Hailey didn't see or hear from Ryan for over a week. At first, she thought that his conscience had gotten to him, that he had committed his life to Teresa and couldn't talk to her. Then she found out that he hadn't called Kirsten or Sandy either.
She didn't want to chase after him. She wasn't desperate, she had a boyfriend. She was still with Jimmy and Ryan was going to be with Teresa. But she was worried. It wasn't like him to not call Kirsten or Sandy. It wasn't like him to disappear.
She was visiting her sister and stepped outside to smoke a cigarette while Kirsten was on a conference call when she heard Seth on the phone.
She knew that Seth and Ryan hadn't spoken much since Seth's return apart from Seth's accusations. But within the past month, Ryan had confessed to her that he had never missed anyone as much as he'd missed Seth. She knew that part of the wall between them was due to Kirsten. Kirsten didn't want Ryan to feel responsible for Seth's running away and she had unknowingly wedged them apart.
"Dude, listen to me…you can't go after him…" Seth was saying. "Dad's not here, okay? Ryan, listen…call the police…you know you can't stop him, you're only going to get arrested or hurt…Dude, please…"
Hailey didn't know what Ryan was saying but she could see the effect his words were having on her nephew. Seth was worried. All she wanted to do was take the phone from him and talk to Ryan.
But she couldn't. there would be too many questions. As far as Seth, Sandy and Kirsten were concerned, she and Ryan were merely acquaintances.
"Ryan," Seth said urgently. "You can't leave Teresa right now…she needs you…I'll get Dad and we'll be right there…you shouldn't be alone, don't ask me to lie to Dad…Wait, man, and I promise we'll figure everything out. Okay? You'll wait? Okay, Ryan, we're on the way…" Seth hung up and jumped when he saw her beside him.
"What's going on?"
Seth was dialing his phone as he answered. "Teresa's ex, Eddie, beat the hell out of her and Ryan is flipping out…"
"Shit," Hailey muttered as Seth walked inside with the phone to his ear.
She was chilled. Ryan couldn't catch a break. Her phone buzzed. "Hello?"
"Hailey." It was Ryan.
"I'm at Kirsten's. Are you okay? I heard Seth…" She walked away from the house, standing in front of the poolhouse.
"I'm…they won't let me see her and…I'm going to kill him…but Seth says wait…"
"You have to wait for Sandy…please…" She leaned against the cool glass of the window. "Please, Ryan."
He sighed. "Wait, I'm waiting…"
"What did he do to her?"
"He…he hurt her…she was unconscious when I got home and…he ran…I had to get her to a doctor, I couldn't go after him…so I let him go…" His words were soft like he was out of breath.
"Ryan, you have to relax. Is she okay?"
"I don't know…she's alive…this has been the worst week…"
"Where have you been?"
"Eddie's been fucking with me…but I didn't touch him…she begged me not to…and now she's…oh god…"
"Just breathe, Ryan…take a breath…
Hailey could hear him force out a shaky breath. "Sandy's coming?"
"Seth was calling him…"
"I have to go…"
"Wait for Sandy. Promise me."
"I'll wait." The line went dead.
Hailey turned around and gasped. Sandy was standing beside her, confusion and anger on his face. "Sandy…"
"Was that Ryan, Hailey?"
She didn't know how much he'd heard.
"Please tell me I'm wrong."
"You're wrong," She said.
"I have to go. But we're going to talk about this…"
"Sandy…"
He met her gaze with an icy stare. "This would kill your sister. He is a kid…"
"He's not a kid, Sandy…"
"He is 17 years old and he has enough to deal with…I have to get to him."
Hailey sighed. She was shaking. She knew he was right, Ryan had enough to deal with.
She wished she didn't care about him so damn much.
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