There are a time and place for everything. Even if it doesn't seem to make sense. I never thought this was how it would end though.
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My feet still hurt from chasing Ryan around the fairground yesterday. Patrick's now dating Pete even after he said he wouldn't. So now literally everyone in our group is dating their patent which means this whole bet is off? We honestly haven't spoken about it.
My alarm clock read two pm, not surprised, but I'm sure my mom's concerned. The soft carpet felt familiar and comfortable but eventually transitioned into smooth wood flooring as I made my way to the kitchen.
"Brandon! You're going to sleep your life away if you continue that." My mother babbled.
"Sorry I was out late last night at the fair with Patrick."
"Did you have fun at least?"
I smiled, "Yep."
Her lips met my forehead and her hands reached for her car keys. "I have to get to work. Your sister is in her room. Love you." She waved me off before she left.
My arms moved it a wave of a circle and my vocals tinged to make a stretching sound. "Ashley! The house is clear go hang out with your friends!"
It was quiet for a couple of seconds before I heard the trampling of feet against the stairs. Her hair was spiked up and her eyes were marked black. She looked like she stepped right out of a hot topic. "Thanks, B. I hate being grounded."
"Why have you grounded again?"
"I pierced my nose, well technically, Hayley did."
Of course, leave it to Ashley to take an act of rebellious. "Makes sense, it works for you though. Just try to stay out of trouble, okay? I don't need to get a call saying you're in a ditch somewhere."
She snorted, "I'll be fine, I promise."
"You better." I pulled her into a hug before she scurried away to be with her rugged friends.
My coat was hanging on the kitchen door which gave me the idea of hanging out with my friends.
Me: Meet me at the park
Dallon😊🙃: Nuuuuu that means the outside world and I'm a vampire
Jish👽: Dallon I think you'll be okay
Dallon😊🙃: I guess I will since Brendon wants to BUT I say we go someplace out like out of town and bring Ryan, Ryan, Tyler and Pete
Pat💜: Social interaction :( Me: sounds fun, where we going?
Jish😊🙃: let's just go to a park in Jasper that's about 30 minutes away
Me: okay see you guys soon ------------------
The sun reflected off of the metal pole of the swing as I watched the chains rattle every time Ryan made his way back down. It was sorta sticky outside from the humid yet it gave off a cool breeze every now and again that made you reach for your light jacket. Dallon and Ryan were sitting in the swinging slot next to us and Patrick and Pete were sitting on a bench that was across the swing area but close enough for us to hear each other.
I glanced over at Ryan; he didn't seem to have the same look in his eye that he did last night. It was more dimmed, a red rim was added as well. As he came back down from a swing I grabbed his hand and watched as my arm went up with him and the swing and flowed back down.
He smiled a little. "I love you." He said slowly, almost as if he was making sure it was still okay for him to make that claim.
"I love you too."
His smiled grew bigger. "Do you're guys feet hurt as much as mine does?" Pete asked, cracking a smile as he glanced at us.
"Oh, mine is on fire." I griped.
"That's what happens when you walk for five hours straight." Patrick chirped.
"I'm still offended that I didn't get invited."
"Dallon, I am the best plus one."
He flipped me off at that comment. "Yeah well, I look the best so I should be put out there to look at."
"Fair enough, but Josh has the best muscles so I say he would have been better to look at."
"That's because I'm the only one in this group who runs." Josh chirped.
"Ryan runs, actually Id love to see you to race each other." I looked over at him.
"Oh hell no. I would get my ass beat so hard." Ryan grimaced. "He's the school best track star, I do it for a hobby."
"Well I think you would win, no offense to my man Josh over here."
Josh hopped off his swing, "Come on Ryan, ill go easy on you."
I urged Ryan to go on and he eventually did so. "What do I get if I win?"
"My love and affection?" He made a face, "Boring."
"Wow that hurt, what do you want then?"
"You have to take me out on another date."
I smiled, "Deal."
Ryan and Josh situated themselves by the trees. "Oh and Josh?" Ryan looked over at him, "I don't need you to go easy on me."
And with that, they both took off. Josh was the first to go out of view, but Ryan disappeared closely behind him. Dallon got up along with Tyler and me as we raced to get a better view of them. Ryan had slowed down, the devilish look on his face, however, showed that he had a plan. Sure enough, Josh started to slow down thinking he had Ryan far behind him. It was almost as if he teleported because the speed that he ran at was inhuman. "Go, Ryan!"
Through the trees, I could see his thumbs up and his smile as he made it past the "finish" line. It seemed like everything was going in slow motion for a couple of seconds before I felt him pressed against me. This felt like something big, not a measly run like it was. He wrapped his arms around me. "Ew, you're all sweaty." My nose crinkled.
"Deal with it."
Josh made it close behind him but defiantly went easy on him, though I wasn't about to pop his bubble like that.
"I told you!" I playfully pushed him as he rolled his eyes.
"Nope I told you," he looked over at Josh. "He isn't even sweating!"
Josh laughed, "You beat me though."
"Mhm, sure I did. I smell bs."
"Well at least you kept running, that's more than what I could do," Patrick stated completely seriously.
"I'm with you on that." I agreed.
We all laugh, but quickly stop when we heard someone yelling towards us. I couldn't see who it was but by the look on Ryans face, I guessed who it was. "H-how did he even know we were here?"
Josh stood up along with Patrick and Dallon. "Don't make us call the cops," Josh spoke out.
Ryans dad made his way closer and I stepped in front of Ryan. "I thought I told you what would happen if I found you with him again." He sneered.
Josh grabbed his phone to show he was serious, "Leave."
With the threat in the air, his dad decided it would be best to leave before he was charged.
Fear bubbled up inside me, not because of what his dad would do with me but what he would do to Ryan. I turned around and he was shaking, tears were threatening to spill and he hyperventilated. I hugged him, "It's going to be okay."
He only shook his head, "This is my fault, I should have stayed away like I was told. But because I was selfish couldn't do that.."
The rest walked off to give us space and I guess decided to leave. Which was fine, but a text from one of them would have been nice.
"Do you want to go somewhere else for now? We could get something to eat and let him cool down a little bit, I don't know what else we could do."
He nods and clung onto me. "Just give me a second." He pulled himself together after a few minutes.
I pulled him away and kissed him on the top of his head before walking him to my car. The passenger side door opened and I watched him get in before I made it to my side. There was this odd feeling and it definitely wasn't good. At one point I remember hearing something zip through the wind and I felt it pierce me right in the stomach. My arms darted to that spot out of extinct. Everything was a blur, the falling, the blood, the car door slamming shut and the running towards me. All of it once again seemed in slow motion. All I could think about was how it all happened so fast.
"You're going to be okay."
Ryan. Now that's all I could think about. I reached for his hand and squeezed it as hard as I could, but not hard enough to hurt him. I didn't disagree with his claim because I didn't want to scare him, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. I needed to feel it one more time. Feel him one more time. I brought his head down to mine and pressed our lips together. He tasted the same as I remember and that would be the last thing I remember. I could feel his tears on my face as I pulled away. "I love you."
"Brendon? Brendon!"