The Depressing Truth ~Prinxiety Angst~

5. The Ride Home

I don't think there's any triggers in this chapter, but let me know if there are.

After school, I ran into Roman on my way out. “Oh, sorry Roman.”

“It’s alright. Do you have a ride home?” He asks.

“No, I normally just walk.”

“I could give you a ride if you want,” he offers.

“Well, I’d have to text my brother and sister and ask if they’re ok with it, but if it’s fine with them, then sure,” I said, but then quickly added, “If it’s not too much trouble that is.”

“It’s no trouble. I’ll wait for you to ask your siblings.”

“Ok.” I pull out my phone and send “Are you guys ok with getting a ride from my friend today?” to Ryan, and April. 

I get a text back from Ryan almost instantly that said: “As long as it’s ok with April, then yeah.”

After I finished reading Ryan’s text, April replied. “So we wouldn’t have to walk?” 

I replied with “Nope.”

“The heck yeah!” she replied.

I turn to Roman and say “Yeah, they’re good with it.”

“Ok. My car is over here.”

“Ok”

Once we get in the car, he said: “So I’m assuming we have to stop at the middle and elementary school.”

“Yep. Do you know how to get to either?” I asked.

“Nope.”

I give him directions to the middle school, and see Ryan waiting outside on the bench like he always is. I get out of the car, and yell “Ryan!” he looks over at me and walks over to the car.

“Hey Virgil, and…” Ryan says as he gets in.

“Oh hey. I’m Roman. You must be Ryan,” Roman says and started the car.

“Yep, that’s me. How was school, you guys?” 

“It was school” I responded.

“Oh come on. It couldn’t have been all bad. You met me at least!” Roman said, mocking hurt.

“Exactly! I got stuck with this idiot in 4 classes!” I said, pretending to be annoyed.

“You know you like me,” He said.

“Maybe a little bit,” I said.

“So, it was good then?” Ryan asked.

“Yeah. What about you bud?” I asked.

“It’s school, what do you expect?” Ryan replied.

“Ok, true,”

I gave Roman directions to April’s school, and he drove there while talking with Ryan about video games. 

“So, I heard you like video games, Ryan,” Roman said.

“Yeah,” Ryan responded awkwardly.

Roman noticed his awkwardness and tried to get Ryan talking a bit more. “What’s your favorite game?”

“‘Call Of Duty’,” Ryan said instantly, feeling more comfortable.

“Same here. Which one though?” Roman asked, seeing that Ryan was easing up a little bit.

“Well, it depends. If I’m playing zombies, then 'Black Ops 2', but if I’m playing campaign, then ‘World War 2’ is the best, but if I’m playing multiplayer, the best would be ‘Black Ops 4’.”

“Really, you like the 'Black Ops 2' zombies? ‘Black Ops 1’ is so much better,” Roman says.

“Dude, 'Black Ops 2’ has the bus and the ray gun in it. It is the best by far,” I argue.

“Oh come on! 'Black Ops 1' is way better! It has ‘Five’ and ‘Kino Der Toten’ in it!” Roman yells.

“You’re actually using the maps as an argument! The whole ‘TranZIt’ map is better than either of those! Heck, even just the ‘Bus Depot’ map is better than them!” Ryan shouts back.

“Dude! You get to kill Nazi zombies in 'Black Ops 1'!” Roman shouts.

“The graphics are 10 times better in 'Black Ops 2'! Plus, there's lava and the fog creatures! I don’t think ‘Black Ops 1’ has that!” I argue back.

“You guys are insane if you think that ‘Black Ops 2’ Is better than ‘Black Ops 1’!”

“I think we can agree to disagree, deal?” I said, getting slightly uncomfortable with all the yelling, noticing Ryan was too.

“I think that’s fair,” said Ryan.

“Fine. Agree to disagree then,” agreed Roman.

We pulled up to the elementary school, and me and Ryan got out of the car to call out for April. We saw her by the swings, and walked over to her, knowing she doesn’t like yelling.

Once we got closer I said, “Come on April.”

She looked up, slightly startled and said, “Oh, you guys are here earlier than usual.”

Ryan replied with “We got a ride, remember?”

“Oh yeah!” April said, suddenly much happier.

“Well come on, Roman isn’t gonna wait forever you know,” I said, and began walking back towards Roman’s car.

Once we all got in and buckled, I gave Roman directions to our house, and he started driving. Once we got about a block from the school, Roman said, “You must be April, I’m Roman.”

“Hey. And yeah, that’s me,” April replied slightly shy.

“Cool,” Said Roman.

“How was school April?” I asked.

“It was awesome!” April exclaimed.

"That's good. Did you make any new drawings?"I ask.

"No, I was too busy," she replied.

"Ok. Oh, and Roman, you can stop here." I said when I realized we were just down the street from my place.

"Ok. See you tomorrow Virgil." He waves to us as he drives off.

Me, Ryan, and April walked home. When we got to the house, I got Ryan and April behind me, and quietly opened the door. I saw my father passed out on the couch in the living room. I turned back to my siblings and put a finger to lips, signaling them to be quiet. We quietly got inside the house and walked silently up to our rooms.