In a billionaire's eyes

11: Raelynn

"I wish I was a little girl again because skinned knees are easier to fix than a broken heart."

Chapter Eleven: on my own

***

I spent all night crying, even though I should be happy because I got the scholarship.

Theodore ruined it.

My heart is hurting, and it's all because of Theodore.

When I came back home that night, my parents made me dinner, and we had fun, but I was there physically but not mentally.

All night I couldn't stop thinking about Theo. All I wanted to do was go back to him, but I knew better than that, mainly because I would move to California and live with my brother.

After hours of discussing with my parents and Eddie, we finally decided to live with Eddie in California.

My parents and Aiden would stay in Mississippi, but I would go to California. I was both nervous and excited because I was leaving on Wednesday, and it was Monday. I wasn't supposed to go to school, but I did because I wanted to spend time with the girls as much as I could.

I was now walking to class with Grace and Audrey. I had to pretend that I was okay because they thought I broke up a week ago.

I stayed up all night for three days, and I couldn't stop thinking about Theo.

I wondered if he was thinking about me, too.

Maybe it was for the better, I was sure. It was hard to fake a smile at the girls.

I always thought Theo and I would last longer. Everywhere I went, he was there with me- physically.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rae?" Audrey asked, sending me a worried look.

"I am sure," I smiled tightly at her, trying to assure her that I was okay.

Okay, on my own.

"Was it a lie, though?" I asked myself in my head.

"I'm just scared, that's all," I added.

Gracie wrapped an around my shoulder. "Don't you worry! I heard California is full of hot boys and handsome teachers. But, I have to tell you that you have to stay away from girls there. They are vicious."

I smile slightly. "Why would I befriend someone else when I have you two by my side?"

"Because it might get lonely there," Audrey frowns. "Rae, you realize that we will not have as much time to hang out together anymore."

"Especially since we weren't on the best terms these couple of weeks," Gracie said. "We wasted time when we could've wasted it right."

I smiled. "I don't care. I will always be your best friend, whether you two love it or not."

"Of course, we will always be the best of friends," Gracie kissed my cheek.

*

I walked home that day. I refused to take Gracie's offer to drop me home because I wanted time to think.

Think about my future that won't have my best friends in it and will not have Theo in it.

I was hurting bad, and I was breaking.

I was shaking because of the pain. I was hurt.

I was in pain because of Theodore.

Once in a lifetime, we had everything, and now I was alone. I hadn't been eating well, and my stomach was killing me.

However, one voice saved me from all the worries, and it made them disappear when I looked at the car that stopped next to me.

"Need a ride?" A voice that brings joy in my heart appears.

I look to my right to see Eddie, my brother who left me in Mississippi and California. It was my choice, but I was hurt.

I smiled widely and took a seat in the passenger seat. "You're back!"

"I'm back," Eddie nodded, and he hugged me as soon as I closed the door. "I missed you, Rae."

"Trust me when I tell you that I miss you even more," I cry in his arms.

I missed Eddie so much, and I wanted to tell him everything that happened with Theo, but I knew my brother way too well to see that he would do a u-turn and punch Theo until next Christmas.

"How was California?" I asked when he began to drive back home.

"Okay, but now it's going to be great since you're moving in with me!" He exclaimed.

"I know, isn't it great? Us living together without parents," I grinned. "Now we can fight, and no one can yell at us to stop."

"That's what you want, don't you?" He smirked.

"Of course, so I can beat you whenever I want when you take my charger without permission," I wiggled my eyebrows.

"Such a-"

He got cut off by a car driving fast next to us. "That's Theodore. I heard about you two, and I am not going to say I told you so, but I told you so."

My heart shuttered, and I frowned.

I am not going to say I told you so, but I told you so.

It hurt because he was right along the way, but I didn't believe him.

"No, we broke up because he was the right person but wrong time," I tried to make up an excuse.

"Be honest with me, Rae. Did he lay a hand on you?" Eddie asked, looking at me every second he could. "I won't punch him, don't worry."

"It doesn't matter now, but he didn't," I lied. "Theo was a great boyfriend, but the timing was wrong, and I guess it's because God had another plan for me."

Eddie licked his lips. "Alright, but as soon as we reach home, I want you to tell me how you two ended things."

"You're my brother," I reminded him. "You're not my friend, okay? Stop this protective action, and be the old Eddie. Oh, I know that you are hiding something from me, something Theo did because there was no way that you knew that he'd try something once you're gone."

"Protective act? Rae, I am your brother, okay? I know what goes on inside a guy's head, I am a guy myself, and I know that boys only like to play," he snapped.

"Not everyone is like you, Eddie," I fired back. "You only see boys like that because you are the same."

*

I always believed that when a person judges another, they look in the mirror. So, I was pissed when Eddie told me that guys were players and none of them were here to stay.

How could he say that to a girl who had a dream to have the perfect family in the future? Almost perfect.

Nothing was perfect in this life, no matter how hard we tried to fake it. Life was not that simple. Maybe as a child, but not anymore.

It felt like the world was against me right now. My parents were arguing again. I was glad that I was leaving this household, but my heart broke for my little brother, who we would go here.

I didn't want to leave him, but I wanted to chase my dreams.

I had something else holding me back from going into the school.

I rubbed my forehead in frustration, and I threw my phone onto my bed as I started crying. I was crying over everything that had happened lately, mainly because many people held me back.

I opened the drawer to find a picture of Theo and me. I knew that my heart could never be the same when I saw the picture. It felt like I was back at the start, and I wondered if he would come back to me. Would I go back for him?

"What did he do to make me happy?" I asked myself as I threw myself onto the bed.

I liked Theodore's company. I liked Theodore when he used to hold my hand in school. I liked Theodore when he gave me a chance.

"So, why won't you go back to him?" I asked myself again.

Theo was never there for me. He wished my parents to fight and look at what's happening now.

He was never there for me at my darkest times.

Theo never put effort into making me happy.

I was never happy with him.

*

Wednesday had arrived faster than I wanted, and I still had sleepless nights thinking about Theodore.

I saw him multiple times, but we didn't talk at all. He kept glancing at me, but I always tried my hardest to look away.

I didn't want to lock eyes on him.

I hugged my best friends again. I lost count of how much I embraced them because I would miss them.

I hugged my mom, then my dad again. "Can you two stop fighting for the sake of Aiden? Aiden is going to be alone now, so please try to agree on something."

Dad nodded. "We will miss you, Rae."

"I will miss you even more."

*

I tried to cover up my face because I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't believe that I had left my parents, brother, and friends in Mississippi.

It did not feel good to chase my dreams because I was alone. Yes, I had Eddie with me, but he had friends in California.

I didn't know anyone in California.

Audrey and Gracie came to me and befriended me. I didn't know how to befriend someone, so I was anxious to meet other people.

"It's going to be okay," Eddie shuffled my hair. "Trust me, California is full of great people."

I smiled slightly. "Is it? I'm scared to start new."

"It was scary for me too," he said. "But I got used to it."

"Your friend moved with you," I rolled my eyes. "How are you alone in this?"

*

We reached California, and my heart dropped. I was anxious. I was getting cold feet, and all I wanted to do was run back home to my parents.

My parents and Aiden would've come with us if we had money, but they couldn't. I stopped myself from walking any further, and I looked down at the floor.

I had second thoughts, and suddenly I did not want to chase my dreams anymore.

I felt lost here in California.

Eddie turned around, and he looked at me with a confused look on his face. "Are you coming?"

"Yes," I nodded. "Give me a second."

I inhaled, and I followed Eddie out of the airport. "I can't wait for you to meet my friends. Did I mention that I have four roommates?"

I was shocked. I stopped walking, scowling at Eddie. "W-what do you mean? You live with four people!"

"Four boys," Eddie raises four fingers.

"Wait, what do you mean?!" I exclaimed. "Four boys? How am I going to live with four boys?!"

"Listen, I am not going to let them talk to you," Eddie said.

"So, you want me to live with your friends in one place without talking? What happened to socialize with people?" I whined.

"You just said that you don't know how to befriend someone," Eddie narrowed his eyes at me.

"Maybe they're friendly," I shrugged.

Eddie gasped. "If I found out that one of them ever tried to hit on you, I swear that-"

I cut him off, rolling my eyes. "Enough with the empty threats."

"You're lucky that Max arrived," Eddie scowled at me.

"As if you can say anything else than repeat what I said."

A red van stopped, and a red-haired young man climbed out of the truck with a big smile on his face.

"Max, meet my little sister, Rae," Eddie said, pointing at me. "Rae, meet my best friend, Max."

"Nice to meet you, Max," I smiled as Eddie threw my bags into the trunk. "Hey, be careful with the bags."

"Geez, Rae," Eddie groaned as he grabbed the other bag. "What do you have in there? Theodore?"

My smile turned upside down, and I scoffed as I got into the van—what a rude thing to say to a girl who just had her heartbroken.

***