Oddball

Chapter Seven

"Okay, you got everything?" I ask Willow as she puts her suitcase into the back of the car.

"Yeah." She smiles.

"Alright, then let's head back to my house and pick up my mom. Then it's off to the airport." I tell her as we get into the car.

Excitement fills me as Willow sits down beside me. I feel so childish and stupid, but I can't help feeling giddy. Butterflies float into my stomach and keep me on edge until we arrive at my house. But my stomach drops as soon as I see Milo parked outside my house. He sits in his truck and eagerly rolls his window down.

"Stay here. Please." I sigh as I get out of the car and walk to Milo.

"Hey." He says quietly as he leans out the window.

"What do you want?" I growl, giving him a cold glare.

"I... I just wanted to stop by and apologize for... For the party." He tells me with a slight frown.

"Yeah. You should be apologizing." I laugh harshly, "I've never seen anybody act like such an asshole in my entire life."

"I know there isn't much I can do to make up for it... But, I'm sorry. I don't want this stupid thing to break our friendship apart, Payton... I was drunk-"

"Blame it on the alcohol, right?" I scoff at him and a hurt expression crosses his face.

"Payton, I'm sorry. God dammit, don't you understand? I'm sorry. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. Please don't do this." He says as I attempt to turn around and walk away from him.

"Yeah okay," I shrug.

"I... I love you!" Milo yells out the window of his car.

I stop dead in my tracks and swallow hard. I turn around and return towards him. I give him a strange look as he looks down at the gravel.

"I... I just wanted you to come to the party. I wanted you to hang out with me. I wanted you to like me the way I like you..." He admits.

I shake my head. "You know I might've been able to overlook the way you acted when I asked if Willow could come along... But this is something that I'm going to need time to get over. So you need to go. Get out of my neighborhood, go home, and just leave me alone for a while. Okay?"

"But-"

"Bye, Milo."

I hardly feel guilt as he solemnly starts the car again and drives off slowly. He rounds the corner and I listen to the sound of his engine fade away. I turn around and walk back up the driveway. My mom emerges from the house with her suitcases in her hands. I load them into the trunk of my car and then we drive off towards the airport.

"I saw Milo's car out front." Mom says as we drive down the near-empty freeway.

"Yeah," I reply as I take a right at the junction.

"What was that all about?" She asks.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now." I tell her.

The car falls silent and Willow sits awkwardly in the backseat. The entire way to the airport, not a word is said. When we arrive, we go through security, grab some breakfast, and go straight to the gate. After an hour, we board the plane and Willow takes the seat next to me. I feel bad because my mom ends up sitting a couple of rows behind us.

"Have you ever been in a plane?" I ask Willow, who looks around with an excited smile.

"Nope. I've never been out of Colorado in my life." She explains, buckling her seatbelt and playing with the tray on the seat in front of her.

I admire her gorgeous smile as she gazes out the window. My heart flutters and I blush slightly, looking away. She turns to me and raises her eyebrows.

"Everything okay?" She asks.

"Everything is great," I nod and sit back in my seat.

Finally, everything is great again...