Two Worlds Collide

Chapter 28

Henrie walked towards the door, his heart heavy and his thoughts racing through his mind. He hugged his brother Kleo tightly, then gave his nephew Rome a big hug. "It was great seeing you guys again," he said with a smile.

Kleo smiled back at him. "It was good time, Henrie. Love you little brother," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

Rome looked up at Henrie with admiration. "Thanks for coming, Uncle Henrie. You always make things more fun," he said with a grin.

Henrie ruffled Rome's hair, feeling a sense of pride. "Anytime, kiddo. You're always my favorite nephew," he said, his voice filled with encouragement. Dash then comes running in, saying:

"Dad, I'm sleeping over at Rome's house! I'm so excited! Mommy said yes!"

"Wow, that sounds like fun, little man. Behave well for your aunt and uncle," I replied, turning to Camille.

"Thanks for this. I hope he doesn't cause too much chaos," I added.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'm always good. You and Mom teach me about my manners all the time. Love you, Dad!" Dash said, laughing.

"Okay, buddy. I love you," I replied and kissed him on the forehead.

"It's no problem, Henrie. Like I told Rylee, having him is always a joy. He's Rome's best friend, and I can't name a better dynamic duo," Camille laughed.

Andre walked up to him. "Hey, man. Thanks for coming tonight. It was good to catch up," he said, patting him on the back.

Henrie smiled at him. "Of course, Andre. It's always good to see you and the family," he replied.

As Henrie turned to leave, his sister Blair approached him. "Hey, Henrie. Do you mind giving me a ride home? My dad bailed on me," she asked, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Henrie sighed, feeling a bit annoyed. "Sure, Blair. Let's go," he said, trying to hide his frustration.

Before he could say anything else, he saw Rylee standing by the door. His heart skipped a beat as he took in her beauty. He stopped walking and turned back towards her. "I will always miss you, Rylee. I hope we can get back to where we were. I need you," he whispered, hoping that she would hear him.

Rylee turned around and smiled at him. "What was that, Henrie? I didn't quite catch it," she said confused.

Henrie blushed, feeling embarrassed. "Nothing, forget it," he said quickly, realizing that it was probably not the best time or place to have that conversation.

Henrie quickly said goodbye to Rylee and his family, feeling a pang of disappointment as he walked out the door. He hoped that he would see them all again soon.

Henrie sat in silence during the drive home, his mind replaying the conversation with Rylee over and over again. He couldn't help but wonder what he could do to win her back. As they pulled up to his house, he made a split-second decision to walk into his parents' house to get a glass of water. Blair followed him inside and asked him about the party, but he couldn't shake off his thoughts of Rylee. Blair noticed his distracted state.

"Hey, Henrie. You seem preoccupied. Is everything okay?" Blair asked, handing him a glass of water.

Henrie took a sip of water and sighed. "I don't know, Blair. I just had a conversation with Rylee at the party and it's been on my mind ever since."

Blair raised an eyebrow. "What happened? Did you guys get into a fight?"

Henrie shook his head. "No, we didn't fight. I just told her how much I miss her and want to get back to where we were."