{Six Months Later}
____
||Carmen Anders||
I stared at Dylan's face.
He looked so much younger when he was asleep. He looked like the 9 year old Dylan I'd met 7 years ago. I smiled as I brushed some of his hair away from his face.
I quietly got out of bed and opened the curtains. It was a sunny day, I knew the second I stepped outside, it would be freezing.
"They said it'll be around 45 degrees today. Not too bad for November if you ask me." I heard a familiar voice.
I turned around to see my dad leaning against the door with a coffee mug in his hand. My eyes widened and a smile streched arcoss my face.
"Daddy!" I exclaimed as I ran over to give him a hug.
"You're back early," I stated as I pulled away.
"Yeah, I guess I just missed you guys."
I rolled my eyes. "Sure you did. They let you off early, didn't they?"
He gave me a sheepish smile.
My dad's job required him to travel a lot but it didn't cause all the "family" and/or "daddy" issues that many people would expect.
My dad loved and enjoyed his job, but he made it clear that he loved us even more.
There was lots of Skyping when he was gone but he just loved sending letters. He thought they were cuter and to be honest, so did I.
"Breakfast will be ready in 10 so wake up Mr. Sleepyhead," he said looking at Dylan.
"Okay." I nodded with a smile dancing on my lips.
I took one look at Dylan's peaceful demeanor and decided to just wake him up after I'd taken a shower.
~*~. ~*~.
Breakfast was amazing, simply because my dad had made it. My mom was a good cook but my dad's cooking was way better.
"These eggs are just wow, Mr. Anders." Dylan told him.
"I told you they'd like them," My father said to my mother.
She rolled her eyes while a small smile danced on her lips.
"So what's the plan for today?" I asked with a mouth full of toast.
When my dad was home, we'd usually spend a whole day or at least do one activity together as a family, with Dylan of course.
There was silence as everyone chewed.
"Maybe after you two are out of school today, we could go all go visit Jason." My mother suggested.
I choked on my toast and Dylan immediately started patting my back as he handed me a glass of water.
"Are you okay?" My dad asked as I gulped down the water.
"Yeah, just choked," I said putting the empty glass down.
"We don't have to do it if you don't like the idea, Carmen." My mom told me.
"No, it's just that it's been six months."
"I know." She said quietly.
"I want to do it." Dylan said after a while, "We've all gone to talk to visit him alone at one point in time and it's miserable going alone. I think it'll be kind of nice if we all go together."
"I agree." My father said.
They all turned to look at me expectantly.
"I..." I trailed off.
I was scared. I didn't want to go because it'd bring back old memories, ones that made me want to barf. And I knew we'd all start thinking about why this had happen, and who's fault it was. I didn't want that and I knew deep down I felt this way because it was my fault.
But I gave in anyway.
"Okay." I said.
~*~. ~*~.
"I can't go after school today." I whispered into Dylan's ear once Mrs. Shadmin went back to grading her papers.
"Yes, you can, you just don't want to." He whispered back.
"No, of course I want to," I lied, "I just can't."
Mrs. Shadmin's head shot up and just as she was about to scold the two of us, the bell rang.
He turned around in his chair to face me. "Why?"
"I'll tell you at lunch," I told him as I got up and picked up my books and backpack.
"But lunch is not for another two periods."
I shrugged and started heading to my locker.
"It better be a good reason!" He called after me.
I laughed all the way to my locker. I knew there was seriousness behind it but I still couldn't help but laugh.
I opened my locker and pulled out my Bio textbook. The bell rang again and I was officially late for Biology.
Shit. I thought to myself.
I'd never gotten detention for being late and knowing Mr. Mackintosh, he probably wouldn't let this one slip.
I turned around and smacked right into someone. A phone fell and I cursed myself as I picked it up. It looked familiar, very familiar, expect this time there was no crack on the screen.
Come to think of it, this whole situation felt familiar.
Someone chuckled. "Funny how we keep on meeting this way."
I looked up and brushed off some hair that had found its way onto my face.
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I don't know what was wrong with me.
"Ryder. I'm Ryder." He told me.
I stared.
His face fell. "You don't remember me, do you?"
"No," I finally said, "No I remember, I just can't..."
He stared expectantly.
"Talk right now." I finished and handed him the phone.
"Yeah, of course. I just wanted to say hi, you know, see how you were doing."
See how I was doing?
I gave him a slightly puzzled look.
He looked down at his watch. "Hey, you gotta get to class so I'll stop holding you up. Talk to you later?"
I nodded. Or at least I think I did.
And just like last time, he flashed me a white smile and walked off.
~*~.~*~.
"I got lunch detention," I told Dylan as we walked out the WestShore school building.
His eyes widened. "That's why I couldn't find you during lunch? Tell me everything."
"There's nothing much to tell. I got to Bio 6 minutes late, Mr. Mackintosh was in a grumpy mood, so I ended up with a detention slip. "
"Isn't Mr. Mackintosh always in a grump mood?"
I shrugged.
"How'd you get to class late?"
"Daydreaming." I lied.
He sighed. "You need to stop that shit."
I laughed and rolled my eyes.
I considered telling him about Ryder. Maybe telling him would somehow help clear the whole situation up.
I was confused. I hadn't spoken to him in six months and he just suddenly comes up to me in an empty hallway to 'see how I was doing'?
I had cut off so many people after Jason died, including him. At the time he seemed like the easiest person to cut off seeing as we never really knew each other. Plus, he's disappeared for a while after that so it wasn't a hard thing to do.
I'd just never thought that our paths would cross again after that night.
I guess I was wrong.
~~*~~
A/N: HIIII! :)
I really hope you liked and wuved it!
I've dedicated this chapter to one of the authors who inspired me to go ahead and write this book! I'm sure you know her already, she's istolethecookies! I love her books and I think you will too!
Question(s): What do you think of Ryder? Do you like Dylan?
If you love unicorns (who doesn't?) I know you'd just love to vote, comment and share this with all your friends and family and pet monkeys and dqexcsvcfqytw
~ M.