I was there, sitting on my bed, stomach in knots, staring at my clock.
Once it hit 7:00PM I stood up and grabbed my duffel bag off the floor, then slung it over one shoulder.
I opened my bedroom door and tromped downstairs, walking past the kitchen where mom was finishing up dinner.
I stood in the doorway and knocked on the frame to get her attention.
"I'm going now, I'll see you tomorrow." Maybe.
"Wait!" She turned around and walked over to me, handing me a sweet roll with butter.
I smiled up at her, "Thanks, mom."
She gave me a kiss on the forehead, "Have fun, sweetie. And don't forget I'll be calling you in the morning for the details!" She winked and turned back around to finish what she was doing.
I stuck my sweet roll in my mouth and walked to the front door, opening it.
I glanced back at my mother, sickened by myself, then stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
After finishing up my sweet roll I walked to my bike and got on, then started peddling to Aerie's house.
But before I could get there my cell phone started to ring.
I slowed down to a stop, then pulled my baby pink cell phone out of my pocket, a little cutesy panda charm hanging from it.
It was Aerie.
I flipped it open.
"Hello? Aerie? What's this about? I was just coming to get you..."
Itt was a short silence, but a heavy one.
"Ummm... Yeah... About that..."
This can't be good.
"...I can't go. My little cousins came for a surprise visit and I'm not allowed to go anywhere without them. Ugh. They're so annoying!"
I could hear kids screaming in the background.
"What?! Aerie! But I got ready! My mom thinks I'm sleeping over at your house! Where am I supposed to go! I can't sleep in the streets! And I'm not going back home only to lie to my mother again!"
"Rayne!" Aerie yelled, interrupting my rant.
I sighed, "What?"
"You're still going."
"No I am NOT!"
"Yes you are. You have to. We wouldn't have had to go back at all if it wasn't for you and your imagination. Plus you can go back to that old library and take your time looking at the books. You'll also be overcoming a fear. You need to do this."
I didn't speak.
"I'm taking your silence as a yes! Call me when you get home!"
She hung up.
Leaving me there, on the side of the street, trembling, with no other option but to go through with it.
I'll be shunned if I don't.
Shunned by my classmates, and I'll never hear the end of it from Aerie.
I must do this...
I must do this...
I must do this...
I kept chanting that in my head.
I got back on my bike and started peddling... towards that super creepy house...
Seriously, what have I gotten myself into?!
