The Good Part (Sequel to 'Normal')

7: explain

   "Ryan," I laughed, clapping along with Winter as he was drumming. It was Winter and I's last day on the tour before we headed back to New York. "Come listen to Winter practice for tonight, he has gotten so good."
    "I," he said, scrolling on his phone. "I have to make a phone call really quick."
    Ryan walked back to our bedroom, soon to be Jack and Jess's, slamming the slide door shut. I looked over at Jack who was questioning what was going on.
"What is up his butt," I asked, continuing to play with Winter.
"I'm not sure," he said. "Probably something with Josh at the venue or something."
I got up from my seat and walked to the counter, picking up my phone. The notification sending my heart beating faster.
"What?" Jack asked, noticing my face drop.
"Can you keep an eye on Winnie for me for a moment?" I asked, looking up at him.
"Sure," he said, climbing down from his seat and to Winter on the floor. I walked back to the bedroom, what felt like days as I walked. I could feel my heart jumping up in my throat as I went to the door.
"How did this get out?" Ryan said into the phone. "It was between you and I, no one else knew. I have a family now."
I stood at the door, frozen in my spot as I felt a tear fall down my face.
"Everything okay?" Adam asked, opened the curtain to his bunk bed as he too out an AirPod. He scared me, making me jump out DJ my skin.
"I-" I said quietly, trying to find words. "I don't know yet."
He started to get up, but I stopped him.
"This is between Ryan and I,"
I reached for the door handle, sliding open the door. Ryan sat on the bed with his elbows on his knees, his head dangling in his hands as he held the phone up to his ear.
"Ryan-" I said, cautiously opening the door.
"Hold on a second babe," he said, holding up his finger.
"No, Ryan," I said, raising my voice. "I will not wait."
"Lauren-" he said, putting the phone on his shoulder.
"Jack!" I called out to the bus. "Can you please take Winter outside?"
"Lo-" he said, standing up and reaching for me.
"I want answers," I said, looking him in the eyes as tears streamed down my face. "What the fuck is this?"
I threw my phone at his feet, the TMZ article pulled up on the screen. The headline stamped in my head.
"Before we get into this, let me explain everything-"
"You lied!" I yelled at him, anger surging through my voice. "You told me that the doctor said he wasn't yours!"
Ryan stood there, silent as I could feel my blood boiling.
"You stood there, with her in the same room and told me Colton wasn't yours. Turns out he is? Turns out you've been meeting with Natalie? Paying child support without telling me?"
"Woah, guys," Adam said, opening the door. "What's going on?"
"Not now, Adam," I yelled at him, pointing to the door.
I turned back around, Ryan's faces slumped down.
"I love you, Ryan," I said through my teeth. "You are the love of my life and this is how you repay me? This is what you call love?"
     "I do love you," Ryan said, stepping towards me. "I couldn't hurt you anymore than what had already happened back then. We had just gone through so much, you had just gone through so much. I couldn't you through another mistake."
     "So instead you thought lying about it would just solve everything, huh?" I said, choking at my words.
     "I panicked the day we got the call," he said quieter. "It just came out, but Natalie knew about the results and I couldn't just-"
     "Just what?" I asked, crossing my arms. "You know what, I don't even want to know."
***
    You know that feeling when after you've cried for so long, and you can't cry anymore, you just feel like sleeping? How yours eyes were begging to close so you could just sleep off the pain?
   I sat on the edge of the bed, Ryan next to me, us both silent as we sat there.
   "Lauren," Ryan whispered, looking over at me. "Lauren, I'm so sorry."
    "I know you are," I said, my words cracking as I stared at the door in front of me. "I know."
    "I should have just said it from the beginning," he said quietly. I pulled out my phone, clicking the interest browser. "What are you doing?"
    I let out a sigh as I typed into the search box.        
     "I'm booking Winter and I flights to Columbus as soon as possible," I said, not looking up from my screen.
    "Lauren-" He said, letting out a small breath.
     "I think we just need to let this air out a bit," I said quietly, wiping away the last of my tears left. "Just some time apart, okay?"
     "Okay," he said quietly, holding onto the edge of the bed. I let out a sigh as I got up, grabbing a bag from the corner of the room, leaving the room.
    "Is everything okay," Jack asked, looking up at me as I got off of the bus. Ryan was behind me, silent.
     "Winter and I are leaving early," I said, trying to get the word out. "Gonna go to Ohio for a bit."
    Ryan picked Winter up, giving him a big hug as he did.
    "I love you buddy," He said, kissing the side of his head.
     Jack looked at both of us, confused as to what was going on.
    "I'll call tonight when we land and get settled in, okay?" I asked, looking up at Ryan as a cab pulling into the parking lot we were in.
    "Okay," Ryan said, his voice soft and low as he tried to get the words out. He leaned down, kissing the top of my head. "I love you."
    "Cmon, Winter," I said, picking him up. I picked up the bag and walked towards the taxi.
***
did I just ruin this book? mmmmyeah