Across the Railroad Tracks

Chapter 5

The bell rang and I looked at the two of them. I looked at Riley and he seemed worried. I gave them a closed mouth smile.

“Sure. I’ll call my grandma and let her know.” I saw relief on Riley’s face. Jane handed me her phone and I called my grandma.

“Matt I said stop calling me! You can’t come over!” My grandma yelled over the phone.

“Grandma…It’s Lilly.”

“Oh sorry honey! Matt’s been using his friends phones to call me since I blocked his number. Anyway what do you need?”

“I was wondering if I can go over to Riley’s?”

“Riley’s the boy right?” I sighed.

“Yes.” I said slightly annoyed.

“Then no.”

“Jane will be with us.”

“Have fun then. Be home by nine. Love you.” She hung up and I handed the phone back to Jane. I stood up, grabbed my purse and we left.

“She said yes.” I said as we left the school.

“Yes!!”, Riley yelled. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow in confusion,”Oh uhh…I mean…great.” He then scratched the back of his neck and I think I saw him blush slightly.

“Hey Lil which one of us do you want to ride with?” Jane asked.

“Umm…I think I’ll ride with you.” I saw a slight look of disappointment on Riley’s face. We split up and the two of us walked to her car. I walked around and got in the passengers seat then Jane drove off. After twenty minutes of driving behind Riley’s car we arrived at his house.

“Wow…” I simply said as I got out.,”Riley’s rich!” I yelled as we walked up to Riley.

“I am…but I hate it.” Riley said when we got up to him.

“Why?”

“Because he wants to live in a normal house, he hates being waited on and he feels like he was born into the wrong family.” Jane said as the three of us got to the door.

“I’m confused. You’re in a position that many people would kill to be in and you don’t want to be?” I asked as we stood on the porch.

“Yes you’re correct. I want to live like a normal kid and not be seen like a spoiled rich kid.” We walked in and I want welcomed by a golden retriever barking at me. I remained calm, knelt down and stuck my palm out for the dog to smell.

“Easy girl…I won’t hurt you.” I smiled at the dog as it smelled my palm. I looked up at me, sat down and shook my hand.

“You’re dog knows tricks?” I asked Riley while keeping my eyes on the dog.

“Yes she does. Amy’s a really smart dog. How did you know she was a girl anyway?” Riley asked and I petted Amy’s head.

“Lucky guess.” I said as Amy got up and ran off. A man, that looked like he was in his mid thirties, with  a brief case in his hand came into the room.

“Riley I have to leave. I’ll be back in a week. Don’t argue with your mother or your brothers while I’m gone.”

“No promises dad!” Riley yelled as his dad went out the door. A woman came into the room with noticeable grey hair. She looked like she was in her early thirties.

“Riley I see you’re home.” She said and gave him a hug then looked at Jane.

“Hello Jane how have you been?” She smiled at her.

“Great Mrs.Jones.” She then looked at me, gave me a confused look and looked me up and down then looked at Riley.

“Riley whose this?” She asked gesturing to me.

“Mom this is Lilly Collins. She’s new at school.”

“Oh well she’s pretty. So this is the girls house you went to yesterday. Now I see why you were talking about her a lot at dinner last night.” I raised an eyebrow and looked at Riley.

“You what?” I asked. He laughed nervously.

“Uhh nothing will you excuse me and my mother for a second.” He then dragged his mother out of the room and I turned to Jane.

“Should we go somewhere?” She nodded and she dragged me to the backyard where I saw a guy that looked like he was in his late teens or early twenties and a kid that looked like he was in his early teens playing with Amy. When Amy ran over to us the two boys looked at us. I knelt down and petted Amy as they ran over to us. I heard the backdoor open and when I looked back I saw Riley walking over to us. I looked at the two boys as they got closer.

“Lilly…that is my older brother Noah and that’s my little brother Mason.” Riley said when they got to us. I stood up ,brushed my hair out my face and looked at them. Noah and Riley looked very similar and Mason looked like a younger version of Riley. I smiled at them.

“Nice to meet you two. As Riley said my names Lilly.” I said. I looked at the tree and saw a tree house and my smile grew. Before they could speak I ran between them. I got to the tree after a few minutes, climbed the branches since I couldn’t find the ladder and climbed in. It looked a little run down but it was well made. I layer down and stared at the ceiling of the tree house and smiled.

I heard someone trying to climb up the tree. I sat up and looked over the ledge of the hole to get in and I saw Noah, Mason, Riley and Jane trying to climb up.

“You are more athletic than you look. How did you even climb up here?” Noah asked.

“The branches.” I said and giggled. He blushed and the others got up after a while.

“Are you half monkey or something?” Mason asked as he caught his breath. I rolled my eyes, went over to the window and sat on the ledge with my legs hanging over the ledge. I felt a breeze blow my hair behind me. I let the cool air fill my lungs and I closed my eyes. The image of the dream flashed across my closed eyes and they snapped open. I looked over my shoulder at the four of them. They were staring at me with confused looks on there faces. I looked forward at the sunsetting. I then slide of the edge and landed with my feet on the ground.

“Lil are you ok!?” I heard Jane yell. I looked up at them and smiled.

“I am. I’m going to go inside and call my grandma.” I then walked across the yard and moved my hair out of my face. I got inside and saw Riley’s mother reading a book. I could faintly make out the title.

“Excuse me Mrs.Jones where’s the phone? I need to call my grandma.” She reached into her pocket and held out her phone without taking her eyes off the book.

“Thanks.” I said with a smile, grabbed her phone and called her.

“Matt if you call me one more time I’m going to find you and break your legs!” She yelled over the phone.

“Grandma…it’s Lilly…” I said and rolled my eyes.

“Oh sorry again!”

“Anyway…can Jane, Riley and two others come over for the weekend?”