Chasing Rhett | Rhett & Link

.7.

I jolted awake, the silence of the night being torn into by the sound of my phone ringing. Something told me it wasn't Rhett, but I couldn't help but hope.

Looking at the caller i.d., my heart stopped.

Rhett.

Rhett...

RHETT.

I picked up immediately, my heart skipping beats.

"Rhett, buddy..are you okay?" I spoke fast, unable to get my words out fast enough.

I heard a familiar cough on the other end, then a loud cry. 

It was him. It was him.

"Rhett, man, it's okay..Can you hear me?" My hands were trembling.

His loud cries were all I could here. Crying, screaming for some kind of help.

"RHETT!" I yelled into the phone, hoping that this wasn't some mistake. "RHETT!"

But he never said a word. 

He just cried. 

I held the phone to my ear, hoping that maybe he'd give something away...Hoping that I would hear something other then his pain.

But once he realized I was listening, he hung up.

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach.

Rhett, please...

I felt my eyes grow wet and warm. And then my cheeks. I was crying now too.

If anyone asked me what I wanted to do right that moment, I would say, "I want to hold my best friend and tell him that everything is okay. I want to give him the love he so desperately needs. I want to make him happy...I want to fix him."

But I couldn't. Because he wasn't here and I wasn't there.

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I couldn't fall back asleep after that. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Rhett sitting in a ditch somewhere, crying. And it hurt.

So I continued on my journey, following the directions until I came upon a library. 

A library.

I don't know how I can sense it, but I know deep down that Rhett had been here.

So I park and get out sleepily.

I hadn't been inside a library since I was in college. And knowing that Rhett wants me to go here, is odd.

Walking through the front doors, I am instantly hit with the smell of old books and dust. Which in my opinion isn't so bad. It's nice actually.

Once up at the desk, I look around for any form of assistance, but see no one.

So I wait.

And wait.

And wait for what feels like forever, and then finally, a large man with long dark hair and tattoos comes up to the desk.

He has piercings in many places on his face. 

"Hey, what can I do for you?" he asks politely.

I try to smile and reply with some bit of friendliness, but it comes out more shallow, "Hey. The names Lincoln or Link. Do you have anything for me?"

I step on my own toe and force myself to smile.

The man takes nothing of this comment though and grins back at me.

"Ah, I've been waiting for you," he turns to his left and picks an envelope out of a dog eared book, "Reed left this for you."

"It's Rhett."

"Rhett, yes, I'm sorry," he says handing the paper to me.

I take it gingerly and give the man a thank you.

He replies with a 'no problem' and walks back into the back.

 I leave. Once in the car, I nervously open the letter and read:

Link, this is the last letter. By now you may have come to realize that I'm not coming back until I have a reason too. I need you to be that reason. I have no idea what I'm doing, man. I don't know who I am anymore. I have these thoughts that I can't control and I'm losing myself under them. I can't live like this Link. I just can't. You'll  find me at the lake where we had our first fight. The place where you made it up to me. Come find me Link. I love you.     - Rhett

I felt the anticipation growing faster and faster.

He's at the lake. The lake...

I put my foot on the gas and started down the road.

I'm on my way, Rhett. I'm coming.

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