Lost in You (Lost in You 1)

“I’ll send a car or I’ll pick you up—“

“You think I want you to see where I live? No thanks.” Ryan starts to walk away. I run and jump in front of him.

“I’m sorry, Ryan. I don’t have the right answer except I need to see you tonight. I’m just asking for one more night.”

CHAPTER 9

Ryan

Silence.

Completely uncomfortable and awkward silence as Dylan speeds down the highway. Her posture is rigid, nothing like her usual self. The music is off and for the first time I wish we were listening to it. I’ve taken to looking out the window since she’s not talking or even singing.

She hasn’t said much. She doesn’t need to. Her eyes said it all when she saw Hadley and I walk in from outside. If I didn’t know better I’d think that I hurt her, but I don’t know how that could be. I didn’t approach Hadley or even want to come to the concert.

Although I’m glad I did.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I hesitate for a moment before pulling it out. My movements catch Dylan’s attention. I see her look at me out of the corner of her eye. I flip it open and look at the message from Hadley. I can’t help but smile at the heart she added at the end of her text.

“Is she going to pay your phone bill?” Dylan asks in a very sarcastic tone.

I shut my phone without replying. “Are you talking to me now?”

Dylan shrugs. She maneuvers her car to our exit and makes a turn taking us away from Brookfield.

“Where are we going?”

“To talk.”

“We’ve had two hours to talk.” I look behind me and shake my head. “You want to talk now that we’re five minutes from home?”

She doesn’t answer me, just keeps driving until she reaches the old abandoned high school. The one our parents graduated from years ago before our new state-of-the-art school was built on the hill overlooking the town.

Dylan shuts off her car and rests against the headrest. Her eyes are closed, but her lips are moving. I can’t tell if she’s talking to herself or singing whatever song is playing in her head. Either way, she’s not talking to me.

I open the door and get out. She says something, but I slam the door and start walking. I’ll walk home from here. Anything to get away from whatever she has going on in her head. When I hear her door open I walk a bit faster.

“Where are you going?” she yells. The gravel behind me crunches. She’s coming after me. We’ve never fought before and I’m honestly not sure how to handle her when she’s quiet like this.

“Home, Dylan.” I say, turning around to face her. She stops short, putting her hands on her hips. She doesn’t look at me, but past me, toward the road.

“I just… I’m just trying to process everything. It’s…you ran off with Hadley Carter last night. I sat up waiting for you and you never made it to the room. At first I thought you got lost so I went back up and her friend, Alex, said you guys were still talking. Who talks all night long?”

“I guess we do.” I shrug and stuff my hands into my pockets. I feel my phone resting there. I’m almost desperate to pull it out and see if she’s texted me again. I told her more secrets in one night than I’ve told Dylan and I’ve known her for years. But with Hadley things just feel differently, like I’m supposed to know her.

When she asked for my number I didn’t tell her it was a prepaid phone. I told myself that I’ll pick up an extra shift or mow some more lawns to keep my phone stocked with minutes. I’ll do whatever I can to talk to her, even if it’s just once a week.

“That’s the thing. When you walked in, her hair was a mess. It looked like... you and her…” Dylan looks away, maybe she’s embarrassed. “Did you do something with her?”

My gaze had been on Dylan until now. I look away, not sure how I want to answer that question. It’s really none of her business. I definitely don’t ask her what she does with guys so why should I tell her about me and Hadley? Hell, I can’t even believe most of it happened. But I definitely know I kissed her first. I made that move and she didn’t turn me down or away. She accepted it and wanted more.

“You’re avoiding my question.”

“No, I’m not sure what you want me to say.”

Dylan steps closer, her hands balled into fists. I know I’m missing something. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s called me dense or dumb. All boys are dumb, she says. Her eyes are searching for a sign, anything to tell her what she wants to know. The only problem is that I don’t know girls. I don’t understand the facial expression or the dramatic sighs they let out every other minute. It’s not like I can ask my dad; he just pushes a book in front of me and tells me the answer is in there… somewhere.

“I didn’t realize you even knew who she was.”