Red Room Hours with John Tan

Alone

The next three weeks were busy and eventful, you spent almost all of your time in study groups and with friends. By the time the semester ended you realized you'd not only never spoken to John again, you'd hardly noticed him in class either. You'd gratefully accepted your B in English 102 and felt happy to close the door on that class forever. Professor Long had given you a perfect score on your presentation and you knew that had probably saved your grade.

Sitting on your bed a few days after your last class of the semester you were looking over your final grades, pleased to find you'd aced accounting when your phone rang. You answered without even looking down at the screen, comfortable because you'd long ago blocked him.

"Hello?"

"Hey sweetie, how's your day going?" Your mom's bright voice came across the line. Since your dad came home two weeks ago she'd been in a much better mood. He'd recovered remarkably well and was just waiting for his leg to come out of its long hard cast so he could move around better.

"Really good, looks like I got all As this semester except for English but that's a B, and honestly I wasn't expecting even that high." You breathed a sigh of relief and she excitedly congratulated you on your grades. She didn't mention John, no one mentioned him, not your dad, friends, Kasey, or even Robbie, and you'd worried he might. The excitement over your dad had erased his memory of John you guessed.

"I was calling because Dad has a physical therapy appointment this evening and Robbie has a basketball game, do you think you could take him?" Since your aunt and uncle had left several days ago your mom was juggling a lot of responsibility. You'd felt bad because you'd virtually not seen them at all for over a week studying for finals. You smiled thinking time with your brother was exactly what you needed.

"What time? I'll take him for dinner afterward if you and Dad want to have a quiet evening." She thanked you and told you the details.

Later that evening you pulled in front of the gym at Rankin High School and frowned. This was the gym you'd come to with John when you'd met his brother. You turned to Robbie and forced a smile on your face, John wouldn't be attending a basketball game for special needs adults, this was going to be fine.

In the gym you ushered a very enthusiastic Robbie to his coach and grabbed his jacket, then made your way to sit in the stands. They were mostly empty given the early hour, the high school team not playing until later in the evening. You'd been sitting only a few minutes when you heard someone greet you.

"Y/N, hey I thought I recognized you!" Jordan, Jonrick's girlfriend greeted you hurrying up the steps.

"Oh hey, Jordan, yeah I'm here with my brother." You vaguely gestured to the boys warming up on the sidelines. You tried to smile but you felt uncomfortable, you willed yourself not to look around for John.

"I'm working the concession stand tonight and I'm on break, how are you?" Her tone changed and sounded sympathetic, so she must know you and John had broken up.

"I'm good, how are you and Jonrick?" She laughed and shrugged. "You know, it's good sometimes and it's bad sometimes." She laughed again. "Boys are so confusing right?"

"Yeah I guess, maybe just Tan brothers." You didn't even smile at your own joke.

"I thought for sure you'd still be together, John looked at you like you were the only person in the world. It was really sweet, but I guess he just likes to be alone." She frowned and shrugged again. Had she said alone? Why would John be alone?

"Wait I thought he was back with Bree?" You raised a brow, hating yourself for quizzing this teenager on her boyfriend's brother. You sounded way too involved and interested and you winced trying to look and sound as though the answer didn't matter.