No Filter

Chapter V (5)

I walk out to my car, and as soon as I reach the door, I hear a familiar voice calling out my name, "Ally."

I turn around, dropping the keys in my hand. Before I get a clear vision, he ducks down and picks up my keys. I chuckle a little. "Sorry, I'm clumsy," I said.

He stands up straight, and I widen my eyes a little. He was skinny and tall. Super tall. "H-hi," I bat my eyes, nervous.

"Hey," he greets with a smile. He gives me the keys, and I take it and play with the chains. "How are you feeling?"

My brows furrow. "Excuse me?"

He wets his lips within a chuckle. "Last night, we talked. You said something about getting together." The more he talked, the more confuse I was. Once he takes notice of my confusion, he clears his throat. "Man, you must have been buzzed. You talked to me before your friend took you home. I'm Troy Ogletree. I'm in Calculus with you. And Advance Art. We went to the same school since Kindergarten. I came to your thirteenth birthday party."

I thought about it, but I don't remember him. "Were you the one who fell into the lake?" He shakes his head as a response. And I feel bad now. I coo lightly. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't recognize you."

He shrugs, giving me a depressed look. "Well, at least your honest," he says. He lowers his eyes, and I coo. "I think I should go before I embarrass myself even more."

He turns around, but I raise my voice, "Wait." And he stops and turns around and faces me once more. "Do you have Chemistry?" He nods his head. "My friends and I made a study session today. You can come and join us if you want."

He smiles and nods his head. "I would like that, but I can't make it. I have to work."

"Tomorrow?" I suggested.

He nods without a doubt. "Tomorrow is fine with me."

"It's a date," I said.

He waves a hand, and I wave back. As he walks into the distance, my eyes shift across from the other side of the parking lot. In between a gap of cars, my eyes connected with Liam's, whose hands were locked with Sophia's. His brows furrow in curiosity. My smile faded on that point, feeling my heart beat rising. He isn't riding back home. His girlfriend is taking him home.

I pull the handle and break our staring contest. I sit behind the wheels and turn on the engine. I adjusted my rear view mirror and see Liam still standing there in distraught. I shake my head. I back out of the lane and drive into the main street.

Less than twenty minutes, I parked in my driveway. I exit the car and enter the house. I pass the kitchen and walk up to my room. Once I set my stuff down, I walk down to the living room, where my mother sat in the rocking chair, reading a book. A blanket covered her waist and below.

Her eyes lift up a few inches, acknowledging my presence. "Hi, mija."

"Hi," I greet as I take a step forward. "Mom," I begin, "Dinah, Mila, Lauren, and Mani are sleepover today. We are studying and baking, and we will clean up after ourselves, so don't worry."

She smiles. "Okay," she says. "Your father won't be coming home until after midnight. He has an extra shift."

"Oh," I said, a little devastated, but honestly, I expected he would. He's done this a couple of time. I'm happy he's putting in the work, but I miss him. He's been gone so much that I feel like I only have my mom.

"You know your father," she says.

I nod my head. I point back to the kitchen. "I think I'm going to get things started for the sleepover."