The Quarry - Aftermath - Rylan

15 ~ Replacement

- Dylan POV -

Ryan and I sit at the dinner table and my mom sits on the other side, with the mysterious guy next to her. He was about the same age as my mother, with black hair, and green eyes. 

I got along well with people I knew, but this guy was weird. Something was off.

"Hey hun, you know... uhm, you know when your dad left?"

"Uh... yeah?" I stutter and grab Ryan's hand for comfort.

"Well... I've been thinking and uh...-"

I gulped, not wanting to think about this situation.

"-this is Gabriel. He uhm..." my mom put a hand on the table. "We're engaged!"

I had no words. No words could even escape my mouth. I turned to Ryan, he was smiling.

How? How could Ryan be smiling. This was horrible. Terrible. It was perfect with just my mom. What if this guy left us for another woman? No, no, no...

I couldn't do this, not right now.

"Dylan?" Ryan rubbed my hand with his thumb.

"I-..." was all I could get out of my mouth.

"Hey, bud, it's alright." Gabriel looked at me. His voice was deep. I didn't want to even look at him.

I shook my head and sat up from my seat, turning around to walk off to my bedroom.

"Wait, Dylan!" My mom sounded stern. I could feel tears sting my face.

"N-no..." I muttered and closed my door behind me, sitting down near the end of my bed.

I heard the door open and looked up from my tear covered hand. Ryan was standing in my doorway. I was so happy it wasn't my mother... or... that guy she was marrying...

"Babe...?" Ryan closed the door behind him and came to sit with me.

"Ryan... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. With my dad gone her marrying another guy is so hard for me... Especially after my... dad... left." I mumble, rubbing my eyes.

"I know, Dyl, I know." Ryan sits next to me and rubs my back. "Your mom seems happy with that guy, if that makes you feel better."

"She never told me, Ryan. She never introduced me to him, even before they got fucking engaged!"

"...Yeah, that's pretty fucked."

"Damn it, Ryan, what will I do now?"

"Babe... I'm not sure..."

"I don't like him."

"Can you give them a chance?"

"My chance was gone once she didn't tell me she met a guy."

"Maybe she was scared?"

"What?"

"Maybe your mother was scared you would say no... she obviously cares about your opinion. She just doesn't know the best way to express it, it was a stupid thing for her to do. But you gotta give them a chance. Please, Dyl, for me."

I sniffle. "Fine..." Ryan wraps me into a hug, my tears still running down my face.

No matter what I agreed to with Ryan, I felt like... Gabriel... was a replacement for my dad. It was so many years ago he left, but I still remembered a bit about him.

Would my mom stop paying attention to my feelings now that she has a fiancé? No, she wouldn't do that... right?

What if-

"Dylan!" I snap out of my thoughts and look up at Ryan. His eyebrow was raised.

"Huh?"

"You zoned out."

"Sorry, uh..."

"Don't be sorry, I was just worried."

"Oh... alright... uh, Ryan? I'm sorry for bringing you into this problem. I'm just scared of my father being replaced."

"I get it, Dylan, this must be hard for you. You gotta stay strong though. Gabriel seems like a nice guy, I'm sure you'll warm up to each other. No one will replace you, nor your father."

"Yeah, yeah... thanks Ryan. I really don't deserve you. I love you." I nodded a bit and looked back at Ryan.

"No Dylan, you deserve the world, babe." Ryan rubbed the side of my cheek with his thumb.

"I can't thank you enough. I know you have to get home with Sarah, but I'll make sure to text you updates, love." I pulled Ryan into a hug, which he gladly accepted.

"Bye Dylan. Good luck." Ryan kissed me before he left my room.

--------------

- Ryan POV -

Walking out of Dylan's room I spot Ms. Lenivy and Gabriel. He was hugging her while she was crying a bit. I felt bad for both Dylan and Ms. Lenivy.

"Hey, uh..." I mumble and walk a few steps towards the couple.

"Oh, Ryan, Uh- I'm sorry you had to watch this..." Ms. Lenivy apologizes.

"Don't apologize, Dylan is sorry too. He's scared of uhm... Gabriel replacing uh... his dad." I whispered at the last part.

"Oh goodness... Ryan, thank you for talking to him."

"Thanks." Gabriel smiled.

"Yeah, no problem. Uh, I think he might want to be alone, so... goodbye Ms. Lenivy, and Gabriel..."

"Bye!" They say in unison.

Walking out the door, I sigh. I hope Dylan was going to be fine. The next time he talked to his mother it would probably be awkward.

I remember having a normal sibling fight with Sarah, it was awkward the next morning, I can only imagine how things would go between Dylan and his mom.

It was dark out, and really late. I needed some sleep before I actually picked up Sarah from her friend's house.

When I got home I set an alarm for the morning, and jumped onto my bed. I fell asleep almost instantly.

------------

Walking out the door, I grabbed some mace, just to be sure I was safe while picking up Sarah. I also grabbed my earbuds and phone.

I turned on my Bizarre Yet Bonafide podcast on and began walking.

Then boom, I ran into someone and fell to the ground. They let out a groan as sat up.

"Oh, Ryan!" Huh, what... oh! It was Dylan!

"Dyl!" I shouted and helped him stand up. He had coffee spilled on his shirt and an empty coffee cup on the ground next to him.

"I'm so sorry Dylan! I wasn't watching!" I shouted.

"Me neither, Ry... as you can see." He pointed sarcastically to the coffee spilled on his shirt.

"Well, would you like to pick up Sarah with me?"

"Yes! I would! I can tell you how talking with my mom went to..." He grabbed my hand and started skipping off.

"Dyl- you don't know where we're going."

Dylan stopped, embarrassed. "Oops...?"

I laughed a bit and turned the right direction.

God, I loved this boy too much. He did everything for me, and I would give the world to him if I could.