Tom gets up and straightens his designer jeans out, “Well, I’m hungry. Got any food?”
Without moving, Colton replies, “Yeah, there is a box of pizza on the kitchen counter. Help yourself.”
Nodding, he walks out of the room. My eyes follow him the entire way out. I can hear his heavy footsteps receding as he gets further and further from the room.
Colton starts moving the leg directly beneath me, “Sorry, my leg is starting to fall asleep.”
“Oh, goodness, I’m sorry.” I hurriedly move off of him, sitting between him and David. I look out the window and notice that it has started getting dark.
David speaks up first, “Claire should be home soon.”
Shifting my body towards David I ask, “Would you mind telling her everything for me? It’s been a long day and I’m starting to get tired.”
He nods, understanding. “Yeah, go to bed, Ryanne. We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Thanks David.” I get off the couch and start walking towards the door. “Goodnight. Sweet dreams,” I say without looking back.
I walk into the guest bedroom and turn off the light, and crawl into the bed, falling asleep before my head even hits the pillow.
I wake up from a dreamless sleep, my body feeling rejuvenated. Smiling, I stretch and exhale sleepily. I quickly change out of my wrinkled clothes into a pair of white shorts and a blue tank top that Claire had left for me. I’ll have to thank her later for them. I skip down the hallway and slowly descend the stairs, proud that I am finally figuring out my way around the house. As I get closer to the kitchen, I slow when I hear voices.
“So Colton…I saw how you looked at Ryanne yesterday. This is same girl you told me about last time, right? She’s pretty cute,” I recognize the voice as Tom’s.
“Yes, it’s the same girl, but nothing is going on. We’re friends.” He stops talking and I hear him sigh. “I admit that I used to have feelings for her before I knew her. But now those feelings are gone. Purely platonic. She’s not really my type anyways.” So now that he knows me, he doesn’t have feeling for me anymore. That’s what every girl wants to hear.
I hear David scoff and Tom reply, “Whatever you say, Colton.”
“I feel bad for her. I’m just trying to help boost her confidence.” It feels like my heart is free-falling, plummeting into my stomach at his words. There goes my good mood. I walk back to the bottom of the stairs and make a noise, giving them a signal that I am coming. It also gives me time to compose myself. I knew that someone like him would never be interested in someone like me. He is gorgeous and I am…well not. He would not have given me the time of day if I wasn’t this prophecy girl.
I enter the room and am greeted by three sets of smiles. “Good morning, Ryanne. How’d you sleep last night?”
I turn towards Tom, plastering on a smile that I know doesn’t reach my eyes. “I slept fine. No nightmares at least. You?”
Colton and David both look at me as if they know something is wrong. Tom’s smile falters a little at my nightmares comment. So, they explained everything to him and Claire. “Pretty good, thanks for asking.”
David turns towards me, “Are you hungry Ryanne? Help yourself.”
I walk towards the fruit basket on the counter in the corner. I grab a gala apple and bite into it. The room descends into an awkward silence.
Swallowing, I say, “If I’m extending my stay here, I can go back to Jane’s.”
“Why would you think that?” asks David.
At the same time, Colton replies. “You will not. You saw what happened last time you went back there! You almost got killed.”
I shy away from him, because his tone scares me. “I don’t know. I don’t want to impose on you guys. And he wasn’t going to kill me. I heard his thoughts.”
“So, you’d rather get raped than stay here?” he yells.
I step towards him defiantly, placing my hands on my hips, and say in my sternest voice, “I’d rather stay where I’m wanted.” I turn to walk out of the room, “And I don’t need your help boosting my confidence.” His face pales with realization. Satisfied and angry, I storm out of the room.
Back in my room, I sit on the edge of the bed wishing that I had grabbed my notebook.