AN: Sorry for the short update, but I couldn't find a better place to end this chapter. So here it is.
Seth was up early. He'd been awake since before the sun came up but he hadn't gotten out of bed. He wanted to talk to Ryan before his parents got up.
Something was going on with him. He just knew. Ryan seemed okay as long as Seth was there but he was getting more and more antsy around his parents.
Seth couldn't lose Ryan. Ryan made Newport tolerable. He made his house fun. They were partners.
He got dressed and went down and started the coffee. He poured two cups and started the walk to the poolhouse.
Ryan was sleeping soundly so Seth closed the door quietly behind him. He spotted a pile of discarded clothes behind the bed.
Something was definitely getting to Ryan. The clothes were clean, some were still folded.
Ryan was going to run.
Seth looked from the clothes to the bed.
But he didn't run. He'd stayed. Something made him stay.
Seth put the coffee cups on the nightstand beside Ryan's sleeping form. He started to put the clothes away. If his parents saw the piles of clothes, they'd overreact.
Seth could talk to Ryan. He'd calm him down. He'd make him stay.
Ryan had to stay.
The smell of the coffee must have drifted to Ryan's nostrils because he mumbled in his sleep.
"It's just me, buddy," Seth called from the closet.
"Seth. Hey."
"I put coffee beside your bed," Seth added.
"Thanks…"
Seth finally put all the clothes away and walked over. He sat down on the edge of Ryan's bed.
"I feel like hell," Ryan admitted, blinking through groggy eyes.
"You look like it, too…" Seth replied. Ryan's bruises had settled into his flesh and Seth knew that he had to be in pain.
Ryan pushed himself up in bed and reached over to snag the coffee.
"So. What's going on? Did something happen last night? Are you okay? Do you want me to keep Mom and Dad away from you?" Seth realized that he was babbling when Ryan gave him with a small smile.
"One at a time, please?" Ryan asked.
Seth's gaze drifted to Ryan's bruised chest. He noticed that Ryan was breathing shallowly. "Does it hurt?"
"Yeah, Seth. It does."
"Should I get you some medicine?"
"You could have waited until, like, after six to wake me up," Ryan sighed.
"What happened last night, man?"
"Last night?"
"I put your clothes away."
Ryan paled. Seth regretted his bluntness when he realized that Ryan hadn't remembered immediately. He'd woken up his brother and forced him to remember whatever had made him want to run. He wasn't handling this the way he planned.
"Oh. Yeah. Thanks," Ryan stammered after a long pause.
"So," Seth stated.
"I…your parents are freaking me out," Ryan admitted, closing his eyes and sinking back against his pillows. "I want to stay, Seth…but this…it's getting to be too much for me, here."
Seth didn't want to stop Ryan when he was finally communicating. With real, live words. "What's going on?"
"I don't…"
"I know you don't want to talk about it. Please. Just try…"
Ryan studied Seth's face as if he was searching for signs of trust. Seth kept his gaze.
"I'm sleepwalking. Twice this week, your Dad's found me by the pool. Kirsten…she was going off on your dad last night because he won't show her my file…"
"Your file?"
"Yeah. They were arguing outside my room last night after they brought me back in from the patio," Ryan confessed.
"So…"
"This was supposed to be a fresh start. A place for me to be…a place for me to be a normal kid. But now…I feel like I'm suffocating. If your mother sees that file…all the times I've been in trouble before, she's not going to like it."
"There's something else," Seth said, reading something on his face.
"My drawings. Your mother has my drawings."
"You mean, that sketchpad you're always lurking around with? How'd she…" Seth knew that Ryan's sketches were private. He'd been insanely curious about them but he respected that Ryan needed to have his privacy. God knows he had enough porn and internet sites hidden in his room so he knew how important privacy could be. Everyone had secrets.
"She found it. I was in the shower and I came out and she was looking at it. I threw it away once she gave it back, but…she took it out of the trash. She asked me if she could keep it, Seth, what the hell was I supposed to say? I mean…"
"Damn, man. That sucks. She really went through your stuff?"
"It was on the bed, under a pillow. I guess she was curious or something…"
"That's just wrong."
"I just feel like everything is closing in around here."
"Maybe you're just settling in."
Ryan stared at him.
"Sounds like Mom and Dad are finally treating you like a member of the family. Did you see how Mom was all worried about you yesterday? She's definitely feeling parental about you now. And Dad, well, he's trying to protect you by keeping your file away from Mom…you…what?" Seth saw Ryan's attention drift to the door.
"I'll be back in a minute. I need to get cleaned up. The cavalry's coming," Ryan muttered. He slowly got to his feet and limped to the bathroom stiffly.
"Seth? What are you doing out here? Where's Ryan?" Kirsten asked as she entered.
"I brought Ryan some coffee."
"He's not going to school today. Sandy and I have a meeting with Dr. Kim at eight so we can drop you off."
"Can I stay here? With Ryan?" Seth asked. He gave his mother his best puppy dog eyes. He knew she'd cave. At least he hoped so. He needed some bonding time with Ryan, now more than ever.
"I don't think so, Seth, you should probably go to…"
"Please, Mom? That way you can still go to work and I can make sure he's okay. We won't go anywhere, I can keep him medicated and…he'll relax more if I'm here."
She was on the fence. "Seth…"
"Please?" He knew he was almost there.
She sighed. "Okay, Seth. Ryan's in the shower?"
"Yeah."
"Come inside so I can explain to you about his prescriptions," His mom said.
"Just call me Nurse Cohen. Actually, don't. That's way too minty for me."
"Lots of men are nurses…" Kirsten scolded him.
"Yeah, but how many Cohens?" Seth replied as they walked out.
Ryan was relieved to find the poolhouse empty when he emerged from the bathroom. He had a towel cinched around his waist but he'd forgotten to take clothes in with him.
His chest was painful and the bruises were darker than he remembered. The water from the shower had pounded into his body and he was tense with pain. He couldn't stop gritting his teeth.
He pulled a shirt on and regretted his rushing immediately as the pain rushed through him in waves.
"Hey, kid," Sandy called, startling him.
"Hey, Sandy. Give me a minute?"
"Sure…"
Ryan took his jeans and boxers and went back into the bathroom. He'd wanted a few minutes of peace but it was pretty obvious that he wouldn't get it today. He pulled on his jeans and stepped out again.
"I wanted to apologize for last night. We shouldn't have been arguing and…"
"I don't care, Sandy. Does it really matter what I think? I mean, she deserves to see my file and I don't want you guys to fight about me."
Sandy stared at him, speechless.
"I'm really sore, Sandy. Whatever you have to say, please. Just say it," He sighed.
"We want you to move into the main house," Sandy stated.
Ryan sighed. He wasn't sure why he was against moving into the big house, but it made him uncomfortable. They didn't trust him in the house at the beginning of his time here, but now, they wanted him inside. His trial period must be up. He must have passed.
But it was because of his sleepwalking, that was the only reason.
"Tell me what you're thinking," Sandy said.
He realized that he hadn't said anything yet.
"Whatever. If you want me to stay inside…I can't really argue."
"Ryan…"
"You're right. I shouldn't be out here without being locked in. Twice in a week, that's too often for this to be a coincidence. I'll stay in the guest room, Sandy, it's fine."
"You're agreeing to this entirely too easily and don't for a second think that you're going to get off this easily," Sandy stated slowly.
"I said I'd do it. What else do you want?"
Sandy met Ryan's gaze and they stared at each other for a long moment. "Okay."
"Okay," Ryan nodded.
"Dad, what are you doing out here? Mom's looking for you and it's too early for you to be lecturing Ryan," Seth opened the door. Ryan gave him a relieved look. Despite his unusual divulgence earlier, Seth didn't seem upset or put off. He seemed intent on getting Sandy out of the poolhouse.
"I was just talking to him," Sandy defended.
"Out. Can't you see he's tired? Go bother mom, I'm on medic duty," Seth said, walking over to Ryan and holding out several pills.
"Thanks," Ryan said, swallowing them dry.
Sandy sighed. "I'll call to check on you. If you need anything…"
"Dad? I'll take care of it. Stop nagging and get out!" Seth said, waving his hands wildly as he ushered Sandy from the room.
"You didn't have to do that," Ryan said, but he was grateful to Seth for getting him out of another deep conversation.
"I am here to serve today. You want to wait until the parents clear out and come inside? You aren't supposed to be moving around or anything but you don't even have a TV out here."
"Okay, man. Sure."
"No brooding today. We have the whole day free of parents and lectures and uncomfortable silences..."
"Really?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"I meant me. Rosa's making you something for breakfast, we'll get you back to normal in no time," Seth smiled, enthusiastically.
Ryan was relieved. Seth was the closest friend he'd ever had. He had wanted to sleep all day but now he was looking forward to the time with Seth. Even though it would be exhausting trying to follow the boy's train of thought and hyperactive stories, it was a nice change. Maybe today would be better.