Chapter 161 Trip

Chapter 161 Trip


Chapter 163

Eileen's POV

It was finally time to leave for the trip, but instead of feeling excited like everyone else, my mind kept going back to Ryan.

I sat quietly in the room while Anna stood in front of the mirror, checking herself for the hundredth time as she spoke to her boyfriend on the phone.

"Yes, we're leaving soon," she said with a smile. "We're going to the airport now."

I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"Of course I'm excited. Maldives, baby. Who wouldn't be?"

She giggled.

I stared at my phone sitting on my thighs.

Maldives.

The word sounded beautiful, but I couldn't even bring myself to care about where we were going.

I looked around the room.

Anna was busy talking to her boyfriend, Emily was moving around and making sure everyone had packed everything, while my father was speaking to someone downstairs.

Even Melissa had been talking about her own plans before we left. She had spent almost ten minutes telling me about the trip she was planning with her talking stage, laughing while she described everything they were going to do.

Everyone had someone.

Everyone had somebody to talk to.

And I was just there.

Alone.

My thumb slowly moved across my phone screen until it stopped on Ryan's name.

I stared at it.

Should I call him?

Maybe I could just tell him that I was going on a trip.

It wasn't like I was confessing anything.

I could simply say, "I'm going away for a few days."

Maybe he would ask where.

Maybe he would even care.

My thumb hovered over his name.

Then his voice suddenly returned to my head.

"You're not my type."My chest tightened.

I immediately locked my phone and pressed it against my thighs.

Why was I even thinking about calling him?

He had made himself clear.

He didn't like me.

I shouldn't keep embarrassing myself by trying to force something that wasn't there.

I swallowed hard and looked down, but the tears had already started gathering in my eyes.

I quickly stood up.

"I'll be right back."

Nobody paid attention to me.

I walked straight into the bathroom and locked the door behind me.

The moment I was alone, I covered my mouth and allowed the tears to fall.

"Fuck," I whispered.

Why was I still crying over him?

Why couldn't I just forget him?

I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, but more tears followed.

I hated this.

I hated how easily he had gotten into my head.

I hated how one sentence from him could ruin my entire mood.

I leaned against the bathroom wall and closed my eyes.

Maybe I shouldn't have gotten attached.

Maybe I should have listened to Melissa from the beginning.

Ryan was difficult.

He was arrogant.

He was unpredictable.

But somehow, none of that mattered anymore.

I missed him.

I missed seeing him in school.

I missed the way he would annoy me for no reason.

I missed his stupid smile.

I let out a shaky breath.

"What am I supposed to do with you?"

There was no answer.

Of course there wasn't.

I stayed inside for a few more minutes until I was sure my face wasn't covered in tears anymore.

I washed my face and stared at myself in the mirror.

"You're fine," I whispered.

I forced a small smile."You're going on a trip. Just enjoy yourself."

I picked up my bag and opened the bathroom door.

The moment I stepped out, I almost walked straight into Anna.

"Jesus!"

She grabbed my arm.

"Where have you been?"

I blinked.

"Bathroom."

"We've been looking for you everywhere."

"Oh."

Anna narrowed her eyes at me.

"Why are you acting weird?"

"I'm not."

She moved closer and studied my face.

"Your face is red."

I quickly turned away.

"It's nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yes."

Anna grabbed my chin and turned my face back toward her."Eileen, have you been crying?"

My heart jumped.

"No."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"Then why are your eyes red?"

I stared at her, trying to think of something quickly.

"I used a cream."

She frowned."What cream?"

"Melissa's."

Anna raised an eyebrow."Melissa gave you cream?"

"Yes."

"For what?"

"For my face."

She looked unconvinced.

"It suits her skin, so I thought it would suit mine too, but I don't know why it started peppering my cheeks."

Anna stared at me for a few seconds.

"You put somebody else's cream on your face?"

"Yes."

"Without checking if it was good for your skin?"

I shrugged.

"I thought it would be fine."

She shook her head.

"You're lucky your face didn't swell."

"I know."

She was still staring at me.

I smiled.

"Can we go now?"

She didn't move.

"Eileen."

"What?"

"Are you sure that's what happened?"

My heart skipped.

"Of course."

She studied me again before finally sighing.

"Fine."

She grabbed my bag from my hand.

"Let's go before Mum starts looking for us again."

I nodded.

We started walking downstairs.

I tried to keep my face normal, but my mind was already back on Ryan.

I wondered where he was.

Was he thinking about me?

Was he even okay?

I hated myself for caring this much.

As we reached the living room, Emily looked up immediately.

"There you are."

"Sorry."

She smiled.

"It's fine. The car is already waiting."

My father picked up his phone.

"Everyone should get moving. We don't want to miss the flight."

Anna immediately brightened.

"Finally!"

She grabbed her suitcase and hurried outside.

I followed behind her quietly.

The private car was parked outside, and a driver was already waiting beside it.

Everyone started loading their luggage.

I stood there for a moment, staring at my phone again.

I could still call Ryan.

Nobody would know.

I could tell him I was leaving.

Maybe hearing his voice one last time before the trip wouldn't hurt.

I opened our chat.

His name stared back at me.

My fingers moved toward the call button.

Then I stopped.

No.

What if he answered?

What would I say?

"Hi, I'm going on a trip."

That sounded ridiculous.

What if he didn't answer?

That would hurt even more.

I locked my phone and slipped it into my bag.

"Come on, Eileen," Emily called.

"I'm coming."

I climbed into the car and sat quietly beside the window.

As the car pulled away from the house, I looked outside.

Everything was moving past me, but my thoughts remained in the same place.

Ryan.

I pressed my forehead against the window.

I wished I could stop thinking about him.

I wished I could stop caring.

But the truth was that I couldn't.

No matter how hard I tried, he kept finding his way back into my thoughts.

And somewhere inside me, I was still hoping that before this trip was over, I would hear from him.

Even if it was just one message.

Even if it was only a few words.

I just wanted to know that he was okay.