Computerized

Chapter Twenty Three: Encounter With the Mother and Son

A hot tear slipped down my cheek, dropping onto my shirt. I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head, away from sight. I felt trapped. I didn't know if Anton could hear my thoughts right now. I wanted to cry in Ty's arms or tell Hannah and cry with her but I couldn't.

Feet scuffled against the ground. My eyes flickered up to look ahead of me, landing on a boy with a mop of sandy brown hair and brown eyes peering at me quizzically. I feigned a small smile, quickly wiping the wetness away from my cheeks.

I recognized this boy. I had met him the first day I arrived at the hotel. "May I help you?" I asked, my voice coming out raspier and more broken than intended.

"I don't think you should be asking me that. Are you okay? I'm Kyran by the way." The boy said, sitting down beside me on the wooden bench.

I laughed bitterly. "No, I'm not okay."

Kyran narrowed his concerned eyes. "What's wrong?"

My heart begged for the chance to spill everything to this stranger but my mouth was sealed shut. Anton's voice played in the back of my head and the picture of Matthew flashed in my mind.

"It's nothing. You wouldn't understand. I-I just can't tell you," I replied offering him a small smile trying to convince him. It didn't work.

"Oh really? Try me," he said in his deep scruffy voice. He looked to be the same age as me, maybe a little older.

"Some people aren't what they seem to be. That's all."

Kyran nodded like he understood, but I could tell he wanted to know more. He wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder pulling me into his side. I had just met this boy, but I felt comfortable burying my head into the crook of his neck and sobbing like a baby. Kyran kept whispering comforting things.

"Hey, hey, Rebecca. It will be okay. Who isn't who they seem to be? Who's butt do I need to kick?" He asked.

I chuckled wiping the tears away. "I really can't tell you Kyran. It's personal and it will just cause trouble. Don't worry about it."

Kyran sighed in frustration but nodded. "Fine, if you say so," he said just as the door to the porch swung open and Ty came flying through the doorway.

"Rebecca! Rebecca there you are! I was look-" Ty's face hardened as he stopped talking in the middle of his sentence. He eyed Kyran, his eyes traveling over his arm which was wrapped around me. "What's going on?"

I jumped up, shoving Kyrans arm off of me. "Ty, Kyran was just—he saw me out here. I was just," I struggled for words to explain anything.

"I seen Rebecca out here alone on the bench and just thought I'd talk to her. She just seemed upset so I gave her a hug, as a friend," Kyran rushed to explain.

Ty didn't seem satisfied with the explanation. He looked at me with a pained expression. "Why were you upset? Why didn't you come talk to me?"

"I'm so sorry Ty. I should've talked of you."

"What is wrong Rebecca?" Ty demanded.

"I-I can't tell you. I'm sorry, it's just something personal," I replied in a raspy voice. My throat was raw and hoarse from crying.

"Oh I see you can tell this random guy, but you can't tell me," Ty laughed bitterly. "Yeah, that makes sense." He turned away from Kyran and I.

"Ty wait! I didn't-"

Ty whipped around. "Save it Rebecca," he snarled before disappearing through the doorway the door slamming behind him.

Tears pooled in my eyes once again, threatening to fall down my face. I dropped back into my seat on the bench and buried my face in my hands. I could feel Kyran's presence hovering over me.

"I am so sorry Rebecca."

I glanced up at Kyran. He ran a hand through his hair, his mocha brown eyes darting from place to place. I could see his worried expression through my blurry eyes. The crinkles in his forehead and wide eyes told me he was truly sorry.

"It's okay Kyran. It wasn't your fault. Ty just overreacted. I'll talk to him when he cools down." I stood wrapping my arms around Kyran and whispered a thank you. Kyran's body stiffened for a second before he relaxed and hugged me back. It felt right hugging Kyran. Not in a boyfriend/crush kind of way but more as in a brother or friend way.

"I've got to go Rebecca, but I'll talk to you later. Right?" I nodded in reply, a small smile finding its way into my lips. He grinned back at me before entering the hotel, leaving me alone on the front porch of the building.

A dark bunch of clouds was peaking over the mountain. The summer wind had slowly turned cold and damp, nipping at my bare skin. The pattering of rain filled my ears as raindrops slowly started slapping against the ground. A flash of light caught my attention, shortly followed by a rumble.

The weather had decided to match my mood today. An angry flash streaked across the sky, disappearing behind the mountain. The rush of wind blew pine needles off trees in a swirling mess. I pulled my knees up against me, hugging them with my arms in attempt to keep warm.

My mind drifted to Anton. Ever since yesterday night my thoughts had become a swirled, tangled mess. I didn't understand how Anton could read my mind even though I hadn't purposely let him. I didn't understand how he knew Ty was going to come out of his room.

But, most of all, I didn't understand why. I had racked my brain, trying to figure out his motives. Why would he kidnap Matthew? He had helped us get here, to save Ty's life. Matthew didn't have anything to do with Anton.

I groaned in frustration. My head ached from the worrying, crying, and thinking. Another flash of light shot across the blackened sky and an ear shattering boom followed a second after. My heartbeat quickened as I huddled closer to the bench.

The doors to the hotel swung open once again and a friendly faced woman emerged from the building. Her bleach blond hair was pulled back into a messy bun on the top of her head. Her joyful glittering blue eyes landed on me and then the empty space beside me.

"Can I sit beside you?" Whitney asked hesitantly, almost as if she was nervous I'd say no. I smiled at her, nodding my head. She grinned taking a few strides over to me and smoothing out her pencil skirt before taking a seat on the wooden bench.

"You looked cold so I brought you a sweater." Whitney handed me a white cotton hoodie which I gratefully excepted, pulling it over my head.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Whitney simply nodded, staying silent. It was a comfortable silence. We watched the storm, rain pouring down and wind roaring. I don't know how long we were silent.

Whitney smiled slightly. "I love watching thunder storms. When I was your age my father and I would go out on our back porch with blankets, coffee, and cookies. We'd sit on our porch swing and watch the storm for as long as it lasted."

"And, every time it was just about to end my father would tell me to look for a rainbow. He'd say that the rainbow comes after the storm and we would never see the rainbow if we didn't first make it through the storm."

I smiled, a tear slipping from my eye. But, this time it wasn't a sad tear. My tears were filled with hope, something I realized I'd lost. "Your father sounds like a very wise man."

Whitney nodded. "The wisest."

I don't know why I did but I took Whitneys hand in my own. Her finger intertwined with mine in a motherly sort of way. I laid my head on her shoulder and she rested hers on my head.

"Rebecca you'll have your rainbow. I promise you that. You just have to get through the storm first."

I nodded. "Trust me Whitney. There isn't anything in this world that would stop me from getting through this storm."