Page 32 of Driving Force

“Listen, if you need someone to talk to or just a person to sit with, let me know. I know we may not know each other that well, but my offer still stands.”

“Thank you, Chase. That’s really sweet of you, but honestly, I just want to be alone. Really, I kind of got myself into the spot, so I don’t blame anyone but myself. I should have listened to my gut and went with the safer option of what I had in front of me.”

“Well, I hope that option would have been me because, Tin, I could honestly say that I would have treated you the way you deserved and not made you look like the girl that came between old lovers who now are going to have a kid, but I do get it and I still want to be your friend,” Chase said.

“I know that Chase and maybe I would have chosen differently in another life, but I just want to be alone now.”

“Okay, well, like I said, text or call if you change your mind.” Bending down, he kisses me on the cheek and walks away. Ugh, what the hell? Chase is so sweet and so nice to me, but I stepped outside my world and jumped. Now I’m sitting here broken and putting pieces back together alone.

After finishing up classes, I head home. Pulling into the driveway of the house, I notice a truck, only I don’t recognize it. Slowly getting out of the car, I hear shooting coming from inside, so I hurry up the stairs to see what the hell is happening.

“You have a lot of fucking nerve coming here for your scum bag of a buddy!” I hear Grace shout as I open the door, soon followed by a book being thrown toward Matt’s head.

“Have you lost your ever-loving mind, Grace? I’m not here for him. I’m here to check on Tinley. So will you stop fucking throwing books at me?” Matt says.

“I want you out of this house. She’s got nothing to say to you, and especially not to him.”

“Well, that’s for her to decide,” walking into the room a little farther now that Grace has ceased fire on Matt.

“Matt, what are you doing here?” I ask, turning to face him.

“I needed to see if you were okay after the shit storm that was this weekend, and I knew you wouldn’t talk to me over the phone.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m not okay, so you can run back to Ryan and tell him. Then, while you’re at it, tell him to take a long walk off a short cliff.”

“Tinley, I’m not here for him, I promise,” he says.

“Like I said, I’m not fine. But I blame myself for it also.”

I pass by him, heading to my room, and close the door. I sit staring at the fan, going around for what feels like forever until I hear Matt’s truck start up, and Grace comes into my room shortly after.

“You know you didn’t have to go all crazy lady on Matt, Grace,” I say as she comes to sit beside me.

“Yeah, I know I didn’t have to, but Ryan wasn’t here, so I just picked the next best thing: Matt.” She lets out a laugh. “Tinley, time for honesty. Matt told me what happened this weekend with that horrible woman, Serena. And I think you need to hear Ryan out. He’s really devastated about all this. I know I’m not the one who is normally the tender-hearted friend, and I would gladly castrate him myself if I had even the slightest thought, he might have done something like this to hurt you, but I’ve seen y’all together, and I don’t see it in his nature to just go so public to embarrass you or hurt you this much.”

“But how can I trust him, Grace? The one thing I told him I was so worried about happened. He knew I was so nervous about going public with our relationship and me being the opposite of that woman, and he just stomped on it with a Barbie-wannabe ex, who is now carrying his child,” I say as tears fall once again.

“I know, Tin. I get that, but if you’re really done with Ryan, doesn’t he deserve to tell you his side before you write him off?” she asks.

Maybe she’s right about hearing Ryan out and finding out what’s true and what’s just the media. Looking down at my phone, I decide to listen to the voicemails he left.

VM:

Tinley, it’s me. Please call me back. We need to talk. I love you.

VW:

I know you have seen the news by now, or someone has told you. Please call me. It’s not true, and I need you to hear it from me. Please. I love you.

VW:

This is my final voicemail. I know you don't want to talk to me, and I get it. I do. But you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, Tin. You’re my heart, and it will only ever be yours. This has gotten out of hand, and Serena is lying to everyone. Please call me back. I need to see you. I love you, always and forever.

Tears fall as I play the final voicemail over again, trying to wrap my head around what he said. She’s lying. Why would someone lie about being pregnant? What is the reason she would destroy us that way?

Five days, five long days. That’s how long I have sat by the phone waiting for a message from Tinley. I went silent after leaving three voicemails and more text messages than I can count. Matt came by late Tuesday to let me know he had gone to talk to Tinley and explain the situation but was met by Grace throwing books at his head and then Tinley dismissing him. He told Grace everything, hoping that maybe she could get Tinley to talk to me, but so far, nothing.

“Hey man,” I hear Matt call out from the door. “Shit, bud, have you been on the couch since I left you Tuesday?”

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