as I picked it up and turned it off. "Sorry, Asia," I said to myself as I tossed it onto the passenger seat again.

When my tears where controlled enough that I could see properly, I started to drive again, turning my car around and heading toward the pond.

Two minutes later, I pulled into the gas station and parked next to a pump. I quickly swiped my debit card and put the hose into the gas tank.