Outcasts [PUBLISHED]

Five

The fiction section in the school library held a special place in my heart. A well-written, inspiring book was always found on these shelves. And I desperately needed a good read at the moment.

My fingers ran across the spines of the books as I scanned the titles. Nothing was really catching my eye...

I went around the bookshelf and ran into someone. I kept my head down and mumbled a quick "Sorry." I continued to look at the books.

"Hey, Riley right?" A voice asked next to me.

Recognizing the voice, I turned and saw Ryan standing next to me. He smiled.

"Right." I said slowly. I quickly looked away from him and fixed my gaze on the books in front of me.

"So," He started. "Looking for a specific book?" He asked.

I frowned. Why was Ryan Dixon even talking to me? "Listen," I said. "Just because we talked in the park doesn't mean we're all buddy-buddy now. We never talked to each other before, so why start now?" I asked him.

He stared at me after I finished my mini rant. He cleared his throat and smirked at me. "Wow. I didn't know you could be so...outspoken."

"Yeah, well, there's a lot you don't know about me." I said, rolling my eyes. I went back to looking at the books, but my brain was muddled and I couldn't focus on the titles.

Ryan took a step closer to me. He was a little too close for my liking. "Is that a challenge?"

I stepped away from him. "Don't you have a girlfriend?" I narrowed my eyes at him. I didn't know if he meant to say it in a flirty way, but it didn't matter.

"Do I?" He smirks. "Why does that matter? I'm just talking to you."

I ignore him and stare at the books in front of me.

Ryan chuckles and sighs. "I love how defensive you are. I'm not trying to hit on you, Riley. I wouldn't do that to Nicole."

I frown at him. "It's not funny."

"So how do you know Callaway?" He asked, trying to make conversation.

"We just kind of...ran into each other." It wasn't a lie. He actually ran into me, but whatever.

He raised his eyebrows. "Ah, I see."

I wanted to ask him why he was with Aiden at the park in the first place, but he suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He glanced at it then sighed. "Hello?" He answers it. He looks a bit annoyed with the person he's talking to. I take the chance and walk around the different shelves. I land in the biography section, but I don't care.

I couldn't pinpoint Ryan's personality so it was frustrating trying to find his angle. I let out a deep breath and focused on the shelves in front of me.

***

When I walked into the house, mom was sitting on the couch, talking on the phone. I shut the front door and set my backpack down next to it. I noticed Sassy didn't have any food in her bowl and sighed. My mom never feeds Sassy. I'm the only one who actually takes care of her.

I grab the bowl from the ground and walk into the kitchen to get the dog food. I heard mom saying goodbye to whoever she was on the phone with. As I was pouring some food into the bowl, she walked in.

"How was school, Riley?" She asked.

I shrugged. "It was the same as any other day." Nothing too exciting happened. Only Aiden walking with me to school and Ryan talking to me in the library. But I wasn't about to tell her that.

She looked at me for a second before speaking again. "I have a favor to ask you, Riley..."

Oh great. The last time I did a favor for her, I had to give up one of my Harry Potter posters. "What kind of favor?" I asked slowly. I hope it wasn't anything ridiculous.

"Remember how I told you about my friend whose getting married in a month?" She asked, sitting at our kitchen table.

"That's the wedding we got invited to, right?"

"Yes it is." She nodded. "Well Anna lost a bridesmaid for her wedding. She asked me if I would like to be in the wedding, but I told her I would look ridiculous in the bridesmaid dress she picked." She explained. "So I volunteered you for the job."

My jaw dropped. "What?" I asked, widening my eyes. She cannot be serious. Me? In a dress? There is no way. "Why would you volunteer me without even talking to me about it first?" I asked her immediately. She was always so unpredictable.

"I just figured it would give you something to do in the meantime. You never go out, so I thought this would be a good way to get you out of the house more. The bridesmaids help the bride with everything you know." She told me. "And the wedding is only a month away."

I bit my lip. "I don't know mom...dresses aren't my thing..."

"If you don't do it, then she'll be left with no fifth bridesmaid. She needs someone, Riley." Now she's trying to give me the guilt trip. If I don't do it, then Anna will continue to search for one. But Anna isn't my friend.

I can't believe I'm going to say this... "Fine. I'll do it."

My mom clapped her hands. "Oh yay! I'll call Anna right now and tell her you're in." She ran into the living room. I swear, she acts like the teenager in this house.

I glanced at Sassy's food bowl and saw that I spilled some of the dog food on the floor. I sighed and started to clean the mess I made.

***

Saturday morning, someone was shaking my shoulders. "Riley, wake up! Riley!"

"Leave me alone." I grumbled. It's Saturday. The day when I get to sleep in as late as I want to. I don't know what my mother's problem is.

"Get up, Riley! You need to get fitted for your bridesmaid dress today." My mom said.

Oh right. The wedding.

"Riley Summers, if you are not up and out of your bed in the next thirty seconds, I am taking all of your t-shirts out of your closet and burning them. I won't hesitate to buy new girly clothes for you."

I jumped out of bed and leaned against the wall. "I'm up." I rubbed my eyes. Jeez.

She smiled at me. "Good. Now get dressed. I'm taking you to Anna's house in about fifteen minutes and from there you'll go to get fitted for the dress." With that being said, she walked out of my room and shut my door behind her.

Sassy jumped onto my bed and stared at me. I sat down next to her and sighed. "I wish I was like you, Sassy. I could just lounge around the house without a care in the world."

"Stop talking to the dog and get ready, Riley!" Mom yelled at me from behind the door.

I let out a long sigh and made my way to my closet and pulled out a pair of light wash jeans with my Guns N' Roses t-shirt.

I threw on the clothes and my pair of converse then ran a brush through my brown hair. I then brushed my teeth and headed downstairs.

Mom was standing in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal as she read the newspaper. She looked up at me and scanned my clothes. "Someday, I will get a hold of your clothes and get rid of them."

"No you won't." I shook my head. "I'll refuse to wear any girly clothes you pick out for me."

She sighed. "Are you ready?" I nodded and she put her bowl in the sink. "Then let's go. Anna's house is about ten minutes away."

"I don't get to eat breakfast?"

"If you had woken up earlier, you would've had time." She scolded me.

I ran to the pantry and grabbed a granola bar.

We were out the front door and in my mom's car in a flash. I stared out the window as we made our way to Anna's house. I was listening to Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin when my eyes slowly shut.