Things Have Changed For Me

Don't Push Us Away

School began a few days later, and everything was back to normal for awhile. Our little group was together again. Jon got a girlfriend, Cassie. Spencer stills calls himself a "Single Pringle". Ryan and Jess are still together. And Brendon and I are just friends. That's all.

•~•~•~•

I walked into class that day. I sat in my usual seat next to Ryan and in front of Brendon.

"Can you guys believe that we'll be graduating in a few months?" Brendon exclaimed. He seemed to be counting down to the very last second.

Ryan was tapping his pencil on the desk. "Why are you so excited? It's only January, and school ends in May. We've still got a long way to go." He got an eye-roll from Brendon, then went back to work.

Something was up with Ryan. I gave Brendon a What's-Up-With-Him look and he just shrugged his shoulders.

Ryan suddenly raised his hand, and our teacher called on him. "Can I go to the restroom?"

"You know you don't have to ask to go-" But before Mr.J could finish his sentence, Ryan was out the door.

I turned back to Brendon. "He probably needs to tell Jess something. Any news on him?"

"I'm not sure. He's been acting like this ever since we got back." Mr.J began his lesson, so I turned back around and started taking notes. A few minutes into the lesson, I got a note thrown in front of me:

"Wanna hang out after school today? -B"

"Yeah, sure! Movies?"

"Alright. I'll pick you up at 6. -B"

"Cool." I passed the note back to him. Mr.J was nearly done with his lesson and was giving out the assignment for the day's homework. The bell rang, and I grabbed my things and left.

•~•~•~•

Brendon and I were sitting at the lunch table alone for a little. Then Spencer and Jon came. And finally Jess. But still no sign of Ryan.

Spencer seemed the most worried. "So, uh, anyone know where Ross is?" All of us except Jess said anything.

"Anyone with the name of Jess know where Ross is?" Spencer asked. She looked up and shrugged.

"Jess, where's Ryan?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to him for awhile." She replied. Her eyes were fixed to the table and not at us. We just stared at her, waiting for her to finish her little story, but she didn't.

"I'm going to go find him," Brendon said while getting up. Spencer got up and followed him, along with Jon. Now it was only Jess and me.

"Jess, I know something's wrong. If you don't tell me what's wrong, I'll be really mad." I said. Yeah, it's a lame threat. Don't judge me.

"I told you, I don't know what's wrong!" She denied as her head snapped up.

"Then why do you seem so down today? You and Ryan!" It wasn't normal to see someone who was usually so happy to be like this.

"For the last time, Ana. I have no idea what's wrong. At all. Now if you'll let me be, I have to go turn in some work in Chemistry," she muttered. I helped her with her things, and she went. And now I was alone.

I texted Spencer and asked him where him and the others were.

"with ryan in boys bathroom by gym"

•~•~•~•

I met up with the guys in the bathroom. Yeah, it was for guys, but no one else was in there so it didn't matter.

I locked the door behind me, just in case, and saw Brendon, Jon, and Spencer sitting around Ryan saying nothing.