Panic Attack

Chapter 3 : Unpacking and meeting Rydel

Chapter 3

The next day...

Nicole POV

I still had a bunch of boxes left to unpack. I was in the middle of putting away some of my clothes when I heard knocking on my window. I turned around and saw Riker at my window. I went over and opened it for him.

"I um... I would've texted you to ask if you wanted to come over and meet Rydel, but um... I sort of got my phone taken away."

"Oh?"

"Yeah um... I've just been so frustrated, you know? About everything I told you about yesterday. And I just sort of lost my temper this morning."

Riker was blushing a little.

"So you want me to come over and meet your sister now?"

"Yeah."

"Ok."

Riker held his hand out, so I took it. He helped me step out my window, into the treehouse, and then into his bedroom. He took me across the hall to a bedroom that was very pink.

"Rydel, this is Nicole. Nicole, this is my sister, Rydel."

"Hi!" Rydel said, waving.

"Hi."

"Riker, you can go now. We're going to have some girl talk," Rydel said.

"Ok."

He went back into his own room.

"Come sit!" Rydel said, patting a spot on her bed.

I sat down on her bed. She seems nice so far. And excited.

"It's so nice to have a girl my age next door. Living with 4 brothers is insane sometimes," she said.

"Yeah, Riker told me."

"So do you have your schedule yet?"

"No. I have to pick it up from the office tomorrow."

"Ok. I can show you where the office is. We'll probably have some classes together. I hope we have lunch together. And I can introduce you to some of my friends."

"Thanks. It's nice to meet someone before my first day. I'm kind of nervous."

"Don't be nervous! School is kind of fun."

"Well cool! Riker said the bus comes at 7:10 tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We always leave the house at 7:00 and then walk down our driveways and just chill for a few minutes."

"Ok, I'll be there at 7:00."

Later...

Nicole POV

After I talked with Rydel for a while, Riker asked if we could hang out. So I was currently in his room right now.

"Ok, so besides losing your temper earlier, how has your day been?" I asked.

"Well... Better."

"Really? Your tone of voice says otherwise."

"Well... I guess I'm just stressed."

"About what?"

"After I left you with Rydel, my brother Rocky came in to talk to me. And my dad sort of manages our band. So Rocky was telling me that our dad is kind of annoyed with us because he feels like we aren't taking this as seriously as he wants. And that we need to work harder and work on our songwriting. And it's just stressing me out. I feel like I have no time. I'm at school and doing homework 5 days a week. And then in my spare time, I'm working on music and band stuff. And then sometimes there's random interviews, and I have chores to do, and I just feel like I have no time to myself, you know?"

"Yeah. I didn't know you were so busy. How do you have time to... go to movies and hang out with friends and stuff?"

"I don't. Even when I have free time, I have to be babysitting my siblings. I seriously never have time to hang out with friends. Except you since you're right next door, you know? I used to hang out with the kids who lived there before you moved in."

"Did you hang out in the treehouse?"

"Yeah, me and my siblings and neighbors used to hang out there all the time. But then we got older and our neighbors moved, so it's just kind of me that goes in it anymore."

"To do what?"

"Just chill and stuff. Get away from my siblings. I don't know. It's a place where I can just clear my head. Or you know... Talk to you."

I realized he was blushing again. 

"Sorry. I just... I felt so much better after talking to you last night. It just felt good to talk to someone who I knew wasn't going to stress me out. I feel like all I ever talk about with my siblings is band stuff."

"Anytime you want to talk, Riker, you know where my window is."

He smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Or even if you just need to get away, you're welcome to come over."

"I really appreciate it."

"But if you want to come over in the next few days, my room might be a mess. I'm still unpacking."

He laughed.

"Yeah, I know. Did you need any help?"

"Actually, I kind of want to move my bed and my dresser, but they're kind of heavy."

"I can help."

"Ok, thanks."

Riker opened his window and held his hand out to me again, just like earlier today. So I took it, and we climbed out to my bedroom window.

"So where do you want to move things?" Riker asked.

"I want my bed next to the window. And the dresser against that wall," I said, pointing.

"Sounds good."

Riker and I both moved my bed and dresser where I wanted them. It was a lot easier with his help. When we were done, Riker flopped down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Tired?" I asked, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah. Your dresser was really heavy."

"Yeah, I know. I put my clothes in it."

Riker turned his head towards me.

"Need help with anything else?" He asked.

"I need help unpacking, but I don't really know where to put anything yet."

"What do you have left to unpack?"

"Just a lot of random things. I already unpacked the easy things, like my clothes and stuff. Now it's all the little random things that don't have a spot yet."

"Have you found everything you need for school yet?"

"Yeah, I have my backpack, some notebooks and folders, and pens and pencils. I'm all set for tomorrow."

"Well if you're all set, then maybe you want to come over and watch a movie at my house after dinner?"

"Sure! Want me to meet you at your window?"

Riker laughed.

"Sure. I'll meet you at my window."

He got up and climbed out my window, but then paused.

"I'll see you later," he said, smiling.

"See you, Riker."