Beyond These Stars

Chapter Two

Ryan hadn't been to school for the remainder of the week and Michael was starting to get mildly conserved. She wouldn't answer text either. So needless to say, he wasn't expecting to see her when he went to school on this Friday morning.
He pulls up to the school in his uncomfortable blue uniform shirt and gets out of his car. He spots his few friends and walks over to them when he knocks into someone.
"gah- shit I'm sorry!" He hears from beside him. He turns his head to see Ryan in full blazer and uniform scrambling to get all her book, Which was odd because it was like, what, 90 degrees {Fahrenheit}outside?
"Hey it wasn't your fault I wasn't looking." He says and starts grabbing her books too.
"Oh its you. Hi Michael." She says looking at him.
"Hey. Where have you been?" He asks as they stand up.
"Oh! Yeah! I uh, got sick. And my dad took my phone for not cleaning my room. I'm sorry." She says pulling her hair back behind her ear, only for it to pop back out.
"Oh I'm sorry. But hey good news! You got Zoe! Rehearsals today. I can drive to home afterwards if you don't wanna walk. Ya know, being you just got over being sick and all." Michael offers.
"Really?! That's awesome! That's like my dream role! And uh, I don't know. But thanks for the offer anyways. I'll think about it." She says as she walks away to class, yet again turning and waving as she goes.
Michael smiles to himself yet again. This girl really was a mystery.
He walks over to his friends to find them with their jaws hanging open.
"What?" Michael asks confused.
"Dude, you do realize who you were just talking to right?" His friend, Gavin, asks him.
"You mean Ryan?" He asks confused.
"Um, yeah! She's like, kinda farther up on the social ladder than us!"
Michael looks at him with a look of confusion and 'are you serious' on his face.
"Ryan, you mean the Ryan who does drama and has no friends to talk too and isn't in school half the time Ryan?" He asks.
"What other Ryan would I be talking about!" Gavin says with annoyance in his voice, "Nobody talks to her because they don't wanna bother her! But no one talks to us because we're losers! There's a big difference buddy!"
Michael scoffs and just walks away. All he has to do is breeze through the first four periods and then he can go to lunch.

As science finishes up fourth period is almost over and his insides are clawing at his stomach. The bell rings and he dashes out of class to his locker to grab his lunch.
As he makes his way to his usual table he sees Ryan sitting at her usual spot in the back reading and eating an apple, when he gets an idea.
"Hey Ryan," he says, "if you didn't wanna sit by yourself for lunch you're welcome to come sit over with me and my friends."
Ryan looks to consider the idea, but eventually turns it down, saying she had to finish this book for class, but thanks him for the offer.
Damnit. He really wanted to fuck with his friends. He goes to sit at his table and Gavin punches him in the arm.
"Dude what the fuck was that about!" Michael shouts.
"I thought we agreed you wouldn't talk to her!" Gavin says clearly really annoyed.
"Oh my god are you seriously still on about that?! She's cool! Look, how about next time we all hangout I invite her and you can see for yourself alright?" He offers.
Gavin scoffs and walks away, "count me out then."
Michael just rolls his eyes and goes back to eating and talking to his other friend, Anna, a short mixed girl with mild vitiligo.
"What are you playing this time ya dork?" He asked making her look up from her phone.
"Zelda. I hacked it to get it on my phone. And who are you callin a dork? Says the one that plays with lights for fun after school!" She says back with a smirk.
"Hey! the lights are cool and you know it!" He says.
"Yeah yeah fine whatever I guess. Hey why don't you try inviting her over here again? She looks kinda lonely." Anna says nodding her head towards Ryan. Michael sighs.
"I gotta better idea. Grab your lunch." He says getting up.
Him and Anna walk over and sit with faith.
"If you weren't coming to us, we were coming to you!" He says sitting down next to her, "this is Anna, she chill I guess." Anna extends her hand out for Ryan to shake which she does while smiling.
"Hi!" Ryan and Anna say at the same time and then laugh.
"I knew you'd get along." Michael says cracking up. Ryan turns to him and lightly hits his arm while laughing.
They spend the lunch period babbling about anything and everything and nothing is serious.
"Good lord why is is so hot today!" Ryan says as a joke.
"Well if your so hot then why don't you just take your blazer off ya goof." Michael says laughing. Ryan seems uncomfortable for a moment and then plasters back on that damn smile.
"I'm not that hot yet." She says pushing him lightly.
Just then the bell rings signaling them lunch is over. Ryan stands up.
"Well thanks for sitting with me", she says then turning to Michael, "see you at drama?"
Michael nods his head and Ryan runs off to her next class.
Anna looks at Michael with a smirk.
Michael is just starring off to where Ryan ran off to with a slight smile resting on his face. Anna coughs to get his attention.
"What?!" He says facing her.
"Ah nothing. It's nothing." She says laughing and walking away.
"Hey get back here!" Michael yells chasing after her.

After school at rehearsal Michael looks for Ryan but can't see her until she comes in looking really weak and like she was crying. He quickly runs over to her to see if she's okay.
"Ryan? Hey what's wrong?" He asks.
She looks up and him and just about burst into tears. She jumps up and practically clings to him.
"Hey hey hey what's up?" He says with concern.
She just hugs him tighter and doesn't let go.
"Hey, we aren't really doing anything today except talking some stuff over and it's mostly gonna be for the stage crew. Do you just wanna duck out and head to the park?" He asks. She nods her head while still clinging to him.
"Can you walk?" He says as she lets go. She nods and goes to take a step but stumbles back into him.
"sorry..." she whispers.
"Don't worry here is it okay if I carry you to the car?" She nods her head again as he lifts her up. He's not strong enough for this. He's a scrawny tall lanky dork, he doesn't have muscle.
None the less he tells Mr. B they have to leave and he's all too understanding.
They get to his car and he puts her down in the passengers seat. Music plays as soon as the car turns on and they make the five minute drive to the park. When he stops the car he goes to open the passenger door.
"I think I can walk now." Ryan says chuckling.
She gets out of the car and they walk over and lie down in front of the swings like they did a couple days ago.
After a few moments of silence Michael decides to speak up.
"So what happens back there. You didn't look so hot." He says turning his head towards her.
"I don't know. I guess I over heated? I threw up and I just didn't feel okay. I'm still kinda dizzy." She says laughing.
Michael sits up and looks at her with concern in his face.
"Then take off the blazer. And don't say you're not that hot you literally overheated. Come on.
Ryan sighs and takes off the blazer. And lies back down immediately on her arms. He could have sworn he saw a flash of green and purple.
Michael doesn't want to pry so he lies back down too. They continue conversation as usual.
After an hour or so Ryan checks her phone to see the time.
"Shit! I have five minutes to get home!" She says grabbing all her stuff.
"Hey don't worry I can drive you so you won't be late!" Michael says trying to calm her down.
She looks to be debating it for a moment bit eventually gives in and sprints to the car, and as she's running Michael is almost positive he saw bruises on her arms. But before he can investigate she puts her blazer back on while Michael is making his way to the car.
He quickly jogs over and unlocks the car and Ryan immediately jumps into the passengers side. Michael hops in and starts the car up.
"Hey I don't know where you live so you're gonna have to give me the directions okay?" He says calmly.
She nods her head and points to the turns each time they come up until they pull up in front of a run down two story house with overgrown grass in the front yard. Michael almost wants to hug her and not let her out into that mess.
Ryan turns to Michael and nudges him in the arm.
"Thanks for the ride. I'll see you tomorrow right?" She asks.
Michael smiles. "Yeah definitely."
She smiles back and hops out of the car and end to the door struggling with her keys.
Michael waits to drive away until she's inside to be sure she's safe.

As Michael head home listening to random music that comes up in his playlist he smiles to himself, not knowing why, but feeling content none the less.