𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 [𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙖𝙪]

Chapter Two

After hearing the news and finally being able to process it, Ricky went into his room and locked himself in for the rest of the night. He didn't know how to deal with moving and leaving everything behind, he was so young the last time it happened and he barely remembered how it went down.

He managed to calm himself down from the million worries that were coming to mind after talking to Red. He was venting on and on about how he was going to miss everyone- his mom, Red, Annie, and the other friends that he had made throughout the last 11 years he's been in Chicago.

He didn't know what he was going to do to break the news to Annie, it would break her heart, especially after their one year. So, he did what he always did when he was at a crossroads- went to sleep so he could talk to the girl in his dreams.

IN RICKY'S DREAM:

Ricky makes his way to the entrance of the diner where he would always meet the girl. It was a small diner, and inside, no one was really there, it was always just the two of them. He sat down in the booth that they would always meet at, and patiently waited for the girl to arrive.

His head jolts up when he hears the familiar sound of a bell, signalling that someone has entered the diner. He looks towards the door and makes eye contact with the brunette, and she greeted him with a smile, which he gladly returned.

"Hi," he says, as the girl sits down in the seat in front of him.

"Hey," she replies, "how was your day?"

"Well," he looks down at his two hands sitting on the table in front of him, "At first it was great. I went on a date with my girlfriend and we celebrated our one year!" He looks back up to see the girl still smiling.

"That's great! Congratulations," she genuinely says.

"Thanks," he chuckles, "but then my mom texted and she told me that I'm moving back to Salt Lake City, and I have to live with my dad." The smile on his face quickly fades at the thought and he looks back down at his hands.

"Aren't you excited?" The girl in front of him questions, "you told me you haven't seen him since you were in kindergarten."

"Not really. I mean, yea, I'm excited to see my dad and everything, but I don't think I'm ready to leave Chicago, leave Red, my mom or..." he pauses to look up at the brunette sitting in front of him, worry filling his eyes, "I don't think I can leave Annie."

"Well, of course it's hard to leave everything behind because it's the only thing you've ever known. But think of all of the other stuff you'd be missing out on- your dad, your brother- dude you have a whole ass brother, your step-mom. Think about the life in Salt Lake that's just waiting for you." She stops and waits for a reaction from the boy, but he only stays silent. She takes her hand and puts it on top of his in an attempt to comfort him. "Look, I know it's hard to leave everything behind, but my grandma always used to say 'if you love them, let them go, and if they love you, they'll come back.' Maybe it's the universe's way of testing you."

He stays silent for a while, thinking about what he had just heard. He feels her other hand rest on top of his and he looks back up at the smiling girl, offering a smile in return.

"Thank you, really," he begins to say, "I don't know what I would've done without you these past 11 years..." his face slowly starts to turn into confusion and he starts to speak again, "what's your name again? We've practically grown up together and I don't even know your name," he chuckles.

She laughs back at what the curly haired boy said, "Well, if you must know," she starts, "my name is..."

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

Ricky jolts up to the sound of his alarm going off, "every time," he mumbles, turning his alarm off.

He lays back down onto his bed and processes his dream and the encounter he had just had.

She's right, this is a whole new opportunity, I can't just throw it away. I have to let her go.

Ricky looks back over to his alarm clock and lets out a frustrated grunt, "why do I always keep forgetting to turn all my alarms off?"