• “Ms. Adams! Care to give us some goods about what happened between you and Mr. Williams in Walmart?” a reported yelled as the security guards pushed the paparazzi away from me. Dad scowled at everyone as he walked by. Mom gripped my hand and protected my back. I stared dumbfounded at everyone. How could getting stuck in Wal-Mart make you this famous?! Its ridicules. We ran to our car and hopped in.

    “Lock your door Trinity,” Mom said her voice a little scared. I punched down on the button. People swarmed the car with cameras and microphones. I heard them shouting my name wanting me to say something. I pushed the finger print on the door and the window went down a little. “Ms Trinity! Do you have any comments?” Mom yelled and dad howled as he saw me about to answer. I ignored them.

    “Yes,” I said taking a deep breath. They all shut up, their eyes like hunger dogs, their hands posed over their paper to write down whatever I was going to say. “Being stuck in Walmart was scary. Nothing happened between Ryder and I. We got locked in their by accident and barely made it out. That’s all.” I felt bad about lying I didn’t want to but if they ever thought Ryder and I were together it would be spread out everywhere! “I just want things to go back to the way they were.”

    “Damn it Trinity! Shut the window!” Dad ordered turning around in his seat to glare at me. Shouts from the paparazzi told me they wanted more. Dad honked the horn and the car lurched forward. I stared at the open window as we drove down the road. Did I really want things to go back to the way they were? With or without Ryder? I loved him…right? Was I getting doubts? Dad narrowed his eyes at me in the review mirror but said nothing. I folded my arms around my hurt ribs, frowning, I looked back out the window happy to have the fresh air blowing on my face.

    Until my father shut it.

    It took us a while to get in the house. Paparazzi stood outside my house and dad could hardly get in the garage without running over someone. He tried, though. They just moved. Once in the garage and the door shut, did we get out. Mom came around and put her hand on my shoulder then guided me inside. Dad grumbled curses the whole way. He slammed his car keys down onto the bar.

    “Damn people! They have no lives! Keep wrecking my front lawn…it cost me a couple paychecks to pay for that!” I heard a familiar bark and a smile finally reached across my face. I ran into the living and almost ran into Jojo. She barked again then jumped up. I gasped with surprise and almost fell over from her weight. She put her paws on my shoulders and if I didn’t push her face back she would have put her whole tongue on my face.

    “Jojo!” I said with delight. She whimpered for me to pet her. I grabbed her mane of a hair and rubbed her scruffy neck.

    “Trinity, get that dog off you!” dad growled from behind me. Jojo got down once she saw dad but sat on her hunches and stared up at me with her big brown eyes. Her big tail wagged happily behind her. I grinned and scratched her head. Mom patted my back and smiled.

    “Oh by the way, your friend June called to see how you were. She said she was worried.” Wow, June called. That was a surprise. Considering I was a complete jerk to her. I nodded.

    “Oh…okay. I’ll call her tomorrow or something.” Mom smiled.

    “That sounds good. Why don’t you go lay down, honey. The doctor said you still needed a lot of rest,” mom insisted. I nodded.

    “Okay, come on Jojo,” I said pushing her forward.

    “No Trinity!” Dad barked sitting down on the couch with a sour expression. I stared over at him.

    “What?”

    “I’ve told you before that stupid dog is not going back to your room! It stays outside or in it’s kennel!” Dad said his grayish brown eyes brows connecting at the top. I felt angry and realized he isn’t going to do this to me. I looked at mom and she shook her head clearly annoyed. I looked back at dad and sighed.

    “No,” Surprised by my answer he didn’t have enough time to say anything because I took Jojo by her collar and ran back to my room and slammed it shut. I felt relived as I looked at my closed door. I smiled with relief. Jojo nudged my hand and licked it. I looked down at her then to my room. It was so quiet.

    I went to bed with Jojo on my right side, taking up a lot of the bed. Leaving me facing the window. The light on the garage shinning in. I felt lonely and empty without Ryder being here. Without feeling his presents behind me or in front of me. Maybe I really did love him. Everyone has doubts, right? I shut my eyes.

    Love was so much more complicated then people made it out to be. Maybe no one should say that word unless it’s truly, truly what you think. I frowned. Did Ryder really love me or was it just in the heat of the moment? I groaned and turned on my back just to be growled at by a sleeping Jojo, and a soggy pillow. I grimaced and turned back on my side. Everything would have to wait. I wanted to sleep. I didn’t know how much I would be able to though.