Secrets And Lies

Chapter 51: Walking OnEggshells

Ryan's POV

"Three hundred sixty-three.." I sighed, rolling my eyes and onto my side simultaneously.

I was bored. I had been stuck in our house for a week and had resorted to counting the rosebuds on the old wallpaper border, that the previous owners deemed fit for my room. It needed to go, like yesterday.

I haven't been to school all week. The warden thought it was best that I stay home until things died down. Every day Quade would bring my homework home for me to complete. So other than that, my days were full of binge-watching shows on Netflix. I ran out of things I wanted to watch on Tuesday, and it was now Thursday. I even broke down and called the trauma counselor that Sloane had recommended. We had a session over the phone, and I felt slightly better. But the anxiety was replaced with boredom.

Axel tried to keep me entertained, but with the amount of trouble him and Foster got into, they got detention multiple days this week. His visits didn't last long during 'visiting hours' and when he came over at night, he didn't think I was up for anything but sleep. I tried to fool around but he was too worried that I had been through too much stress. Stress my ass! I needed an outlet to work off the energy I had built up.

Enough was enough. I needed to get out of the house. Maybe a trip to the mall. Do some shopping.

"Sweet baby Jesus.." I sighed.

I really must be desperate, I hate shopping. I glanced at the hideous border again. Scratch that, I'll go to the hardware store and get some paint and get rid of the grandma flowers.

I unlocked the phone to check the time.

"Seven AM?" I whined.

How could I be up already? I should be sleeping. I looked at my bed, half tempted to crawl back under the covers, but my need to cure my boredom trumped my laziness.

I had put my phone on silent, because my grandparents and even Mary, were blowing up my phone since Sloane set the record straight with them.
I was pissed at first, but she explained that I needed as many people in my corner as I could get, because my mother was trying to save herself as usual.

I threw on old ratty sweats. I was just going to get paint on myself anyway, so I bypassed the shower and threw my hair in a messy bun. I made my way downstairs and to the kitchen where three members of my family were seated at the kitchen table.

I was surprised to see my cousin here. She had taken the week off too, and had been stuck in her house as well due to being sick. She still looked like crap.

"Darlin', what are you doing up so early?" my dad asked with a worried expression, breaking my thoughts. "Did you have another nightmare?"

My hand froze on the fridge door. I was sick of being coddled. I was tired of everyone around me worrying. Hell, I only had two nightmares after the shit slideshow.

"I am bored out of my mind. I didn't realize how early it was. And no I haven't had a nightmare. Not for the last couple of days. So quit worrying." I snapped.

" Ryan we're just making.." Quade started before I slammed the fridge closed.

" I know! You're just making sure that poor Ryan doesn't break!" I exclaimed.

I grabbed an apple instead of raiding the fridge, I suddenly didn't have much of an appetite. I was going crazy being treated like glass.

"I'm sorry, I just need to get out of here." I bit into my apple looking from my brother to my dad, who both were staring at me still with expressions full of worry.