Silently Falling

Chapter Three - Sponsored by Prime Video

The sun has almost completely set into the horizon and the night has turned dark, so Toby stands up to begin lighting the tiki torches around the patio. They double as a great source of light and a great way to keep the mosquitos away.

"Okay, then Toby was totally crushing on you, but you were still in denial?" West asks, his lemonade completely finished now.

"He absolutely was crushing on her," Raine states before Toby can confirm or deny it. "They both were crushing on each other; it was so obvious. That was the first time I spoke up and said something about it to them, and it still took another four years for them to actually own up to it and kiss. Some stupid male mindset that by being with Alyse, he would be taking her away from me."

After lighting the last Tiki torch, Toby and I share a look and I smile sheepishly. Raine perks up and her eyes dart between us, the fire from the torch illuminating her face.

"Hold on- is there something that even I don't know?"

Toby sits back down next to me, his look matched with a shrug.

"I mean...may as well tell her, right?" He murmurs to me.

I let out a long breath and nod, "Yeah, better late than never."

"Things just got interesting," Gray notes, ditching his hat and relaxed position to sit up and place his full attention on me.

"After that night, Toby and I rarely talked anymore, and the pranks had definitely ceased altogether. He was practically ignoring me, something I thought I always wanted until it actually happened. Instead, it hurt me. Weeks went by before we ever talked about it, and by that point Raine and I were freshmen in high school..."

Raine and I never worried about fitting in in high school. Toby was pretty popular for being only a sophomore, being friends with Warren had something to do with that since he was quite the baseball star. Plus, by that point, Toby had started his reputation of being quite the flirt with the ladies. That mixed in with him ignoring me was like a dagger every time I heard a new rumor of another date he went on.

It was only the third week of school when Toby and Warren invited Raine and I to our first party. First party! We were ecstatic, our next four years were going to be defined by that night. Raine was almost more excited than I was, mainly because Warren personally invited her. She had developed quite the crush on him, and it seemed like he reciprocated her feelings, if his constant attention to her was any indicator.

At the party, Warren and Toby were by our sides practically the whole time. But Toby still wasn't talking to me. It was as if we were awkwardly standing there on a date between our best friends. We weren't alone until it had seemed like Raine drank one too many cups of the jungle juice.

"Okay, I should take her home. How did she manage to drink so much?" Toby asked, taking her away from where she leaned on Warren for support.

Warren held onto her, though. "Toby, it's okay. I think she just drank a lot to ease the social anxiety of her first party, I'll take care of her."

Toby eyed Warren who not so subtly nodded towards me with a certain look, and Toby sighed with a nod.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, man. But you're sure that she's okay?" He asked again, eyeing his sister worriedly. "I really think I should take her home."

"I-I don't wanna go home," Raine mumbled drunkenly, her eyes barely open and her feet most definitely not supporting her on her own. Warren was the only thing holding her up. He just laughed and gave her a squeeze.

"See, Toby? She just needs a quick rest and then she'll be ready to party some more. Trust me," he said, and before Toby could argue, Warren began taking Raine away from the party to rest.