Missing Martha

134

Martin, although trying to delay as much as possible, arrived outside the front door of Ryan's suburban house.
Martin was chewing the inside of his mouth to the extent that it was hurting. His windpipe felt tight and his gut felt sick. He knew that this would be one of the last times he saw Ryan.
"Well folks, this is me." Ryan began, sadly smiling.
Martin turned off the engine and stood up, walking slowly to the back of the van and sitting on the bed beside Ryan.
"God mate... I'm so sorry..." he sighed, biting his lips together with one hand on his thigh and the other over his mouth.
"You have nothing, nothing to be sorry about. You have literally given me my life, you gave me this band, this friendship and this trip. I'll never be capable of thanking you enough for that." Ryan replied, sadly smiling and being sincerely grateful for having his teacher.
Martin shook his head and reached over to Ryan, hugging him and exhaling unsteadily as he did so.
"Thank you." Martin whispered to him, holding him tightly.
"My pleasure." Ryan breathed, his eyes beginning to water as Martin lifted him up out of the van and knocked on his front door.
After about half a minute the door opened and Ryan's adoptive mother stood on the threshold with his father close behind.
"Oh Ryan! Ryan, Ryan, Ryan!" His mother exclaimed, as his father took Ryan from Martin's arms.
"Hello my dudes." Greeted Ryan, biting his lip as he tried to smile, but he really just didn't want to leave his friends.
The band watched as Ryan was hugged by his parents before he was set down onto the sofa in their living room.
"Guys, come in!" Called Ryan, "I need a hug from every single one of you."
Everyone slowly filed into the relatively large living room with blue and grey furniture.
"I guess this is good bye." Said Ryan, sadly smiling at them all.
Zoe shook her head and knelt down, giving Ryan a warm and loving embrace, "you'll be at my funeral, right? It's gonna be a blast."
"Oh please don't say these things, Ryan. I didn't plan on crying today." She said, feeling his cheek against hers as she sniffed and kissed him lightly on the cheek,
"You're the best, Ryan." She Added, pulling away before Ryan beckoned her closer again,
"Hey.. thanks for making him happy." He murmured, looking to Martin who stood by the window looking out.
"Anytime." She replied, placing one hand on his shoulder before letting it slip away as she stood up again and she bit her lip, walking back over beside Martin as the others hugged him.
"We're gonna come running back to your place everyday after school, alright?" Promised Cloda, giving an encouraging smile to him.
"You better." Laughed Ryan, "I'll see you about."

After a few more hugs and kisses they all departed back into the van.
"Well then, the final stretch.. Rustrike fricking High School." Laughed Martin, sitting in the front seat of the van and taking a last glance in through the window of Ryan's house before setting off.
"God I'm gonna miss him." He breathed quietly to himself, gazing in the rear view mirror at Ryan's house as if something could change.
Nobody knew quite what to say as they pulled up into the school, they were all shocked by the loud cheering that protruded from the pupils that were surrounding the outside of the school building.
"Holy shit!" Laughed Martin as he broke into a smile, driving slowly into the car park.
"Did you tell them to do this?" Asked Jemma with an emotion of both confusion and surprise.
"Not at all!" Martin Chuckled, "guess the kids just wanted an excuse to get out of class."
"Don't be so pessimistic- this is lovely." Said Zoe, rubbing Martin's hand subtly as he began to reverse into a parking space.
When he pulled up the handbrake, he sat back in his chair and exhaled, looking back at the four teenagers in the back.
"That was some school trip wasn't it?" He remarked.
"It certainly was." Ollie agreed, patting Martin's shoulder. "Thanks for having us."
"Thanks for coming, wouldn't be the same without you guys." Their teacher replied, before turning to Zoë and smirking slightly, "thank you for coming."
Zoe smiled back at him, looking at him with absolute adoration,
"Thanks for inviting me." She told him in response.
"-sorry you nearly got shot." Martin added,
"Oh, don't worry about it." She giggled, "sorry you got stabbed."
"No problem!" Chuckled Martin, looking back at the four teenagers who sat smiling quite sadly in the back seats.
"You guys are the best." He told them, "come on let's go."
He opened his door and heard more screaming from the crowds of pupils and saw a few of the teachers walking towards them with grins on their faces.
"Right now, we've gotta be strictly professional." Whispered Zoe into Martin's ear as she stood outside the van watching the band climb out.
"Not even a peck on the cheek?" Chuckled Martin, patting her back in a friendly manner.
"Wait till we get home." She murmured, nudging his shoulder as the receptionist, Lottie walked over to them.
"Hello, good to see you!" Greeted Martin, putting an arm around her shoulder and hugging her.
"Oh lovely to see you too Mr McCafferson, and Miss Flynn- how are you all?" Asked Lottie, Martin had forgotten how small she was and was tickled by it.
"Really good. Really, really good." Martin told her, constantly smiling. This made Zoë bite her lips together, utterly touched by his response. She greeted all her colleagues with a hug while Ollie, Jemma, Cloda and Lucy were welcomed by their other school friends back into the building. Martin took one look back at the van before locking it and entering back into the school, back into reality.