Hetty and Ryan: Overcome

Secret Girlfriend

Brooke and Steph retreated from the room as Hetty dialed Ryan's number, looking pale and nauseous.

He answered on the fourth ring.

"Hetty." She couldn't decipher his tone for the life of her.

"Ryan," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please don't be angry with me." She tilted the phone away from her mouth in an effort to hide the dry sobs escaping from her body. Her chest convulsed in rippling waves.

"I'm not angry with you," he stated gently, and she could tell it was the truth.

"You're not?"

"I'm a lot of other things, but I'm not angry."

"What are you?" There was a short silence.

"Terrified."

"Of what?" Hetty asked, surprised by this response.

"I still feel like you're slipping through my fingers like hot sand. Did, um... everything go okay talking with Cooper?"

"He came to apologize."

"Oh." Ryan's voice was strangled with dread.

"It was easier when all I felt was blind rage, because now I'm forced to confront the complexity of what's happened. But, I think that's good. What kind of person would I be if I could just throw aside two years with another person, with no emotions attached? Our conversation gave us some closure, I think."

"Do you... do you still love him? Are you torn about leaving him?"

"Everything feels really confusing," Hetty admitted. "It doesn't make any sense - when you've built a life with someone, imagined a future together... and overnight that changes. But the only thing I'm not confused about is that I love you. You and only you."

There was silence, followed by a long stream of air being exhaled on Ryan's end of the line.

"Ryan?" she asked tentatively, when the delay in response became too prolonged.

"I know you love me," he said softly, and Hetty could hear his smile through the phone. "I knew you loved me this whole time. You're not so cool and nonchalant as you try to pull off," he teased.

Hetty broke into giggles. "Look who's talking. You couldn't hide your feelings for me for even ten seconds."

"I never claimed to!" he shot back in mock-indignance.

"So, will you come back over now?" Hetty asked.

"I can't."

"What! Playing hard to get now?"

Ryan laughed heartily. "No, I have a music thing. I'm meeting with the producer for the project I told you about a few weeks ago."

"Oh, okay! Wow, that's great."

"But I can pick you up later tonight when I get back. It might be late though."

"It's okay. I don't even have clothes or anything. I'm so tired. Honestly, I've never been so tired in my life. And tomorrow we go back to work. How about if we go out tomorrow after work, and I can spend the night at your place? I mean, if that's okay with you."

"It's very, very much okay. Building up my anticipation again, yeah? I wouldn't expect anything different!" Ryan joked, and Hetty giggled softly.

"I can't wait to see you, though," she cooed.

"Oh... my God, you don't know how excited I am to see you."

"I think I have some idea."

"Stop it, I have to leave in ten minutes. You are going to get me worked up."