Don't Look Back

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Ross’s POV

The next day I called Sky but she didn’t pick up her phone. It worried me so I went over to her place. I used my key and went into her room. She was sitting in her room eating a mini tub of ice cream. I said, “Why didn’t you answer your phone? I got worried.” She pointed to it on her desk. “It was over there, and I didn’t want to get out of bed.” I laughed and said, “Really? How did you get your ice cream?” She gave me an innocent look, “Dylan went out and got it for me. I have an extra spoon.” She held it up, her sleeve wrapped around the handle. I took it and climbed into bed with her. I took a scoop and put it in my mouth. We had the same favorite ice cream luckily for me. We sat with our backs against the wall. I got under her covers because it was cold. I saw that she was wearing a sweater and some shorts with fuzzy socks. I said, “Sky, why did they set the fire?” She said, “I wouldn’t tell them where you went, I just said that the police were coming.” I said, “So what happened?” She said, “I got chained to that pole in the room and the firemen had to kick it down.” I said, “Were you scared, of the flames?” She said, “I was scared that entire time we were in that house.” I said, “I’m sorry Sky. I don’t know why things keep happening to you.” She ate another spoonful of ice cream and said, “Because that’s how my life works. I’m sorry you guys keep getting sucked into it.” I said, “Don’t be.” She smiled and said, “So, what are your plans for today?” I said, “Whatever you want them to be.” She smiled, “How about we go out?” She made a face that was shocked with what she said. “I meant, like, we do something outside.” I laughed and said, “I knew what you meant. Sure, let’s go to the park.” She took my spoon from my hand and stuck it in the cup along with hers. Then she got up and walked out of her room. I followed. She went into the kitchen and stuck our ice cream in the fridge. She said, “Ready to go?” I looked her up and down, “I am, you’re still in your pj’s.” She looked at what she was wearing, “Oh, right.” She ran back into her room and then appeared about ten minutes later, changed. She said, “Now we go.” I laughed and I drove us to the park. When we got there we got out and just started walking on the sidewalk. The sidewalk went from the park all the way to the garden and the garden maze. So we went that way. She said, “Are you excited to go back to school?” I said, “Anything beats being chained up in your dad’s house. I’m just glad we took another day off.” She said, “Ross, do you like school?” I said, “Yeah, a lot of people want to be my friend though. Not me, but Ross Lynch, TV and movie star, member of R5.” She laughed, “I wish people lined up to be my friend. Do you know how many friends I have made at school? Zero.” I said, “That can’t be true.” She said, “Yeah. Everyone started a rumor that it was my fault Charlie got killed.” I said, “But it’s not.” She said, “Yeah, it is. If he didn’t keep sneaking out to meet me he might still be alive. Have you seen the news? ‘Ross and Riker Lynch kidnapped then escaped. Saved other victim as well. Heroes.’ You’re everywhere. Every girl will be swooning over you when we get back for getting kidnapped and saving my ass.” I said, “Sky, you saved me. Again.” She said, “But only you and Riker will ever actually know that.” I said, “Then tell them.” She said, “Why should I, the year’s gonna be over eventually and it’ll be okay again.” I said, “But you should get the credit.” She said, “I don’t want the credit. I was okay with just existing at school. I didn’t stand out, I was just there. I’m gonna get a lot of crap from everyone when I get back already. They’ll figure out I was the third person and point out how it was my fault you guys got kidnapped. I know it is, but I don’t want to get bullied for it.” I said, “So what are you saying? You’re not going back to school?” She said, “I’m going back to the orphanage Ross. I’m over the age so I won’t get adopted, but because I donated all that money, Ms. Donovan said I could go back to my old room and live there.” I said, “Sky, that’s crazy.” She said, “Is it? Everyone will hate me when they read that article.” I said, “What article?” She said, “After they got me out of the house, from the ambulance, I saw that you were talking to a couple of reporters.” I said, “I didn’t say your name.” She said, “You didn’t?” I shook my head, she thought about it for a second, “I guess I can go back then.”

Sky's POV

So the Lynches picked me up before school and everything was all good. But then we got out of the car. As we walked in everyone was cheering on Ross and Riker, they even started chanting. I went to class while the halls were empty. When the bell rang Ross ran in, our teacher said, "Ross, nice to have you back." Ross nodded at the teacher, "Nice to be back. Riker, Sky, and I, we are all happy to get back to normal again." Our teacher said, "Sky? Was she the third victim? The one you saved?" Ross said, "She was the third victim, but we didn't save her, she helped us escape and then we called the cops." Our teacher said, "Who kidnapped you?" Everyone looked so interested. Ross said, "Well, it was Sky's dad, but he gave her up when she was little so he's not really her dad anymore." Someone shouted out, "So it's Sky's fault that they got kidnapped, and that he killed Charlie!" Everyone started yelling at me. Ross tried to get them to stop, but it didn't. I sunk down in my chair and took it. All the hate. But it was true, it was my fault. When the bell rang I ran. But the second I got out into the hallway the hate continued, but with different faces. Someone threw a newspaper in my face and yelled out, "Slut!" I looked down at it, it was a picture of me in the fireman's arms, my hair was covering my face but I was only in my bra and underwear. I walked to my next class reading the article while being yelled at. The article read:

    Today we got to speak with Riker and Ross Lynch from R5. These two stars were kidnapped and taken to a house and were chained in the basement like prisoners. They told us about what happened. Ross Lynch told us, "It wasn't just us, one of our friends was taken too. She was a main target. Our 'prison guards' were some guys from our school football team. Two of them tried to help us escape. But the other two were jerks. They took advantage of our friend and made her remove her clothes and they touched her. They deserve to be behind bars. But me and Riker escaped and we called the police, when we came back the house was on fire and our friend was still inside." We asked Ross what his friends name was but he refused to tell us because he didn't want what happened to her be who people saw her as.

I felt tears in my eyes. Ross looked out for me. But now he just told everyone.  I ran home and locked the door behind me. I sunk down with my back against the door. I threw the paper aside and cried. Then about ten minutes later I heard a knock at the door. I yelled, “Ross just go back to school! Go be the hero!” He yelled back, “Sky, please! Just open the door! I’m sorry!” I said, “No, just go!” He said, “I thought they would give you some sympathy because you were the real victim! I didn’t know they would say things like that!” I stood up and swung open the door. “But they did! They did Ross.” He said, “And I’m sorry, but we can fix it.” I said, “How? How on earth can we fix that?” He said, “Calm down. Let me handle it.” I said, “Just, leave me alone. Please.” I shut the door in his face. I knew he was still standing there, so I relocked it and went into my room. I locked that door too. He had a lock to my front door, not my room. But I didn’t even hear the front door open. I could hear the footsteps walking away. I crawled into my bed and hid under my sheets. I just wanted this to all end. I scrambled out of bed and ran into Dylan’s room. I scurried over to his desk. I sat down in the chair and started looking through the drawers. I couldn’t find it. I put everything back to the way I found it and started looking through his dresser. Nothing. Then I heard someone say, “Looking for something?” I turned around. It was Dylan. He said, “I saw you run from the school. I also saw Ross run after you. I thought he could handle it, but then I saw him back at school. I think he was crying. Gosh, Sky, what’s going on with you? You haven’t been yourself lately.” I said, “Where is it?” He said, “The slip?” I said, “Yes, the slip. I need to know, please.” He shook his head, “I can’t give it to you right now. You’re not ready for it yet. I can’t do that to you.” I said, “Please Dylan.” I was practically begging now. He said, “No, Skylar, not until you get yourself together. We can’t do this.” I said, “Do what?” He said, “We can’t pretend like you’re okay anymore. You are sick, and you’ll get worse soon.” I slid down so I was sitting on the floor. He walked over and sat with me, his back against the bed post. I said, “That’s why I need that slip. It has the date that my cancer will start to get really bad, and when it kills me. I need to know.” He said, “Sky, it has the estimated dates. Not one hundred percent. I will let you know when you need to. But there is no point sneaking around my room trying to find it. It isn’t here, I didn’t hide it, I burned it at camp. But I know. I memorized everything that entire slip of paper said because I read a thousand times, wishing it would go away.” I took his hands in mine. “It won’t go away, please tell me how long. I don’t want to just disappear one day. I want to know.” He hugged me, “I can’t do that.” His breath was shaky, I heard him whisper in my ear, “Please tell them.” I said, “It’s not time yet.”