Risk it for the biscuit || Roadtrip

Chapter 63

"He's scared of the band, we need someone from outside" Mikey continued as everyone's eyes raised up onto 3 girls. However Ryan knew exactly who had to speak with Brook - there was no other option.

"Belle" Rye said, boring her eyes at the girl. "Belle needs to do it"

"Me?!" To say Belle was shocked was an underestimation. She was absolutely terrified and she didn't know why Rye chose her to do it. She wasn't sure whether she would be able to deal with the situation properly, she never experienced her friends getting in such a mess.

"Yes, Brook wouldn't tell anything to Am or Lily" he said, using nicknames he made up for Amanda and Rose. He was known as someone who never called friends by their full name. "He's not as close with them as he is with you"

"Let's give him couple of minutes to deal with those things by himself maybe" Amanda suggested, not wanting to encircle Brooke so much.

"Yes!" Mikey said suddenly, "Let's go and sit in our room, I think everyone needs some time to just think" He added, wanting to leave Rye and Belle on their own to talk. Their care for Brooklyn too high to create unnecessary arguments. Everyone, almost as if understanding his idea, followed him to the room. Mikey wasn't sure whether they knew why he did it, maybe they were too overwhelmed to even think what's going on. However, either way, Belle and Rye were left alone, both of them currently standing near the corridor table.

"It's our fault, isn't it?" Belle suddenly asked, sitting on the table. She seemed so out of the world that Rye wasn't sure whether she realised everyone has left. He didn't understand what she meant either, for him she was the last person to blame herself for all of this. "Since we came back to the flat, no one spoke about anything else other than me and you. We were always in the centre of attention, Brook was a lot quieter since he came back from home, but no one realised something was wrong" she said, almost reading his mind.

"I don't think it started when he came back. He was acting differently for a lot longer" Rye said seriously. Now as it all came out he thought about all the weird things that Brook did. It was almost as if he gave them little clues, but no one realised. "He suddenly stopped being so immature; didn't experiment with food. He was spending more time on his phone, isolating himself where before no one could make him to leave them alone" he stopped for a second. "I should have realised..." he sighed by the end. There was so many clues. But they weren't visible enough before it all happened.

"Don't say that" Belle said automatically, truly believing her words. She knew Ryan; he was always the first person to help when something was wrong. "He made a decision of not telling us, you cannot control his mind" she said, trying to get Rye to believe her words.

"I know" Rye said quietly, "but maybe I wasn't giving him enough attention. My mind was so taken over by..." he cut suddenly, realising he nearly revealed his secret. The girl wasn't ready to know she was the main person in his thoughts. "um... things. I haven't had a proper conversation with Brook in ages"

Belle just turned aside, boring her eyes at the boy who now sat next to her. "Ryan, listen to me" she said, raising her hand to move the boy's chin in her direction. "This is not your fault, okay?" She said in a quiet, charming voice, feeling Rye's sight nearly cutting her in half. Usually he was strong, but it that moment he needed someone to tell him everything will be alright. "Don't ever, ever think this is your fault" she said, to then blush a little, thinking of how she told him the opposite thing when they were arguing.

"We need to talk." Rye simply said, understanding the situation completely.

"After" she said, almost making a promise.

"After" The boy repeated, finishing the conversation. Belle hopped of the table, feeling a lot less overwhelmed - her problem with Rye seemed to be getting in the positive direction. However, Brook was still in her mind and she knew she had to talk with him now.