A Bond: Chapter 2
Post-The Truth
I leaned back in the chair, comfortable. I felt safe talking to Ryan. We were friends, brothers.
"What happened, man?" he asked me enquiringly.
I shrugged, "Summer happened," I answered, which was possibly my shortest answer ever.
"You cheated on Anna with Summer?" he asked with surprise showing on his face.
"No!" I exclaimed, "Why would I do that?"
I know I wasn't great with girls, especially after that Thanksgiving fiasco...and the Chrismukkah one too. But what would provoke me to cheat on Anna with Summer? I wasn't that bad!
"I don't know. You weren't talking much. That was all I could get. So what happened?" he asked, leaning forward on the bed.
"Summer was hanging out with us, which is cool and all since she had basically nobody to hang out with, and, I guess I ignored Anna. It was just like...I don't know, I guess it's sort of like, she's the only one there, I can't get past her," I explained, looking out the window.
I glanced over at Ryan. He looked lost and tired. I could understand that, considering that he'd just talked a rich kid (which, I recall he doesn't like them) who'd broken up his relationship, out of shooting himself. Feeling tired and lost was acceptable.
"Ryan? You with me?" I asked, sitting up and waving my hand in front of his face. I hate when people did that. It usually came from bitchy cheerleaders or jocks after they insulted me, I'd just look away and they'd go "Hello, loser?" or something. I kind of stopped going that whole "Just-Walk-Away" thing my parents told me about after a while.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry," he said quietly.
Ryan yawned. Yeah, definitely tired. I lounged back into my chair. "So, why can't you get past Summer?" he asked, picking up from where I'd left off.
"I don't know. She has my heart, dude. I'm not so sure she'll treat it with care when I talk to her either. In fact, I might have to get cardiac surgery. Rage blackouts, you know how the story goes," I rambled purposely. I had a feeling he wanted me to ramble. After a few conversations I knew Ryan liked my rambling especially when he was tired and possibly lost, as he was now.
Ryan smiled. Not laughed, just smiled, but it was progress. "What happened?" he sighed.
"Ryan, man, did you not just listen to my long story? Or was it one of those times when I think it and not say it?" I asked, confused.
"I mean with...Marissa," he whispered, looking down at the floor. I think I might've seen tears in his eyes. Was Ryan Atwood about to cry? In front of me?
"Oh," I said quietly.
"I knew she was too much like my mom. How I felt like I had a certain loyalty to her, how they both have problems with drinking and drugs...they both cause me trouble, but for some reason I stay...I have to stop staying," he said. I had a feeling this wasn't directed towards me.
"Do you want me to leave?" I asked, sensing his need to be alone.
He nodded and took a deep breath in. I got up. "It's okay..." I murmured.
I think he heard because a faint trace of a smile slightly lit up his face. I walked out and closed the door.
Post-The Truth
I leaned back in the chair, comfortable. I felt safe talking to Ryan. We were friends, brothers.
"What happened, man?" he asked me enquiringly.
I shrugged, "Summer happened," I answered, which was possibly my shortest answer ever.
"You cheated on Anna with Summer?" he asked with surprise showing on his face.
"No!" I exclaimed, "Why would I do that?"
I know I wasn't great with girls, especially after that Thanksgiving fiasco...and the Chrismukkah one too. But what would provoke me to cheat on Anna with Summer? I wasn't that bad!
"I don't know. You weren't talking much. That was all I could get. So what happened?" he asked, leaning forward on the bed.
"Summer was hanging out with us, which is cool and all since she had basically nobody to hang out with, and, I guess I ignored Anna. It was just like...I don't know, I guess it's sort of like, she's the only one there, I can't get past her," I explained, looking out the window.
I glanced over at Ryan. He looked lost and tired. I could understand that, considering that he'd just talked a rich kid (which, I recall he doesn't like them) who'd broken up his relationship, out of shooting himself. Feeling tired and lost was acceptable.
"Ryan? You with me?" I asked, sitting up and waving my hand in front of his face. I hate when people did that. It usually came from bitchy cheerleaders or jocks after they insulted me, I'd just look away and they'd go "Hello, loser?" or something. I kind of stopped going that whole "Just-Walk-Away" thing my parents told me about after a while.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry," he said quietly.
Ryan yawned. Yeah, definitely tired. I lounged back into my chair. "So, why can't you get past Summer?" he asked, picking up from where I'd left off.
"I don't know. She has my heart, dude. I'm not so sure she'll treat it with care when I talk to her either. In fact, I might have to get cardiac surgery. Rage blackouts, you know how the story goes," I rambled purposely. I had a feeling he wanted me to ramble. After a few conversations I knew Ryan liked my rambling especially when he was tired and possibly lost, as he was now.
Ryan smiled. Not laughed, just smiled, but it was progress. "What happened?" he sighed.
"Ryan, man, did you not just listen to my long story? Or was it one of those times when I think it and not say it?" I asked, confused.
"I mean with...Marissa," he whispered, looking down at the floor. I think I might've seen tears in his eyes. Was Ryan Atwood about to cry? In front of me?
"Oh," I said quietly.
"I knew she was too much like my mom. How I felt like I had a certain loyalty to her, how they both have problems with drinking and drugs...they both cause me trouble, but for some reason I stay...I have to stop staying," he said. I had a feeling this wasn't directed towards me.
"Do you want me to leave?" I asked, sensing his need to be alone.
He nodded and took a deep breath in. I got up. "It's okay..." I murmured.
I think he heard because a faint trace of a smile slightly lit up his face. I walked out and closed the door.