Love | R.L. (R5)

Chapter 25 -The Break-Down-

I sighed and wiped the tears away from my eyes before standing up. I slowly stood up and turned towards the door. I wanted to find Rydel, to be there for her just as she is always there for me. I exited the house and took a deep breath,  letting the warm air relax me, before heading down the sidewalk. I had no idea where she might have gone but I didn’t mind the walk. I would always take walks when I lived with my mom. It would help me relax and remember that the world is still going on even if mine had crashed all around me. It wasn’t long until I realized I had made my way to a park. It wasn’t much of a park. A slide sat on the far end with monkey bars leading from the platform that was at the top of it, both were coated with rust, and there, sitting on the swings not to far from the slide, was Rydel. Her head was down and she was gently rocking herself with her foot that was on the ground. I walked a toward her and I realized her phone was in her hands and she scrolled through it. "Rydel?" I whispered once I got in front of her. She slowly lifted her head to look at me and I noticed tears were falling from her eyes.

"Alex" she sighed before turning back towards her phone. I looked down at her phone to see she was scrolling through photos. I slowly kneeled down and placed my hands on hers so I was blocking the phone’s screen. She kept her head down at first before slowly lifting it and looking at me again. I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her and moments later I felt her wrap around me in return. “I wish everything was alright” she whispered in my ear.

Slowly I pulled apart. “It’ll will get better”  I whispered as I reached up and wiped away the tears that were sliding down the side of her face.

“But what if it doesn’t?” Rydel questioned “What if Rocky never remembers who he is, or who we are. What if Ross never gets better. What if…”

“Rydel…” I quickly said cutting her off. I wanted nothing more than to comfort her, to tell her everything would be fine, but I couldn’t. The same questions were going through my mind and as much as I wanted an answer I didn’t have one. I sighed and slowly stood up. “How about we go home?” I asked as I reached a hand out toward her. Slowly, shaking her head.

“I want to go see Ross” she whispered. I was shocked by this for a moments before slowly nodding my head. I didn’t say anything as she finally took my hand and stood up then together we walked back to the house. Rydel went straight to the car once we got back.

“Don’t you want to tell Stormie where we’re going” I asked and she shook her head before climbing into the car. I shrugged then went around the car to the other side and got in. Rydel started the car and drove it out of the driveway. Her eyes were glued to the street as we drove.

I sighed, “None of this should have happened” I whispered, “I wish nothing more than to fix everything that’s happened. To go back in time and prevent everything.”

“No” Rydel spoke for the first time since we started driving. I looked over at her in confusion. “As much as I like that idea I could never do it even if I could. Messing with the fabric of time always seems to screw you over one way or another. Usually making things worse than they were at the start.” I was surprised by the seriousness in her voice. “Plus you always have to remember, everything happens for a reason.” She instantly fell silent after that. I leaned back against the back of the car seat and stared out of the window. The rest of the drive was quite. Rydel had angrily turned the radio off once she started the car so all I heard was the sounds of traffic outside. Finally the car came to a halt at the hospital. I looked over at Rydel. She stared out the front window with a blank expression before exiting the car. I followed her and together we walked through the sliding doors that led to the hospital. She didn’t stop at the front desk instead she walked right past and down the hallway.

“Rydel” I called out her name once she started to bypass me “Slow down.” Her pace dropped enough that I could catch up to her. Rydel pushed the door open once we got to the right room. I followed in behind her and closed the door. When I turned back I found Rydel had already pulled a seat up to Ross’ bed and was holding his hand in hers. Her face was expressionless as she stared down at him. His eyes were closed and his breathing was in a slow pace, telling me he was asleep. I walked over and stood behind where Rydel was sitting. She retched her other hand forward and slowly brushed back the hair from his face.

“I wish you were home” she whispered as she placed her hand on the side of his face and gently stroked it with her thumb. “I miss you” I could tell that she was on the verge of tears as she spoke. I reached forward and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Can I be alone?” she asked as soon as I touched her “Please?” I stood there for a moment before slowly, pulling my hand away. I know she needed some time to think so I turned from her to the door. I exited the room, closing the door behind me, then leaned my back up against the back of the wall and slid down it until I was sitting on the floor. I put my head against the wall and closed my eyes, letting my thought drift away into the quietness.

“Shut up!” a sudden voice pierced the quiet hallway. I opened my eyes and looked to see a girl standing half in and half out of a room. “Just shut up!” I heard her scream again at whoever was inside. Then she quickly spun around, her hands were wiping away tears that were falling from her face. She ran right past me and disappeared around the corner. I looked back at the room, whose door had been left open, to find a guy looking out. He sighed then reentered the room closing the door behind him. Something wasn’t right. I slowly stood up and started to where the girl had disappeared. She needed someone to comfort her and clearly whoever she was with wasn’t going to. I just hope I don’t regret this I thought.