THE THIRD P3RSON

•Chapter 21•

In the cold of the early Saturday, I asked Ryan what he wanted.

"Just get ready and open the door. I need your help."

I sat down on the edge of my bed staring at the window. The sky was still dark. Did I want to go? "Nah. I think I'll stay inside."

I heard a sharp breath. "You serious?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm serious. I'm not moving an inch."

Of course, this was a lie. I was already packing my backpack with my sketch book and some pencils in a plastic bag. I swapped my pyjamas for another baggy T-shirt with yet another pun on it and jumped into my jeans. I was slipping on my boots when I heard a fake sigh. "What do you want if you come help me?"

I thought for a minute. "Dippin Spots." I closed the door of my house as soon as I said Dippin.

He laughs. "O-kay. You come with me right now and I'll get you ice cream next week."

"Nah. I say we go right now. Open the car door," I said, smiling at Ryan in the driver's seat. "Where we goin'?"

In the early morning, the street lamps gave Ryan almost a halo above his head and it was almost comical. Ryan with a halo? Ha. I placed my bag on the floor of the car and hopped in.

Ryan gave me a knowing smile. "Didn't you want ice cream?"

"Mm-hm. But I feel like there's a catch here somewhere. " I took out my sketchbook and a pencil. I singsonged while tapping the end of the pencil to my forehead. "I ain't that stupid- Ow!"

Smooth, Julianna. I thought while rubbing my eye. I was laughing when I caught a whiff of Channel. My head snapped up a lot faster than I could close my mouth.

As nonchalance as I could I put a pencil in my hair while saying, "So, Christina was in here..."

I imagined Ryan gripping the wheel. "That's kinda what I wanted to talk to you about."

I reached for the door handle. What was I thinking? What- "You know, I think I'll miss out on the ice cream. I've been craving but I'll live."

"Wait. Julianna. I- I just need someone to talk to- someone other than my uncle. I was hoping you would hear me out but," Ryan sighs and I look at him as he fidgets with his phone on his lap. "I understand if you leave and tell me it's wrong of me to...ask that...of...you. "

Was it wrong? "Nah. Don't worry about it. We're cool. If you need to vent to me, go ahead. Your uncle has done a lot for me so it's okay. I'm all ears."

Ryan gave a guilty look. "Are you sure?"

I nodded.

Ryan pulled away from the curb and started driving. "We're going to the aquarium and we'll find your Dipping Spots there."

"Are they even open at this time?" I asked him, giving him a look.

He smiled and shrugged. "Ever been to 'Scales'?"

I shook my head but a flash of a commercial zipped through my head. "Uh. Is it the one that's opened to tourists 24/7 by the boardwalk?"