Butterfly Years

Chapter 15

I gasped, falling back into my chair. Staring at my bowl of cereal, I tried to process what I just read.

Ryan went? He didn’t tell me, that twit! Why couldn’t he tell me?

He said a whole lot of other things, though. I lifted the letter and read through it again. My heart began beating super fast as I watched the flow of his handwriting, bouncing along the lines of the paper. Ryan’s hand once moved along this paper…

Was he sad? The question struck me like a lightening bolt. I wonder if he was sad. Sure he missed home, but maybe a new start was exactly what he needed; he probably even wanted a new start. Who was I to deprive him of something like that?

Mom came bustling out, chanting off a long list of chores I needed to complete today. I nodded at her, pushing the letter onto my lap. There was no need for mom to read it; the last three words Ryan wrote are living proof.

An hour and a half later, I settled onto my bed, kicking back my legs and resting my head against the soft comforter. I tried reading through my biology textbook, but the only word that went through my head was the same:

Ryan.

Exasperated, I ran to the kitchen and grabbed myself a banana, before heading back to my room and checking my phone; in short, I was looking for distraction.

Distraction came in the form of the one new message I had ignored in the morning.

I took a minute to compose my racing heart. What if it was Ryan who messaged me? What would he say?

I hesitantly tapped onto the unread message.

No, giving up is not an option. Meet me in the park near the fountain at five. Don’t come alone if you don’t want to. I won’t hurt you, I promise. ~The Sticky Note

I glared at the message. Oh, so now he bothered to reply? I had stuck my reply onto my homeroom’s white board on Monday itself, and when I received no reply, banished Sticky Note Guy from my thoughts entirely.

Who was I to him anyway?

As for the park meeting…

I silently contemplated it. What would be the smart thing to do?

Oh, that’s a no-brainer, my subconscious said sarcastically, walk into the park alone to meet a stranger. Really safe.

I decided that I’d ask Sabby and Tia to accompany me. The twins were visiting their grandparents today anyway. I wish they were here right now…

“Hey guys, I need to ask a huge favour of you two,” I said into the mobile. Having a three-way talk with Tia and Sabby seemed to be far more complicated than it was supposed to be.

“What’s up?”

“Whap-a-doodle?”

I sighed, wondering how they would take this. I quickly explained the situation to them.

“And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, except I think this guy…or girl…might help me in some absurd way.” I ended, “So will you two come with me to the park?”

“Syaz, you do realize this is completely irrational?” Sabby asked, pulling on the responsible big brother act.

“Exactly, Sabster,” Tia said, causing me to conclude that she was on a sugar rush, “This is completely irrational. Which is why I’m all for it! What time?”

“Sabby?” I asked, “If you’re not for the idea, I won’t do it. You just need to say the word.”

“I don’t know, Syaz,” Sabby said, wondering out loud. “It seems to me that this guy doesn’t hold any sort of threat to you. On the other hand, he’s a stranger; last time I checked, we can’t trust strangers.”