~ 04 ~

                                    

                                          
"You're not planning on getting a phone anytime soon, are you?"
                          
Connor chuckled. "Aww. You're gonna miss me," he teased. He ruffled her hair, earning a glare. "But no. Sometimes avoiding technology is good for you. You live longer."
                          
She rolled her eyes at his reasoning. That was his response whenever she would bring up the topic. It was a strange concept, never having a cellphone, especially for someone as popular as Connor. (At least, Connor liked to brag that he had a lot of friends. So far, Rhiannon had only seen him hang out with two other people that wasn't her.)
                          
"Sure, you will," she agreed with his reason, though she didn't really. She just couldn't see the connection. "You better not forget me. I'm gonna need at least one friend when I get back."
                          
He grinned widely. "So you will miss me? Ha. But don't worry. I could never forget you." He winked.
                          
She hugged him before she could stop herself. It almost surprised her that he returned the gesture.
                          
Rhiannon pulled away first. "Thanks. For being here for me." She wiped away the stray tears that ran down her cheeks.
                          
"You make it sound like I won't be seeing you again. You are coming back next semester, right?"
                          
"Of course. My parents would have wanted me to continue," she said. That last part, she told herself, was what had kept her going the last few months. It would be a waste to give up now.
                          
Connor pulled her back into his arms, squeezing her tightly before he held her at arms length. "You better come back. Or I'm heading down to your hometown and hauling your ass back here."
                          
She laughed, although there was a part of her that thought that e might go through with that threat. A loud honk came from the taxi cab she had called up and Rhiannon figured she was taking too long now. She made an annoyed expression, which Connor caught and chuckled about. He gestured to the car and she murmured a quick goodbye before getting into the cab.
                          
Now that it was winter break, Rhiannon was going to have a lot of time on her hands. Her parents' families both reached out to her, inviting her over for the holidays. She had refused, opting to spend time alone in their tiny little town. It was familiar there, and she felt she needed that.
                          
Something familiar.
                          
()()()
                          
Should she have come back?
                          
It had been months, and everything still looked relatively the same. The house was still hers, having been left to her when her parents passed.
                          
The cab came to a stop in front of the empty house and, for a moment, Rhiannon hesitated. Something bubbled at the pit of her stomach, climbing up to her chest and leaving a lump in her throat.
                          
Breathe, she told herself, In, and out.
                          
When her breathing had evened, she pushed back whatever thoughts kept her from climbing out of the vehicle. She grabbed her luggage and paid the driver, who drove away as soon she handed him the payment. With the taxi gone, Rhiannon was alone. 
                          
"We'll be waiting on the front porch when you get home," her father had told her before. That was months ago, as they were packing her stuff for college. They said they'd be there from the minute she gets off the plane, waiting for her.
                          
Looking back, they never did promise it would be like that. As if they had known . . . But how could they have known?
                          
Her vision blurred, and with a deep breath--in and out--she wiped the tears away and headed for the front door, dragging her luggage behind her. The sooner she made it to the door, she thought, the less likely she would call up another cab and spend the night at the nearest inn.