Changed For The Better

TW: Ryan

(A/N: So there will be a lot of time skips and point of view changes from now on, just because that is how the book will reach its end, okay? okay)

Ryan's POV

It's been over a week since I visited Marie's new house. I am ashamed to say that since then we haven't met up once outside of school. She said she's been busy doing bonding activities with Mike and Agatha and that they probably would stop it soon enough.

But it could never be soon enough. She hasn't visited us since she left, like she said she would. She promised. But I guess since moving out, she has had a lot more to be thinking about than me, and all the others.

She sees the others occasionally at school, but we rarely meet up at lunch and break any more. It's just her and me, which in a way I prefer. She is slowly drifting away from them all though, and soon enough I can see them becoming strangers. Which I don't mind too much, I just hope things don't get awkward between her and Chloe. And there is no way I'm letting her drift away from me. I won't let that happen.

Her and I have been through so much, and we have gotten through it just fine. This is just another one of those times, one of those things that happens and could ruin everything, but won't. I'm sure there is a good reason that she is never free. I know she says she is busy with Mike and Agatha, but there is a tiny part of me that just can't believe her.

It isn't that I don't trust her, I just know her too well. If Mike and Agatha were smothering her so much then she would tell them to back off and come and meet me. Or she would ask if I could join in on whatever they are doing.

Instead she is rushing home after school, even though Mike would still be at work, as I learnt when I visited the other day. And Agatha doesn't seem like the forceful bondage type, more the casual and appropriate bonding sort of thing. I know she tries hard to be the perfect mother figure for Marie, which is nice to know.

I know that Mike cares for her too. He and Agatha are people I can rely on to look after Marie and I am sure they wouldn't hesitate to contact me if Marie was upset or needed someone, which is what is allowing me to believe that she is absolutely fine.

And I know she would tell me if something were wrong. Maybe not straight away, but she would. Specially if I kept asking and checking up on her, like I have been. I just worry because it is very unlike her to be wanting to get home for no real reason.

As in I know she says she is spending time with Mike and Agatha, but she never goes into detail with what exactly she is doing with them. She always says they are baking something or going out somewhere, but she never really says where.

I was considering just turning up at their house and asking to see her, which I am sure Mike wouldn't mind. But then what if she really is out and I go all the way there for no good reason? And then what if somebody tells her that I went to check on her, then she would think I didn't trust her and it would only make things worse.

I try texting her and calling her, but she answers less and less, and the replies have been getting later and later. I wonder if maybe she has a spot in her house where she leaves her phone, but then I know her well enough to know that without me or someone else with her, she will turn to her phone for entertainment fairly regularly. But the thing about all that that hurts me the most, is that I am always the one to text first.

I can imagine that things are harder for her, since everything that Harley said to her, and what he did. If he were here I would be giving him a piece of my mind for the final words he said to her. They broke her. They made her crumble into a different person to who she was before.

This new version of her doesn't answer the phone. The new version who doesn't stay out of the house any more. The more secretive, less close girl that she has become. I wish she would come back. I miss her.

"Ryan did you not just hear me?"

I snapped my head up from the ground where I had been staring at while sitting on my bed. I looked up at the door and saw Tyler standing there. When did he get there?

"Sorry?"

"I said dinner was ready. Luke sent me to get you" he replied.

"Oh right. I'll be down in a minute"

He sighed and gave me a pitying look. "You're thinking of her aren't you?"

I nodded and looked down again. I don't why I admitted it to him, but I guess it must have been obvious if he guessed right away.

"Don't worry mate. Nothing will change. You guys need each other, everyone can see that"

"Then why isn't she here with me?" I asked, a lot more sadly then I wanted to let on. He walked in and sat down beside me.

"Honestly, I don't know, but I can't lie and say I haven't noticed that she's been a bit...distant...recently. Maybe you should check up on her, she might have self harmed again and is now trying to hide it"

"Tyler!"

"I'm sorry, but that is where my mind has gone with it all recently. I haven't spoken to her in ages because I never see her any more. How is she?"

"Happy, with Mike" I replied. "Or that's how it seems since she has been so busy hanging out with him and Agatha recently"

"Come on mate you can't get jealous. You should be happy for her. She finally has a chance to be a part of a normal family. Half the people in here would kill for that opportunity"

"I know, and I am. But part of me thinks that maybe she is making it all up to avoid me"

"You wanna know what I think? I think you are overthinking this. Give her some time to settle in and readjust. This would never have been an easy thing"

He had a point. I was probably just stressing over nothing. Marie wouldn't do that to me. Of course she wouldn't. But I still get worried when I don't have the reassurance that she is okay. And I can't have that until she calls and texts or visits or lets me visits or just meets up with me.

I just miss her, and I need her. It is as simple as that.