That One Moment...

Chapter 26

Day 91 - Part 2

"Walk to lunch with me?" Ryan asked.

"Um...I was hoping to just eat in here. Be out of the way and work on stuff. That's what I usually do when it's too cold outside." Sarah decided to go with the truth. No reason to lie. She really didn't have it in her as her nerves were thrumming with anxiety and her heart was breaking again. Sarah had thought she was prepared, but actually seeing Ryan was hard.

"You don't have to hide away again Sarah. Even if you don't want to be with me, or even be friends with me, there are a lot of other people that care about you too."

Sarah looked down and started to actually pack up her stuff, trying to hide the tears that began to fall from her eyes. "But, it is easier this way Ryan. I don't belong in your group. I am not meant for it...or you." She added so softly he really couldn't hear the last bit.

Before she could react, and while the tears picked up, Ryan reached over and pulled her to his chest. There wasn't anything sexual about the act, it was all about comfort, comfort that Sarah didn't realize she craved and needed. Comfort that maybe only Ryan could give her, but that she really didn't deserve to have.

Sarah tried to remove herself, but Ryan wouldn't let her. "Sarah, don't go back into your shell. Please don't do that. Whatever happened over the break, please don't slip back."

"It's too hard though. I can't do this Ryan. Obviously, I don't know how to be this person."

Sarah was finally able to pull away. Ryan let her go, but grabbed her things. "Come on. Let's get your lunch. Dylan and Leo will pummel me if you aren't in the cafeteria, while Abby and the rest of your team will yell at me. Don't put me through that along with your silent treatment."

Sarah could only stare at his back as he started walking out of the library with her stuff. Her pause was long enough that Ryan made it to her locker long before she did.

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Period 5 - AP US History

Sarah felt a bit like a recalcitrant child as Abby walked her from lunch, to her locker, to their history class. She realized during lunch that her group of new friends was not going to let her go. They were fairly adamant about not leaving her alone...to the point that they seriously made plans about who would walk her to which class and drive her home or work most of the week. She felt about 5. She also couldn't decide if this was more depressing than where she was at mentally this morning...or if their support and overwhelming pushiness was actually helping her.

"So, when you stopped texting me over break I started Googling things." Sarah looked over at Abby sharply at that...

"What?!?!"

"We all knew you were ignoring us, starting to pull away. Whatever is going on between you and Ryan will work out. He was dumb, but not an ass, and you were just waiting for a reason to give up on all of us."

They walked into the classroom after that bomb dropped. Well, Abby did...Sarah stopped and gaped for a second. Abby looked back out of the classroom at her, "Dylan already ruined the going subtle and slow, so now I'm taking a direct approach as well. I like you as a friend, Sarah, always did. Not going to lose you to your parents and your head space again. Come on, let's find seats."

Sarah was pulled into the room just as the bell rang. Walking automatically behind Abby, Sarah took the seat next to her without thinking. She couldn't think past those words.

"Hey chicas." Sarah looked up to see Nathalie joining them. She was also on the basketball team, so Abby turned her chatting to talking about the upcoming game schedule and how the team looked. They weren't bad, but they also were not going to be one of the main contenders in the division...too many new players like Sarah in the mix.