( I ) The Phone Call
" He was standing by the window
Watching the rain
Her memory was like a shadow
It only brought him pain".
It was a stormy Sunday night in New York city, Ryan was sitting on the couch in his and Seth's dorm room in NYU, trying to study for his Architecture test tomorrow without any luck.
Seth, Summer and Marissa had gone to the new club down the street, they had asked Ryan to come but he lied and told them he had to study for his Architecture test, So it wasn't completely a lie earlier in the night but now it had to do, another thing was plaguing his mind, his thoughts, his memories, For all he could care right now any thoughts he had about studying for the test were lost in a forgotten realm.
It all started earlier that night with the message left on his cell……
("I want to drive out and see if the body is still there," Theresa said. Eddie's breath seemed to catch in his throat. He coughed. "Not me," he finally said. "I'm not going back there." "But aren't you curious?" she demanded. "Don't you want to know if the body was found?" "No," Eddie said. He had been trying to force the whole thing out of his mind. At least he had been trying to.)
What Eddie and Theresa didn't know was that there was a person lurking in the shadows, listening to them talk recording what they were saying.
That someone was a person from Ryan's past.
Ryan had wanted that person to stay in the past stay away from his thoughts, his memories, but that had all changed tonight with the message on his cell.
Ryan awkwardly stood up from the couch clutching a can of beer in one hand and a crumpled piece of paper (which looked like it had stood the test of time)in another with a faded out address on it. The address was from a place time had forgotten. A place in chino where even the worst were afraid to go. Ryan stumbled over to the window and he watched the rain pondering, knowing what he had to do. Knowing he had to enter a world that he had left behind.
Ryan was standing at the window for what seemed like hours but had only been 35 minutes, clutching his 3rd beer when a flash of lightening and the tremendous roar of thunder temporarily awakened him from his trance. Ryan didn't usually have this much to drink but the message had shaken him to the core, not so much who the message was from but what the message contained.
From what he could comprehend Eddie and Theresa were involved in something big but what? He knew he had to find out soon.
CHINO
Eddie was in hysterics at Theresa's house, Theresa had called eddie's friend mike to her house to try and calm him down. Eddie was pissed drunk on his third joint, on the verge of a nervous breakdown but nothing could calm him down knowing what he had done.
When out of the blue Theresa's booming voice said…
"I want to drive out and see if the body is still there," Eddie's breath seemed to catch in his throat. He coughed. "Not me," he finally said. "I'm not going back there." "But aren't you curious?" she demanded. "Don't you want to know if the body was found?" "No," Eddie said. He had been trying to force the whole thing out of his mind. At least he had been trying to. I don't want to go back there. I really don't Theresa. It'll make me see it all over again. It'll make it fresh again. I won't go. I won't."
"Whoa" Mike said sympathetically
"Cool your jets, man. We're not going back there, none of us are".
Theresa's face was filled with disappointment, the reason she wanted to go was to confirm her worst fear's she knew Ryan could never find out about this. She would do whatever was possible to prevent Ryan from knowing……..
What Theresa didn't know was that someone was listening in on the three of them…….
"What are we going to do? Nothing?" Theresa demanded.
"Yeah," Mike said. "Nothing." He stopped short, Then stared at Eddie for a few seconds.
"I need a fucking smoke" he stated and walked out of the house,
He was walking on to the porch and lighting his smoke when he heard rustling in the bushes he thought nothing of it, not realizing that someone had just dived head first into the bushes.
Meanwhile back in the house Theresa was trying to convince Eddie about how they should keep this from Ryan, Eddie telling Theresa that Ryan had a right to know but Theresa was not listening, Suddenly Theresa's 2 year old son's cries could be heard echoing through out the house
"I'll take care of it." Theresa said
"I'm going for a walk I'll be back later tonight." Eddie stated.
"How's that different from any other night." Theresa screamed angrily.
"Yeah whatever you bitch" Eddie exclaimed.
"What did you just call me", "Nothing! Nothing!" "Remember what I told you Eddie Ryan does not need to know.
Eddie walked out of the house thinking just how screwed his life had become he wouldn't even have had the accident today if it wasn't for Theresa's drug addiction and her need for a good fix every couple of days. Eddie had been going out with Mike's sister for over a year now, the only reason he was with Theresa was because of their kid. He needed to find Ryan and tell him about today. But how was he going to get out of chino and even if he did he didn't know where Ryan was.
Back in the house Theresa was calming her son down, she knew Eddie would find a way to tell Ryan, she hated Eddie's guts the kid wasn't even Eddie's son nor was he Ryan's. Theresa had stayed with Eddie all this time because he was the source of income for her and her son; she needed him even though she hated to admit it. Theresa knew she had to find a way to keep Eddie's mouth shut and she had to do it soon.
NY
Seth was in Summer's and Marissa's room with the girls after the storm had cut short there clubbing plans for tonight. They had decided to give Ryan some space so he could study for his Architecture test, Marissa had wanted to go see Ryan but Seth convinced her not to telling her there would be no studying done with her over there. If only Seth knew………
Another flash of lightening light up the New York night sky, hail had started falling outside a rare occurrence there. This was one of the worst storms in recent history. This all seemed to have no affect on Ryan as he continued to stare out the window. Suddenly
Thunder erupted in the night sky, the lights in his dorm room began to flicker and buzz (on, off, on, off, on, off) a low humming could be heard from the table lamp across the other side of the room, with a loud bang and the flash of light the table lamp exploded into 100's of shards of burnt and melted plastic. The power in his dorm room was gone.
The only light that illuminated the room was from a flickering street lamp outside the window.
Debris littered the area surrounding the table; a small shard of glass had struck Ryan in the face, blood started to appear on his face below his eye and had started trickling ever so slowly toward his chin. Ryan touched his face and then looked at his hand with clouded over eyes he leaned back against the wall and slowly slid down it continuously looking at the blood on his hand. He shut his eyes and drifted off. His drunken state transported him back in time to when he was nine years old, 10 long years ago……
10 Year's ago
The rain was racketing down on the Atwood house. Ryan and Trey's room was at the back of the house. Trey was out with his friend's while Ryan was cooped up in his room, he had to be in there by 9pm every night. Ryan was wrapped up in an old yellow and brown stained blanket, the wind was whistling through the smashed window above his bed while the rain was dripping from the roof onto his bed.
Ryan was wide awake listening to the rain thundering down on the sheet of metal put on the roof above his room to prevent the rain falling on his bed; it wasn't doing a very good job. Ryan was thinking what life would be like outside of Chino and if he would ever be able to see it. Trey had taught Ryan that dreams never came true; Ryan was believing this as each day went by but what was wrong with dreaming as long as you kept your dreams away from your reality. Ryan Started drifting of into his thoughts…….
4 Weeks Ago
It had been 4 weeks since that eventful day in Fresno. It was beginning of the end of the Atwood family; it was the day that Ryan lost his father possibly forever.
It all began like any other day Dawn was making bacon and eggs for morning breakfast.
Dave came downstairs in his construction overalls ready for another day at the construction site, unknown to the rest of the Atwood family Dave had been fired from work a week ago for showing up at work drunk. No one suspected anything because Dave brought in the weekly pay yesterday. Ryan came walking downstairs ready for another day at school, Trey was already at school or so Dawn thought. Ryan started an hour after Trey did.
After breakfast Ryan stood up and kissed his mother on the cheek and walked out of the house on his way to school.
The day at school for Ryan was uneventful until after the last period, Ryan was walking towards his home when he saw Art a kid from his math's class being pummeled into by three guys who looked a couple of years older than him.
Ryan ran towards the guys when he got there he threw a right hook towards the nearest guy it connected temporarily knocking his senses in all directions. The other guys who were punching Art stopped and looked at the apparent leader of the group. The guy regained his senses and was about to smash Ryan in the face when something suddenly clicked in his fickle mind…….
"Ur! Ur Trey's brother aren't you" he stuttered.
"Who's asking?" Ryan demanded.
"Stay out of this Atwood" The guy said confidently having re-gained his composure.
"Make me you fucking asshole" Ryan screamed at the guy.
Ryan didn't see the hook coming until it simultaneously connected with his nose and lips.
Next thing Ryan knew he was on his back on the pavement rolling around in pain.
"Shit! Shit! Fucking Shit!" the guy screamed.
It looked like the guy had seen a ghost he was petrified, when they saw Ryan rolling around in pain they bolted like as if they had been pronged by a cattle prong.
Ryan groggily got on his feet and stumbled towards Art.
"Are! Are you alright man" Ryan slurred while helping Art up.
"Yeah yeah thanks man but why did you help me" Art questioned.
"There were three of them and one of you plus they were older than you." "Why were they after you?" Ryan asked
"Don't worry about that" he replied while continuing to stare at Ryan.
"Let's go my house is just down the street." Art said
"Why?" Ryan questioned.
"My sister can clean you up." "OK!" Ryan replied.
Ryan and Art were talking about stuff while walking to Art's house.
Ryan looked at the blue and pink painted house in front of him; he had never seen a house like this before. Art walked up onto the porch and rang the doorbell. A green-eyed
Blonde haired girl opened the door.
"Art! What happened to you" she demanded.
"Nothing sis" he pulled away from her.
"Who's that" she asked even though she knew who Ryan Atwood was she had been in love with him for years always staying back never approaching him.
"Jessica meet Ryan Atwood" "Ryan my sis Jessica or Jess" Art stated.
Ryan nodded and said hi.
"Ryan there saved me today" Art stated
Suddenly Ryan was pounced on by Jess he awkwardly hugged back. This was the closest she had been to Ryan and was going to savor it.
"Thanks for saving my bro" Jess joyfully stated.
Ryan thought she was happy for him saving her brother but little did he know that their little hug had given Jess all the hope she needed. She promised her self she would get Ryan someday.
"Stay for dinner" Jess said.
"Nah! Nah My mom's waiting for me maybe next time" Ryan stated awkwardly.
"See ya man" Art said.
"Yeah" Ryan replied.
Jess stared at Ryan walking towards his home and dreamily said. "You will be mine someday Ryan I promise you that." She turned around and walked into her house closing the door.
Ryan walked up to his thinking how he was going to explain his bloody nose and split lip to his mom, when he turned the key on the door lock he heard glass breaking inside.
Ryan tore open the front door and raced in stopping suddenly staring at the site that lay before him. He was stunned at what he saw; his mother was sitting on the floor leaning against the couch with a bottle of whiskey in her hands.
Ryan looked around the room, it looked like a war zone smashed glass everywhere, picture frames which were hanging on the walls were on the ground smashed into hundred's of pieces, then Ryan's eyes concentrated on his mother her leg was bleeding where a piece of glass was embedded into her skin.
"Ryaaan!" Ry! "Sweetie come here" his mother slurred.
Ryan rushed over to his mother's side.
"Ry Your Father's gone" she said.
"What?" Ryan asked tears welling up in his eyes.
"He was! He was arrested at lunch today trying to rob a convenient store" she said tears now freely pouring out of her eyes.
Ryan stood up and bolted towards his room. When he was in his room he slammed his door closed and let out all his emotions. This was the day that Ryan's heart froze, this was the day that Ryan stopped trusting people, this was the day that Ryan stopped believing.
Later that night Dawn, Ryan and Trey stood outside a house on a lonely Chino street.
"Where are we at mom?" Ryan asked his mom
"This is my friend Becky's house we will be staying here for now" Dawn replied.
Dawn walked up the steps followed by her boys, she knocked on the door. A couple of seconds later a tall beefy man opened the door.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Hi I'm Dawn and these are my boys is Becky here" Dawn said.
"Na she's gone out she'll be back in an hour. Come on in. I'm Becky's brother A.J….
He stepped aside and Dawn, Trey and Ryan walked inside. That was the day Ryan started his life in Chino.
10 Years Ago
Ryan woke up sweating from his dream, which was 4 weeks ago; a flash of lightening could be seen in the near sky.
Ryan slowly got out of bed and walked outside he saw his mom passed out on the couch.
"Mom are you awake" Ryan asked while gently touching her face.
Ryan heard the front door open and A.J walked in he looked pissed, drunk.
"What are you doing out of your room?" A.J's booming voice echoed through out the small house.
Before Ryan had a chance to reply the ring on A.J's right hand connected with Ryan's face below his eye. Ryan stumbled back becoming dizzy. Ryan touched his face and then looked at his hand with clouded over eyes he leaned back against the wall and slowly slid down it continuously looking at the blood on his hand. He passed out………………
The future
Marissa couldn't go to sleep in her heart she knew something was wrong. She wanted to go to Ryan's dorm and see for self that nothing was wrong, she decided that she would do just that, she slowly got off her bed and quietly walked out of her dorm towards Ryan's being careful not to wake Seth or Summer.
To be continued…………………