Paragon (n.)

Ryan 2: The Rage

June: one year A.G.

Ryan entered her house fuming. Sian was a stubborn person, that was no secret. The fact that emotions weren't her thing either, was also well known, yet when Ryan saw Sian turn and leave all previous information about her best friend went out the window. Was the girl who came back even her best friend any more? What sort of best friend ignores someone for months? How was she supposed to be okay with all of this?

Ryan's mom had told her that even though it was concerning, there were probably underlying causes to Sian's disappearance which she hadn't been informed of. In Ryan's mind there was no doubt about that part of the situation, the part that confused her was why she hadn’t been informed. She’d known Sian since the second grade, there had never been any secrets between the pair. Okay so maybe there had been a fib once when Ryan blamed Ian for polishing off a shared chocolate bar, but other than that there really were no lies.

Yet Ryan still couldn't understand as to why the McAndrews had kept her in the dark. She paced around her room well past sun set, and only paused briefly for dinner. When she returned to her room, she found a that a familiar face had joined her in her anguish. Ian laid sprawled across her bed bouncing an old tennis ball off her wall.

“Clarence Thompson told me the other day that he heard that Sian had a baby and that’s why she left. The most pathetic part about it is that I can't even deny it because I don't even have evidence to back me up due to the fact that Sian won't talk to us. So even if I do say something, I’ll just sound like an idiot.”

Ian’s confesion wasn’t surprising. Ryan had also found herself in similar situations recently. Yuma Gregory had told her a similar story when Ryan has bumped into her the other day at the farmers market. The rage that had died down over dinner bubbled up again as Sian's selfishness consumed her thoughts. Had the girl ever thought about anyone else but herself?

Yes, the answer was yes, Sian always thought about everyone else first. That's where the rage truly sat, next to the fact that her best friend was hiding something and the only thing Ryan found herself capable of doing was getting angry, angry at someone who hadn't been there for a long time. She plopped herself next to Ian on her bed and stared at the blank wall in front of them. The silence that consumed the room was peaceful and welcomed. Since silence seemed to be the only thing that didn't cause either of their worlds to turn upside down.

“So we're going again in like a half hour right?” Ian inquired as he pulled out his phone.

“Oh hell yeah we're going.”