by C.J Duggan
***
I managed to hold it together. I tried not to think too deeply about all my fears about kissing Toby and the way he'd up and left like that, with no warning. I felt exhausted. I just wanted to go home and crash into oblivion before the stress and agony of the dinner shift. I wanted to avoid Ellie's eyes that would no doubt reflect a silent 'I told you so'.
When I finally made it home between shifts, scuffing my feet as I trudged towards the driveway, I froze. My bike was propped up under the carport, sparkling, shiny and fixed. I wondered if my lack of sleep was making me hallucinate.
My heart threatened to beat out of my chest; I ran up the drive and clasped the handles. Yep, it was real. I dashed inside but the house was empty.
"Damn it!"
I frantically dialed the shop number and heard my mum's usual spiel after the second ring.
"Good afternoon, Rose Caf?, Jenny speaking."
"Mum!"
"Oh, hi honey, how was work?"
"Just awesome, hey listen, my bike?"
"Oh yes, sorry, I meant to put it in the garage but I was running late."
"When did it get dropped off?"
"Not long after you left for work, just five minutes later, and you could have ridden it there. You could have finally used your new helmet."
I cringed away from the receiver.
"Who dropped it off?" My voice seemed smaller now.
"Matthew Morrison, himself, did. I was late for work because of it, got caught up chatting to him. He's such a lovely man, isn't he? And a real fan of my pies, so he's definitely in the will."
A coldness settled over me. Toby's dad dropped it off? Toby had gotten his dad to return my bike instead of him. That clinched it. He was avoiding me. The bike was fixed, so that was that. He didn't need to see me anymore. Hot tears welled in my eyes. I was so stupid.
I tried not to sound too different on the phone; Mum could sniff out unhappiness like a bloodhound.
"Cool, thanks, Mum. I better go."
"You can ride your bike to work tonight," Mum said, sounding excited.
"Yeah." I tried to match her enthusiasm. "Yay!"
The phone clicked as she hung up, and I listened to the silence of the empty house. The realisation swept over me.
I was the rebound girl.