Ratliff's POV:I was tempted to go and see what was wrong with Rydel, but I thought that she might have needed time alone. I walked back into the house to find Vanessa looking for Rydel.
"Where is she"Vanessa asked as she walked into the living room where the guys were.
"I don't know, she left and looked a little upset"I said as I stood next to her.
"I know that she was"Vanessa said as the guys turned around.
"Why, I thought she said that she would talk to you about it"I asked as Vanessa waiting for Vanessa to explain.
"We'll she did, and some how in the conversation high school was bought up".
"I'll be back"I said grabbing my jacket. I knew about the whole high school situation and so did her brothers. They took up for her too but they didn't know how much it hurted her like I do. Rydel is very good at hiding her emotions, so even when her brothers bought up the things from high school she would smile, said and acted like everything was fine. But I never bought it, not even for a minute. After I grabbed my jacket I headed out of the Lynch's household. I knew where Rydel would be. Her most favorite place in the world that came first before the beach. It was this little spot in the park near a pond area where only some people knew about. She had showed it to me one day in high school because she trusted me. And we'll I'm her best friend. As I got to where she was I saw her with her head in her hands crying.
"Rydel"I said softly waiting for her to answer. I saw her wipe her eyes then she looked up. They were puffy red and her face was tear stained.
"What are you doing here"Rydel managed to say.
"I wanted know if you were ok, so this was the first place I looked".
"Wow, you really remember this old place I showed you"Rydel said with a little smile on her face.
"How could I not, I love this place". I say and Rydel then smiles, but it wasn't the fake smile that she Always puts on it was her real one.
"So, care to tell me why you were crying"I say sitting on the bench next to her. Even though I knew the answer I wanted to her side of the story. Just when I asked that question her bright smile changed.
"...Rydel"I said looking at her.
"Ratliff I told you, nothing but girl talk".
"Vanessa already told me you know".
"Told you what"Rydel asked with a panic express on her face.
"About the conversation"I say confused.
"What part of the conversation though"Rydel asked still having the panic expression on her face.
"We'll she said you too were having girl talk and some how the past from highschool got brought up".
"Oh"Rydel said with a relief expression on her face.
"So um...do you want to talk about it".
"About what"Rydel asks sitting back into the bench.
"About...you know what happened in high school".
"Ratliff you know how I feel toward that subject".
"Rydel, you can't just keep stuff bottled up all of the time, you have to let people in".
"I know that I shouldn't keep things bottled in and I don't want to, but things are just better to forget about".
"The only way you can forget about it is to talk about it".
"No I think it's the other way around"Rydel says with a giggle at the end.
"Rydel just talk to me, I'm your best friend right".
"Yes, you are my best GUY friend"Rydel reassuring me that I was her best friend.
"Then talk to me about it, because I know it's bothering you even though high school is over".
"Ok" Rydel says taking a deep breath.
"We'll you already know that I've been bullied in high school, and it really bought me down the girls there were trying to get my self esteem low by calling me 'the freak' or 'the loser' and it worked, no matter how hard I tried to not listen to what they were saying and kept on telling myself that it was not true, I had to realize that it was."Rydel said looking down.
It really broke my heart that Rydel thought that about herself, I mean come on she's amazing she's talented and beautiful and I'm not just saying that as her best friend I really mean it.
"I mean why would anyone like me, I am weird and shy and I'm not even attractive"Rydel continued. I couldn't take it anymore I had to say something.
"Rydel, none of that is true, yeah you might be a little weird and shy but those are the traits that make you, you. Your one in a million Rydel you shouldn't let anyone tell you differently, and you are beautiful"I tell Rydel reassuring her that its ok to be different and that she should not listen to what people say. I could have went on and on about what makes Rydel...well Rydel, but I didn't want to make things awkward because I don't really like her that way. Don't get me wrong she's beautiful and perfect and stuff, but I see her as my best friend and sister. I might have had a tiny crush on her when we first met, but that has changed over the past 4 years. Plus I'm dating Kelly.
"Thanks Ratliff" Rydel says giving me a big smile and a hug. "Your the best friend anyone could have"She says as we pull out of the hug.
"Any time"I say with a smile.
A/N:Wow that was the most I wrote for this story EVER! Ha, I hoped you all like it. The next chapter might be out tomorrow or Thursday June 20,2013. I'll have to see.