Never Before-Ryan Reeves Fanfiction

Isolated.

Maria POV

My heart missed a good few beats and I swallowed hard. They couldn't. They didn't just say that. They can't send Ryan away. He was doing so well. And I wasn't sure if I could cope without him. He'd helped me more than he'd ever know.
"No!" I blurted out, "You can't."
"It's either that or we get legal action," said Mike sadly, "If it reports the incidents on both of your files with no appropriate action taken, everyone's in trouble. We have to follow the rules."
"That's not fair Mike," I protested, "We are practically the same age-if I was four months older, you'd pretty much turn a blind eye!"
"Life's not fair Maria," he said patting my shoulder, "We need to do a lot of paperwork first before Ryan is transferred but it's likely to be within a few days."
"If you send him away,"I said, "You'll have to send me away too. Because I kissed him back."
The phrase stirred in my mind. Think it was from Holes when Kate Barlow's boyfriend was killed for kissing her and she had no consequence. How did she deal with it? Oh yeah she became a bandit. Not really an option for me.
"It's not how the law works," said Mike sadly patting my shoulder.
"You can leave now Maria," Ryan's social worker stood up and gestured for me to get out, "We need words with Ryan."
I looked at him, "What? That's it? You bring me in here, tell me you're taking someone who means an awful lot to me away for something perfectly natural, and now expect me to get out without any further questions?"
He wavered, clearly surprised, "I'm sorry Maria," he said gently nudging me, "You and May-Li can discuss this later."
I was forced to leave as they shut the door firmly behind me however I crouched down and listened determinedly through the crack in the keyhole.
"..I mean she has a point," I heard the muffled voice of May-Li, "She and Ryan get no say in any of this."
"Too right I don't," I heard Ryan pipe up, "It's not her fault and you're punishing her just as much as me. Just punish me but don't do it to her."
I heard him get up and walk towards me, "Sit back Ryan," I heard the deep voice of his social worker and heard him sigh deeply before presumably returning to his seat. I couldn't hear much else but I didn't need to. I'd heard the important stuff. Ryan didn't blame me. He cared for me. And he was prepared to fight for it. That's all I needed to know.

I moved away from the door and sat on the stairs with my head in my hands. How did this happen? Countless teens had done it in the past. I'd caught Carmen and Bailey plenty of times. Wrong place, wrong time and now Ryan faced being sent away. It wasn't fair. I knew the procedure exactly-we'd not be allowed contact and if Mike followed guidelines correctly, won't even tell me his new care homes name. I'd lose him forever.
I walked up to my room slowly in a daze, bumping into several people on the way but didn't realise it until I was sat on my bed and wondered why I my arm was sore.
I didn't know what to think. I just knew that I wanted Ryan. People would say we were way too young to know what we wanted and he wasn't right for me anyway. I didn't care. They didn't know anything.
I waited until I recognised Ryan's footsteps ascending upstairs so leapt up and opened the door in his rather surprised face as he walked past.
"Ryan please come and talk to me," i begged him but he looked over his shoulder.
"It's too risky Maria," he said, "I can't go into your room."
"Then let's go into the garden then," I said, "Just please discuss things with me, I'm so sorry this happened."
"Fine," he agreed, "I'll meet you in a few minutes-we need to go separately."
That made sense. So I walked into the garden and sat in an old plastic chair at the back of the garden. Minutes passed and Ryan hadn't turned up. I texted him to ask where he was and my phone buzzed a few minutes later.
"I don't want to talk to you. Sorry"
My heart sank further until I swore I felt it in my toes. He was annoyed. Angry. Upset. Probably blamed me now. And I didn't blame him-i got to stay here but he had to move to a whole new care home.
I chucked my phone to the side and lay face down in the grass. Ryan was leaving. In a few days. He was gone. And there was nothing I could do about it.
There was a soft rustle in the leaves and May-Li walked through the bushes.
"I thought I'd find you here," she said softly and sat next to me on the grass, "Oh Maria I'm sorry,"
She handed me a tissue and stroked my hair gently as I lay quietly on a pile of leaves.
"It's not fair," I mumbled, "It's not fair."
"I know," May-Li said, "Its an awful situation,"
"You don't know what it's like," I continued, "It shouldn't have to be like this, you don't have to follow those stupid guidelines-you know what we need better than any handbook."
I heard her take a deep sigh of breath, "You don't need him Maria," she said quietly and I opened my mouth to protest but she continued, "But he needs you."
I fell silent again, shocked that she recognised that just as well as the rest of us.
"You're wrong May-Li," I said, "I need him too, I've become dependent on him and I was making a change and that gave me a purpose."
"You have a purpose here," she said, "Whose our resident agony aunt? Who do we constantly go to for advice? Whose the most intelligent girl in here? You Maria, you. We couldn't cope without you. You're worth more than just Ryan."
A few more tears dribbled down my face, "But I want him," I whispered, "I want him really bad."
"I know," she said, "And I promise I'll look into things-but I can't promise anything will come of it."
"Thank you," I mumbled wiping the tears from my eyes and smiling at her.
She smiled back and ruffled my hair once more, "I'll leave you to it, I'll bring some dinner up to your room if you don't want to sit with the rest."
I nodded, "Thanks that would be nice." I wasn't in the mood for questions. I got up from the grass and brushed the leaves off my jumper. I walked into the kitchen where everyone was sat but they fell silent when I walked in. I was fully aware of my red eyes, the leaves intertwined in my hair and mud on my clothes but I ignored them and walked straight past and into my room.
I heard a knock, "Come in," I said softly and it opened to see Tyler stood there holding a tray.
"I got your food," he said, "Do you want some?"
I shrugged and he put it on my desk and I thought he'd left but the door didn't shut and I felt the bed sag as he sat next to me.
"Is Ryan at dinner?" I asked him suddenly.
"Hm?" he asked confused.
"Ryan," I repeated, "Is he at dinner?"
"I didn't see him." he asked, "Has he done something to upset you?"
I shook my head, "No," I whispered, "Not this time."
"I'm sorry you feel upset today," he said awkwardly rubbing my back comfortingly.
"S'ok," I said in a monotone, "Not your fault."
"Can I help at all?" he offered, "I can get you anything, umm hot water bottle?"
I laughed into my pillow, "I'm not on my period Tyler,"
"Sorry," he said, "Thought it might bring you some comfort."
"Thanks Tyler," I said, "Actually you can do one thing for me?"
"Sure," he said, "Anything to make you feel better."
"Can you ask Ryan if he blames me?"
"Um," I heard Tyler hesitate, "Blame you for what?"
"I can't tell you right now Tyler I'm sorry," I said, "You'll find out the news quite soon anyway but I just need to know."
"Um..ok," he agreed, "I'll go after dinner."
I smiled, "Thanks Tyler, you're a great guy."
"Just here to help," he mumbled as I heard him leave the room.

I let the pasta go cold but hunger pangs hit so I attempted to scoop it in my mouth. I sat at the desk looking out the window, watching Jody and Finn laughing round the garden chasing each other. I wondered, why couldn't Ryan and I be like that? No barriers, no restrictions, but I couldn't go near him now.
I sighed and pushed my tray away. I got up and crawled into bed. It was way before my bedtime but I didn't feel like doing anything. I lay there for a long time, watching the sky darken and hearing everyone go to bed. Eventually I heard the last door shut and everything was silent. I sighed and turned over facing the wall. I quietly heard my door open and assumed it was May-Li checking I was asleep so I quickly closed my eyes and did my most convincing sleep breathing.
I suddenly felt a pair of arms embrace me as someone got into the bed behind me. I instantly recognised them and the voice of Ryan muffled, "I know you're not asleep," he murmured.
"Ryan," I whispered, "You'll get in trouble,"
"As if I'm not in enough already," he replied, "I don't care."
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, "You could get into so much more trouble."
He gently wiped the tears from my cheek, "Don't worry Maria," he said reassuringly, "We'll find a way. I promise."
"We'd better," I mumbled closing my eyes, and in the safety of Ryan's arms-fell fast asleep.