Angels Like You

All Eyes on Me

"Rhys," Mr. Alberts called after me as the bell rang.

"I'll tell Ms. Nelson why you're late," Hunter said as I turned and walked over to Mr. Alberts's desk.

My hands gripped my backpack straps tightly as I waited for him to finish what he was doing on his computer. He turned toward me and gripped the arms of his chair.

"I was just checking out your grades and progress on those credit recovery classes. You're doing remarkable. It's been...what...almost two months since you moved in with Hunter's family?"

"Yeah," I said, clearing my throat. "Hunter's been a huge help."

We'd done well with keeping everything under wraps from his parents, but I knew it was going to fall apart eventually. Everything always did. We were coming up on Christmas break and I was supposed to spend part of break with my dad. Officer Hilton and Dr. Rittell thought it was time to start doing trial runs. If break went well, I was supposed to spend the weekends with him. Hunter and I were trying to think of ways to get him over to the house without it being obvious. It was easy with the Gomezes since they both worked and volunteered. Hunter and I had a lot of time to ourselves. My dad had already told me he was cutting back over Christmas break so he could spend more time with me. Dr. Rittell thought it would be beneficial for my recovery since he was a former addict himself. I didn't agree, but she had brushed my fears to the side and told me it was just the addict talking.

Maybe it was. Maybe I was just scared of being on my own and not having Hunter to lean on when I needed to.

"Has anyone spoken to you about college?" he asked. "I mean, other than just in passing?"

I shrugged. "Not really. It hasn't been an option because of...well...everything, but also I never had an interest in it."

"What about now?

"Hasn't changed."

He tapped his fingers on the edge of the chair's arms. "I think things have changed. I've seen a huge change from the kid who slouched in here four months ago to the kid standing in front of me now. You've been putting in the work since you moved out of your dad's, and you've earned the respect of all those teachers who wanted to turn you down."

"I guess I should say thank you," I said with a sigh.

"No," he said firmly. "You only have yourself to thank. We could give you all the tools in the world, but they didn't mean anything until you decided to use them. This is all you, Rhys. All you."

"I think you're giving me too much credit," I muttered. "I have my moments."

"Those moments used to control you," Mr. Alberts said as he leaned forward and clasped his hands on the desk. "There will always be moments where you fall back into old patterns, but you have to decide which direction you are going to go."

I just nodded, unsure how to answer that. "I should get to my next class."

"I'll call her and let you know I held you up."

I nodded and turned, leaving as quickly as I could.

I didn't go to my next class. My heart was racing as I walked down the hall, trying to pretend that I was supposed to be there when I didn't so teachers didn't stop me.

I hurried down the steps and out the door by the locker rooms, managing to keep the hyperventilating at bay until I stepped into the cold air. I grasped the brick of the building as I tried to take deep breaths like Dr. Rittell had taught me, but I couldn't get that deep breath. Each one felt like I was choking on the cold air as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.