Despite the arguing at school, Ranelle, Darrin, and Reilly actually got along really well - most of the time. They’d been friends ever since Ranelle had moved into the area. Reilly still wasn’t sure what had drawn her to them on her first day, but she had never been shy. 


She’d sat down at their table at lunch and said, “I can tell you’re as weird as me. I’ve got a nose for it. Let’s be friends!”


That was two years ago. Reilly had been dating her for a year now, and had no intention of letting her go until he knew if they could have a post-high school future together.


Between Ranelle, Darrin, and his family, Reilly had the best eighteenth birthday a guy could ask for. They’d come straight home with him on the bus and they had all talked, laughed, gamed, and reminisced all afternoon and evening. And after cake and ice cream, he was given his best gift yet: a piece of paper from his mom with this Saturday’s date and a time on it.


“We made an appointment at our mechanic to fix your car, honey,” His mom said, giving him a hug.


His dad followed her with, “We’re proud of how well you’re doin’ this year, son. We’ll pay to get that car fixed this time.”


“Wow! Thanks, guys!” Reilly gave them grateful hugs. “It was going to take me at least a month to save up enough for that repair!”


“Speakin’ of cars,” Reilly’s dad said, “Since neither of you have one yet, I reckon I oughta take y’on home. Sorry to cut the evenin’ short, but unlike you carefree youngins, I have to work tomorrow.”


Reilly knew he could have simply borrowed one of his parents’ cars and taken his friends home himself later, but he also knew that his dad was trying, in the kindest possible way, to make sure that Darring didn’t stick around long enough to outlast his good behavior. Plus, this way, Reilly’s dad could make absolutely certain that Darrin made it all the way home, without any problematic detours.


While Reilly wasn’t really ready to say good-night to Ranelle yet, he was actually kind of on board with his dad’s thinking, especially after the amazing offer from him to fix Reilly’s car. So he and his friends piled into Mr. Lander’s pickup truck, all three in the back seat, with Reilly squished in the middle.


Ranelle was dropped off first. Reilly walked her to the door. He would have loved to have wrapped her in his arms on her porch swing for a while, but, as his dad and Darrin were literally watching, he just gave her a 2-second hug and kiss. As he was about to let go, she whispered in his ear.


“Remember what I told you.”


She went inside and Reilly sauntered back to the truck. As he hopped in next to Darrin, his friend piped up.


“You may have a girlfriend, but, in the locker room, girls talk about ME. Multiple girls. As in more than one. Who needs a girlfriend?”


Reilly chuckled and Darrin smirked.


Mr. Lander pulled up to Darrin’s house and they both popped out. They walked around to the front passenger door of the truck, and Darrin gave Reilly a fist-bump before jogging up to his house. Just before he went inside, Darrin flashed that oversized grin again. That grin showing just a few too many teeth. Reilly involuntarily grimaced.


His dad must have noticed it too, because when Reilly climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door, he said, “Son, I ain’t tellin’ you what to do, but even if you’ve known somebody a long time, some friends just ain’t worth havin’.” 


Reilly’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, expecting a last good-night text from Ranelle. Instead, it was from Darrin. One sentence darkened the glowing screen:


“Remember what I told you.”