The Rise Of Us

Chapter 84: The Speeches part 2

Max and Lucas both sit in the living room along with everyone else, Amberlee being in the bathroom. They all sit in silence while the TV still goes on. Them just letting all of the information that Ryder just said just process inside of their brain.

"He was almost..." Robin says after awhile but her not finishing her sentence.

"His mother made him promise to get his diploma." Lucas says making all eyes turn to him. "He went back to school despite the judgement to do that and I made things harder for him."

"Lucas you didn't know." Max says.

"That doesn't make it any better Max!" Lucas says back. "Dammit!"

"You can't...scold yourself for that Uncle." Sarah says.

"You didn't know." William adds in.

"You thought you were doing the right thing for Amberlee." Mike says.

Lucas sighs while his eyes are closed. "I feel like a prick."

"Lucas how could you have known? You had no idea of his past we all didn't! We all judged him we are all in the rabbit hole but I can assure when Ryder walks through this door he is going to tell you the exact same thing I am, you didn't know." Max tells him while rubbing his back.

"Trust me I feel..." Nancy trails off. "Like a prick too, even after I knew most of it all."

"I feel like a idiot too. After freshmen year I didn't make things easy for him either." Amir says.

"But we can't blame ourselves for that." Stephanie says. "Like Max said you all didn't know so you all can't beat yourselves up for something unknown, it'll only just make it more harder on yourselves and I'm pretty sure Ryder isn't even thinking about that. As he said he just wants to marry Amberlee." Stephanie concludes.

Max nods her head. "We should be getting to Town Hall."

"Yeah we should." Lucas gets up as well.

Amberlee quickly answers the phone when she sees it ring, her quickly putting it to her ear. "Ryder?!"

"Hey darlin." Ryder says, him leaning the back of his head on the wall of the jeep, him sitting on the bench.

Amberlee smiles while she breaths out in relief. "You okay?"

"I am."

Amberlee nods her head. "You did so good Ryder."

Ryder smiles. "Thanks darlin. For some weird ass reason this dude got a whole ass mini TV in here so I'll be watchin you give yo speech too."

Amberlee laughs. "Okay."

"Talk to me." He tells her.

"I'm sorry I'm just..." she runs a hand through her hair. "I'm just antsy I just need you here."

"I'll be there in a few hours." Ryder tells her.

Amberlee nods. "Okay."

"Ambie you ready sweetie?"

"Yeah!" Amberlee responds, her grabbing her purse and putting it over her shoulder. "Only hang up when you sit your ass on that plane seat and the plane is up in the air Ranger."

Ryder laughs. "Ight."

Amberlee makes her way out of the door and goes to get inside of Lucas car, Lucas being in the drivers side and Max in the passenger side and Amberlee and Annalise in the back, all of the rest of them going to follow them to Town Hall.

"So how about some fried chicken with gravy all around and Mac n cheese and those peppered green beans you always do and those fully loaded mashed potatoes you do with the bacon bits and corn and cheese." Ryder mentions.