Chapter 278

Chapter 278
"Nothing," I grabbed a bag of chips and a chocolate bar, eating emotionally. I couldn't shake the feeling of being excluded from the girls' night out.

Would it always be like this now? No one inviting me out because I was pregnant? If so, they were terrible friends.

Dominic appeared by the refrigerator, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, shoving another chip into my mouth.

"You'll upset your stomach."

"I don't care," I shrugged.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

I sighed, finally meeting his eyes. "They didn't invite me to go out with them." I knew it sounded silly. Even if I had been invited, I would have declined, but that wasn't the point. I was mostly just emotional.

Dominic looked confused. "Do you want to go out?"

"No," I made a face.

"Then what's the problem?" he frowned.

"The problem is they didn't invite me," I needed to try to adjust my mood before his parents arrived.

"Riley?"

"Yes?"

"Baby, are you really upset because you weren't invited out?"

"Yes, I am," My eyes never left the TV. "My friends are out having fun, and I..." I paused. I needed to think about what to say next. "You know what, it doesn't matter. I need to pee."

I lay in bed, trying to adjust my mood. Though rationally I knew I was probably overreacting, I still felt a sting of hurt inside. They went out to have fun, and I wasn't invited.

I shouldn't be so sensitive. I washed my hands, then headed downstairs.

Dominic was standing in the center of the living room, wearing a dark leather jacket. It was nearly six-thirty, but his parents hadn't arrived.

"Are your parents not coming?" I asked.

Dominic turned to look at me. "I told them they didn't need to come."

"Why?"

"Because I'm taking you out to dinner," he answered. "We need to leave this house for a few hours."

I realized Dominic was doing this to comfort me because I hadn't been invited out with the girls. Though I didn't want to admit it, this thoughtful gesture did make me feel a little better.

"After dinner, we can do whatever you want," Dominic added.

I bit my lower lip, thinking for a moment before saying, "Can we get ice cream and then walk by the lake?"

"As long as it makes you happy again." He took my hand, saying softly, "I don't like seeing you sad, baby."

"I'm not sad," I corrected, "I'm angry. I don't like being excluded just because I'm pregnant."

"I'm sure they didn't mean to."

"Yeah, but they still did it."

"Do you want to go out for dinner?" he asked.

I nodded. The rational part of me knew I was overreacting, but I couldn't help it.

"Then grab your coat and let's go."

---

In the car, I browsed Facebook, wanting to see if Nina had uploaded more photos. I felt a bit jealous. They were having fun outside, and I couldn't.

"Anything interesting?" he asked.

I turned off my phone and shoved it into my purse. "Not really." I changed the subject. "What did your mom say about dinner?" I felt guilty, it had been a while since I'd properly talked with her. Maybe we should have invited them along.

A smile played at the corner of his mouth. "They're actually meeting us at the restaurant."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I was hoping you'd say that."

His hand found mine across the center console. "I know things haven't been easy lately, but I'm going to do everything I can to keep that smile on your face."

"I can't control my emotions," I admitted, staring out the window at the passing streetlights. "It's stupid, I'm fretting, every little thing either makes me cry or pisses me off. Especially tonight, it makes me angrier."

"I'm sure they didn't mean to upset you," he said again.

I sighed, deciding to let it go. "Whatever. Let's just enjoy dinner and ice cream. Where are we going anyway?"

"A nice Italian restaurant. It's small, private, and they serve the best ice cream in town."

I grinned at him. "I still want Mexican chili."

His laugh filled the car. "Of course you do."

---

I wanted to order everything on the menu, and Dominic didn't hesitate to order it for me. I was practically inhaling my food.

I noticed Elizabeth across the table, smiling knowingly at me. I think she already knew about the pregnancy—that much was obvious from her expression. Meanwhile, Dominic and his father were deep in conversation about increasing security around the perimeter of something. I wasn't really paying attention, too focused on the delicious food in front of me.

"Have you looked at any online courses yet?" she asked.

I wanted to look, but I also wanted to experience college life. I knew I couldn't go to Yale, everyone knew that, and I'd accepted it, but I still had a chance to go to school here.

I swallowed a mouthful of pasta before answering. "Actually, I was thinking about looking into attending college here. In person, I mean. I want the real college experience."

"College here? But how would you arrange that with..." Her eyes flickered briefly to my stomach.

Being pregnant doesn't stop me from doing things. It's not a disease, and I'm not dying.

"Never mind," Elizabeth quickly backtracked, seeing my expression change. "You do what you want, dear. It would be very good for you."

"What would be good?" Dominic asked, tuning back into our conversation.

I swear sometimes he only hears what he wants to hear.

"Me," I said. "The university here offers part-time courses. I could go three days a week and study at home the rest of the time."

Dominic's brow furrowed. "Is that a good idea? I don't want you stressing over exams or overexerting yourself."

"I can't just sit at home all day, Dominic," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "I need to do something."

"Did I miss something?" He looked genuinely confused. "I thought college was off the table?"

"No," I corrected, pushing my chair back. "Yale is off the table. I need to use the bathroom."

I retreated to the ladies' room, locking myself in a stall to cool down. The frustration was building again. I hated feeling like I couldn't do anything without his permission. Always worried about doing something he didn't like. We were mates, not me being his prisoner.