Rae's POV*
I lied awake most of the night. I'm so glad I don't have to work today. I don't even want to get out of my bed, but I did promise Andrew I'd hang out with him. Ugh. Everything was going so well.
"Rae! Are you up?" My mother says barging in.
"Define up?"
"Oh god! You look terrible, did you sleep?" Her tone goes from annoyed to worried.
"No, not really. I don't want to talk about it mom, I'm sorry I didn't call and I understand you were worried and I'll make sure I call you sooner next time but you were the last thing on my mind."
"It's okay, pumpkin, I understand. I have to go to work now! I'll call you, okay? If I see your boss?"
"Okay. Are you working days now?"
"Just for a little bit." She smiles sweetly down at me before leaving.
I try to sleep but it's not working so I decide to just bite it and get up and start my day.
"God, I look like shit" I say staring into the bathroom mirror, my wavy hair unrulier than before, dark deep bags sunken under my bloodshot eyes, hollow just looking through me. I hop in the shower thinking it's going to be quick but I think I was in there for almost 45 minutes. 10 minutes of showering, 35 of mindless staring at the wall. I finally step out and head towards my room and notice my screen is lit up on my phone.
Andrew: Hey! I know its real early but I couldn't sleep. How u doin?
Andrew: It's Andrew btw :)
I feel my cheeks turn red at the sight of his name.
"Pull yourself together Rae, he's just a boy!"
Rae: I couldn't sleep either! I look like utter shit this morning / How you doing?
I sit down on my bed, staring at my phone, still in my towel. Waiting for a reply.
"He's taking a while... who the fuck am I talking too?" I say out loud.
I've never been like this over a boy before. Usually I call the shots, never sitting by my phone waiting for a reply. I feel like an idiot.
"Fuck it! I gotta get dressed anyway."
I pick out my favourite high waisted jean shorts and striped lace up top. Throw my unruly hair into a high pony, grab my van knock of sneakers and head out the door.
"Ugh, I need fresh air."
On my walk I hear Kev and Ethel (his foster kid) out in their garden, I walk around the side of the house towards their backyard.
"Pretty early for you isn't it Kev?"
"Ha ha! I promised Ethel I'd get up early and work on the garden with her today!"
"It's looking pretty good to me! How's it going with the foster kid?"
"Great! She cooks! She cleans! She's polite! She's like you kind of except you didn't grow up in a cult..." Kevin says with a look on his face that I can't quite tell if it's confusion or he's just thinking really hard.
"Anyways me and Lip are busting out the old 'ice cream' truck today, you coming for the ride once we get it going?"
"Yeah? Maybe! I'll come find you if I'm free!"
"Alright, kiddo! I gotta get back to this gardening shit!"
We wave and I walk on.
Maybe Karen's up and will want to do something.
I pull out my phone and see I have 1 text from Andrew.
Andrew: I bet you don't still look good without any sleep. I'm good! So you wanna do something today still? :)
It's a little weird he's brushing off what happened last night but maybe he doesn't want to talk about it over text?
Rae: Yeah! I got some stuff I gotta do first then maybe we could meet around like 1?
Andrew: See you then :)
I bit my lip and keep walking. I feel like I'm on cloud 9. Then I remember Shawn and the guilt sets in.
Here I am being a giddy little girl while a man is in the hospital.
I take my phone back out and try getting a hold of my mom at work. She can check for me and I can go on living my life.
"This is Lisa! I can't answer the phone right now! Leave a message and I will get back to you!"
Ugh.
"Hey mom! Just wanted to know if you heard about Shawn. How he's doing or whatever. Call me."
I didn't expect her to answer so I don't know why I'm so mad to be honest. This is too stressful for me.
Lip's pov*
"Where you off too? It's 8 am?" Fiona asks with an eyebrow raised as I come down the stairs heading for the back door.
"Gonna go see Rae!" I yell as I close the door behind me.
I want to hear from Rae before I go see Karen. I walk in and no ones home, I assume her mom is at work, like always but I have no idea where Rae could be.
Lip goes and grabs the house phone hanging on the kitchen wall, dialing Rae's cell.
1 ring.
2 rings.
3 rings.
"Hello?"
"Fuck Rae, I didn't think you were going to answer!"
"Lip? Why are you calling from my house?"
"I came over to see if you were okay but you're not here."
"Couldn't sleep."
"Yeah, I bet." I try to make my tone less harsh, softer. Thinking she probably doesn't want to be barked at right now.
"So where are you?"
"Just going for a walk thinking of going to Karen's before meeting up with a guy from work later. I don't know killing time."
"Cool cool, I'm heading over to Karen's in a bit maybe I'll see you there?"
"Sure."
"Alright Rae, uh, I'll see you in a bit?"
"Yup"
She hangs up. I feel uneasy about our conversation. Is she mad at me? She's probably just upset about last night.
"Guy from work?" I say to myself before heading to Karen's earlier than planned.