Rebels at Heart Series: Book 2 - Courage to Change

Chapter 1 Part 1: Ryan's POV

Time seems to stop, or maybe it was my brain as I stare in hopeless terror at my best friend. Raymond Wells, falls dead on the ground beside the person he knocked out. The exact person that I was trying to kill; not my best friend.

The knife whizzes through the air, and an agonized muffled scream explodes from within my heart as I stare in terror at the scene before me.

"Nooo!" I scream as I realize what just happened. I rush to my friend, but it feels like I'm crawling towards him. My heart is so broken it doesn't want to beat anymore, it can't. Especially not after experiencing something like this.

I cradle my friend's head as he dies in my arms. I watch the light fade from his pale green eyes, oh those beautiful eyes. I panic as I see the blood of my friend's wound all over me. It's most likely a result from my desperate attempts to save him though I could feel that the wound that I inflicted was a deadly one.

Raymond gasps, coughing blood from his mouth as his green eyes stare weakly into my gray ones which are brimmed with tears as I struggle to get myself together.

"Run!" He whispers softly, and the questioning confusion comes over my face. Wha-Run? Where, why how? I could barely get to him to save him, how could I get up and run?

"I can't, not without you. We were going to go together." I sob, pulling him closer to me.

"I know, but we won't. So now..." He coughs again, barely able to finish his sentence. "Now it must be you." He wheezes as he gasps for air.

"No, I can't go without you! You were the one who got me through this! Without you, I may as well be dead too." I say, laying his head down again somewhat. 'Without him all is lost' a voice whispers in my head as I struggle to process what is happening.

"Don't you EVER say that." He reprimands me. "I'm dying, so you have to go now. Flee this place and live the life we've always wanted. If you don't leave now, what do you think this will look like to the gang? They will BLAME you. I can't let that happen, bro, I love you too much, my friend. I told you I'd give my life for you, and now I have to. So now you have to let me go." he whispers. His eyes close and his head falls to the side and just like that he's gone.

Suddenly, Raymond turns to me, and my heart catches in fear. His green eyes flash open and he begins singing this annoying tune. But as I stare closer at him, I see his mouth isn't moving.

In confusion and deep hurt, I stumble back. This can't be real, it's a dream right? But then how can he be singing?!

I jump awake and with shaky hands I smack my alarm off and tumble with all my blankets to the floor as I struggle to calm my racing heart.

I'm about to scream when I hear my adoptive son call to me from downstairs. "Dad? Dad are you okay? If you don't answer I'm coming up!" There's a brief pause before he adds. "You better be decent!"

I scoff and sigh deeply, a smile curving at my lips. My kid always knows how to make a bad day go well. How can I talk when I feel like this? "I'm-I'm okay, Denver." I attempt to reply, but he's already made it up to the stairs to my room.

Denver opens my door and smiles, a small chuckle escaping as he stares at me.

"Wipe that grin from your face, kid. It was just a bad dream." I say sarcastically.

"Are you sure?" He chuckles, attempting to free me from my blankets.

"Yea, I'm just not ready to get up yet." I mumble softly. It's Monday, for crying out loud... "What are you doing?" I ask, looking up at him.

He just stares down at me as he struggles to hide his laugh that I can hear and see behind his big smile. "I'm sorry Dad. But what kind of dream did you have to get you all tangled up like this?"