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Chapter Sixty

Meredith Tanner

Watching as Julia, Leo, and Miss Lynn held a strong conversation, I smiled to myself, my hands clutching each other. A moment of silence passed by, and I let out a light breath. Spinning around on my heels, I walked out of the hospital, feeling the wind brush against my hair. I guess I can go now. I jogged down the steps and was about to make my way home, only to stop when a police officer suddenly appeared beside me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, shifting to glance at him.

He looked around him, as if double-checking he was in the right place, and turned to me. "Yes. I actually have something for you." Slipping something out of his pocket, he handed it to me. It was a folded piece of paper. I took it, and the police officer provided some information, saying, "This is from Dexter Lowse, one of the sentenced criminals we apprehended from your case."

"O-Oh. I see." Flipping it over, I saw my name written in blue ink. What could this be about..? Baring a glance at the officer, I mumbled, "Thank you."

He saluted before teleporting back to the police station. Still clutching the paper, I walked over to a bus stop and sat down on the seat, deciding to read it there. As I unfolded the paper, people walked past me, but their chatter was muted by my curiosity.

To: Meredith Tanner

I know it was you who sent my parents to see me. I mean who else would have? (The answer is one. No one at all.) I just wanted to say thanks for that. I think my parents have empty holes in their hearts filled up now, and it's the same for me. I'm still a little confused because of what Mr. Kei told me, compared to what they told me, but I'm getting the hang of it.

Other than the thank you, I wanted to say sorry too.

I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm also sorry for what I did to Stephanie. (Tell her I'm sorry, please.) I know that whatever I say won't make up for the trauma I made you two go through, and I know that you guys don't want to see me for as long as I live. Trust me, I know all of that. I just didn't want to let it go without even saying anything.

I probably won't make it up one day— not because I don't want to, but because I know that I simply can't.

So, I'm sorry.

I didn't deserve to see my parents, and yet you still let me.

Thanks.

My grip on the paper tightened, and I felt my jaw clench. God, what kind of idiot is he— apologizing like this? Inhaling a shaky breath, my hand went up to my face, wiping my eyes to get rid of the uncalled-for tears. I stood up abruptly from the seat with the letter in hand and walked towards the direction of Ryan's house, slipping the paper into the pocket of my hoodie.

It wasn't long before I stood in front of the Duff residents' home. Examining the small house, I sighed. Good. The lights are on. I walked past the gates, and my hand went up to knock on the door. A few moments passed, and the sound of pounding footsteps made me alert. After unlocking the door, Ryan appeared in the doorway in his pajamas.

"Oh! Meredith, what's up?"

I looked past his bulky figure, searching. "Is Stephanie home?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. She's in the living room. What's up?"

"Something worth mentioning." I slipped underneath his arm, surprising him, and strut into his house, making my way to the living room. Stephanie was curled up on the couch, holding a remote. She saw me, but before she could comment, I pulled out Dexter's letter and waved with it in hand. "You've got mail, sweetie."

"H-Huh?"

Jumping into the seat beside her, I leaned onto her shoulder and started reading the contents of the letter to her out loud. Her eyes scanned the words and apologies that Dexter had written on the paper, and by the end of it as I finished up, she was already becoming teary-eyed.

"Does he mean it..?" She whispered inaudibly, her eyes glancing at me.

I nodded, hiding my face in her hair. "Yeah... it seems he does."

Ryan walked in with a bag of popcorn, shoving his mouth with the food. "Lemme see it too," he insisted, settling himself beside me.

I let out a muffled snort at how childish he was, sitting up straight so that the two of us weren't crushing Stephanie into the side of the couch. Passing around the letter to him, I held Stephanie's hand to comfort her as Ryan read it.

"I don't believe this junk for a second," Ryan muttered under his breath, crunching up the letter in a ball. He threw it aside, but Stephanie quickly leaned over, catching it in her hands before it could fall. He glanced at her, cocking his head to the side when he was surprised by her actions. "Do you, Steph?"

"I mean, I do," I interrupted, letting Stephanie get some time to think of an answer. Ryan obviously wouldn't understand. I noticed the short falter in Stephanie's figure, but I covered her brother's gaze to prevent him from seeing it. The slimmest apology from Dexter must make Stephanie feel something. "You haven't seen him recently. He's getting.. somewhat better."

Ryan crossed his arms, disgruntled by my response. "It doesn't change the fact that he hurt the both of you— consciously."

"I'm not saying it does," I responded, shaking my head, "but I'm saying that his apologies are sincere. Or, at least I feel they are."

"Y-Yeah..." Stephanie whispered quietly, pulling a strand of her black hair behind her ear. We both looked at her, seeing her smoothing out the letter against the couch's arm rest. "I agree with Meredith... Obviously, I'm not forgiving him, b-but I'm willing to call this a true apology from him."

Ryan let out an unamused huff, finding our beliefs to be hopeful and nothing more. I nudged his side, making him look at me. I smiled lightly, saying, "C'mon, dude. Let's just watch a movie and relax."

Stephanie nodded, agreeing with me again.

A moment of silence passed, and Ryan sighed, chucking his phone at me. "Tell your parents where you are first," he said, side-eyeing me. A tiny smirk was on his face, and he peered at his little sister. "Pick a movie, Steph. I'll go get more food from the kitchen."

As Ryan left the room, I turned to look at Stephanie. A specific expression crossed her face, emitting something along the lines of her brother being so thickheaded. I snickered under my breath, agreeing, and it made her start laughing. Ryan must've heard because he yelled from the kitchen, "Yo, stop laughing and do what I told you to!"

Laughing, I shouted back, "Whatever you say, you big doofus!"

That night, while watching a random comedy movie, I found myself thinking of where I was. Not physically, but where I was in terms of happiness. Achieving this was something I never thought I'd be able to do, especially considering that Ryan was a typical and cliché high school bully not too long ago, and I was a lonely mess of a person at the beginning of the school year.

The only thing that made everything happen was that stupid game.

Parallel.

It's an innocent game that ended up gambling our lives.

Swallowing down the popcorn in my mouth, I blankly stared at the screen of the TV, grabbing more food from the coffee table in front of me.

And on the other side of that game was him.

A smile appeared on my face.

I wonder how he's doing.