Lost In tragedy

Chapter 28

Ryder was stressed the entire school day and was having a hard time concentrating on his work. He was looking at his phone every 5 seconds really hoping his mom would call or text. His teacher Mr. Lynch noticed he was having a hard time concentrating as he walked up to him. "Ryder everything okay?" Mr. Lynch asked, "no sorry Mr. Lynch I am just worried about my dad" Ryder said. "I understand to be honest I am surprised you are even here today" Mr. Lynch said, my mom told me to come, said it wasn't doing me any good sitting around doing nothing at the hospital" Ryder said. "I agree with your mother, and I wish I could do something to help, don't worry about finishing the assignment right now just concentrate on your father" Mr. Lynch said. "I already finished the assignment sir; it really didn't take me long" Ryder said. "You are a very bright young man Ryder you always find a way to surprise me. Go home take some time off I assure you that your grades will not suffer" Mr. Lynch said. Ryder texted his mom hoping she would come get him as the bell rang for lunch.

Brooke found Ryder at his locker, "Babe I am worried about you, I feel like you have been through so much" she said. "Brooke I am fine" Ryder said a bit coolly he just wasn't in the mood right now. "I get that you are upset I would be too, I just don't know why you are shutting me out" Brooke said. "I don't have time for this right now Brooke, I am meeting my mom outside" Ryder said as he walked away from her. Lily held Brooke back as she tried to run after him, "let him be Brooke, I get you are his girl and are worried, but you need to understand Ryder has been through a lot. The person he feels closest too after all these years is in a coma and could possibly die. He will come to you when he is ready and if he doesn't try and take things from his perspective" Lily said. "I am trying Lily; I just miss him it's really hard to see him like this" Brooke said. "Can you blame him? His foster family even after all these years are still finding ways to torment him even from prison. His dad might not make it and his little sister lost her parents again he just needs time to process everything" Lily said. "I know but he shouldn't do it alone" Brooke said, "he isn't he has his family" Lily said. "I wish he thought of me as his family too" Brooke said all sad. Lily rolled her eyes she knew her friend was being selfish she was not thinking about Ryder and his feelings at all.

Taylor picked him up and said, "are you sure you don't want to stay here?" "Yes, I can't concentrate, and Brooke is just irritating me" Ryder said. "She loves you Ryder and is worried I am sure she means well and just wants to help" Taylor said. "I know and I appreciate it, but she can't help. She doesn't understand what I am going through, and I still can't get over what happened. The idea of a girl touching me right now just scares me and I am not sure having a girlfriend is the best thing" Ryder said. "Then you should tell her that instead of ignoring her otherwise it will drive a wedge between the two of you" Taylor said. "I know I will but for now I want to concentrate on dad" Ryder said as they pulled into the hospital parking lot. Taylor and Ryder sat with Tyler talking to him trying to get him to wake up. There has been no change for 4 days now and it worried them so much. Taylor drove to the elementary school to pick up Olivia. She was surprised how well this girl was handling the situation in losing her parents for the second time in her life. "Hi Taylor" Olivia said as she climbed into the backseat, "Hi sweetie how are you doing?" Taylor asked. "I am okay, some girls were being mean today, saying that I don't deserve parents anyways" Olivia said. "That is awful sweetie of course you deserve parents, did you tell Mrs. Durant?" Taylor asked. "No, she was there she heard; the girls were punished but maybe they were right. I mean I did lose both sets of parents and ironically both in car accidents. I think I should be sent somewhere else; I might be cursed" Olivia said crying a little. "No sweet girl, you are not cursed I can assure you. It is all just a big coincidence, why do you think you should go somewhere else?" Taylor asked. "I don't want my brother to lose his parents too, I love him, and I know he's hurting I can see it in his eyes. I also know he is hiding stuff from me and maybe it's because I am only 10 but I can see him hurting." Olivia said, as Taylor drove them to the hospital, she sighed this poor girl. Not only has she lost both parents who loved her she was more concerned for her brother than she was for herself, Taylor knew at that moment that she was exactly like her brother.