DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 28

Wrecking her innocence 28

Wrecking her innocence 28

Lila

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The second Ryder left the room, the tears came hard and fast. I bent forward on the bed, arms wrapped around my stomach like I could keep everything inside. My shoulders shook. Quiet sobs turned into loud, broken ones. I pressed my face into the pillow to muffle the sound, but it didn’t help. The ache in my chest felt too big, too sharp. like something had cracked open and wouldn’t close.

After a while – I don’t know how long – I sat up. My eyes burned. My throat felt raw. I looked around the room. The lamp still glowed softly on the nightstand. The sheets were tangled from where we’d been lying. The hole in the geiling stared down at me, dark and silent. Everything felt wrong.

I stood slowly. My legs felt unsteady. I walked to the door on quiet feet, opened it, and slipped out. The hallway was dark and empty. I went upstairs to my own room, closed the door behind me, and leaned against it. Then the years came again harder this time. I slid down to the floor, hugged my knees to my chest, and cried until my head throbbed and my eyes elt swollen shut.

Eventually, exhaustion won. I crawled into bed without changing. Pulled the covers over my head. I fell asleep with tears still drying on my cheeks.

When I woke up the next morning, sunlight poured through the curtains. My head hurt. My eyes felt puffy and heavy. I didn’ t move right away. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying last night in my mind. The way he yelled. The way he looked at me, like I’d done something unforgivable. The way he walked out.

I couldn’t go downstairs. Not yet. I was scared. Nervous. What if he was there? What if he looked at me with that cold expression again? What if he pretended nothing happened?

I forced myself out of bed and went to the window. Pulled the curtain back just enough to peek outside. His truck wasn’t in the driveway. The space where it usually sat was empty.

Had he left? For good?

My stomach twisted. I turned away from the window and went to the mirror. My reflection looked awful – eyes red and swollen, face puffy, cheeks streaked from dried tears. I sighed deeply and splashed cold water on my face. It helped a little, but not enough.

I couldn’t stay up here forever.

I took a slow breath and headed downstairs.

The house was quiet. Too quiet. No sound of Ryder moving around. No smell of coffee. Nothing.

I walked into the kitchen.

–

Breakfast sat on the counter – a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and a glass of orange juice. Beside it was a small note in his handwriting.

You should eat.

I stared at the food. My stomach turned. I didn’t feel hungry. I didn’t feel anything except empty.

I left the plate untouched and went back upstairs. The tears came again, quieter this time, but just as heavy. I curled up on my bed and cried into the pillow until my eyes burned and my head throbbed.

Just then, my phone rang.

I wiped my face quickly and looked at the screen. Mom.

I took a shaky breath, cleared my throat, and answered.

“Hey sweetie,” she said warmly. “You didn’t reply to my text last night.”

“Sorry,” I managed. “I didn’t check.”

“Anyway, how are you enjoying the ranch?” she asked.

The question hit me hard. I felt the tears rise again. I bit the side of my mouth to hold them back. “Hey, sweetie?” Mom’s voice sharpened with worry. “Why are you suddenly quiet? Is everything alright?”

I couldn’t hold it anymore. A sob broke free – loud and raw.

“Hey, hey!” Mom said quickly. “What is going c

“I can’t do this anymore,” I cried. “I can’t.”

Successfully unlocked!

“Tell me what is going on!” she said, louder now. “Did anything happen? Talk to me. I’m your mom.”

Wrecking her innocence 28

I sniffed hard. Tears streamed down my face. “Can I come back to the city?” I asked. “I don’t want to be here anymore. miss you. I miss Dad. I miss my friends so much.”

Silence on the other end for a second. Then Mom’s voice softened. “Sweetheart… what happened?”

I couldn’t answer. I just cried harder.

“Okay,” she said gently. “Okay. We’ll figure it out. I promise. Just breathe. I’m here.”

I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “I just want to come home,” I whispered.

“I know,” she said. “We’ll talk to Delaney. We’ll get you back. Soon.”

I clutched the phone tighter. “Thank you, Mom.”

“I love you,” she said. “So much.”

“I love you too.”

I hung up. Set the phone down. Curled into a ball on the bed.

The house was still quiet.

Just then, someone called my name from outside. A small stone tapped against the window. Then another.

“Hey! Hey! Lila?”

My eyes widened. My heart jumped. What was going on? I sat up quickly, wiped my face with both hands, and crawled over to the window. I peeked through the curtain just enough to see without being fully seen.

Jerry stood in the yard below. He looked up at my window, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun, the other holding another small pebble ready to throw.

“I can see you,” he called, grinning.

I ducked back a little, annoyed and embarrassed. My face probably looked terrible – puffy eyes, red nose, tear-streaked cheeks. I didn’t want anyone seeing me like this, especially not him.

“What do you want?” I called back, keeping my voice low so it wouldn’t carry too far.

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