You're Not Enough

Chapter 71

I feel much better now. The sickness has passed, thank God! Hopefully, my parents are still up. I really want to know what it is they want to tell me. Ryder and I are walking down the hotel hallway. He insisted on walking me to my room. Even after I told him I didn't want him to. I stop in front of my room door and turn around to him.

"Well, uh, thank you for walking me to my room. I'll see you tomorrow." I quickly turn around and try to swipe my key card. Before I can do it, though, I feel a warm hand touch my lower back.

"Wait." He says in a gentle voice. I turn back around to him. His hand remains on me, but then he slowly takes it away. I look up at him, into his dark green eyes. "I meant what I said." He stops talking, I think he's waiting for me to say something, but I don't. "Things are going to be different. I want them to be different. I don't know how I'm going to change everything, but I'll try." He says.

"Ryder, you don't have to change everything, you just have to change yourself, and once you change yourself, everyone will see that, and hopefully they'll want to change too, but first it starts with you." He stays silent at my words; his green eyes stare intensely into mine. He has moved closer to me; my bareback is pressed against the door. It's cold. My right hand is still on the doorknob, and my breathing is becoming heavy. I can see my own chest moving up and down. I try to slow the pace, but I can't. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. "I'll see you tomorrow," I finally manage to say. He backs away and walks down the hall without saying anything before he turns the corner; my eyes go to his hands, which are balled into a tight fist.

I turn around and rest my head on the door. I take a deep breath before scanning my card. I open the door when I hear it unlock. My parents are sitting on the couch. They sit up straighter when they see me. "Hey, babe." My mom says.

"Hey." I walk over towards them.

"Where did you guys go to eat? Did you have fun?" My mother asks.

"Umm, I wouldn't say fun, but we um went to this Italian place, I forgot the name of it," Ryder told me like three times what it was called, but I can't remember.

"You said you were going to be home before 12." My father says sternly.

"Marcus, it's only 12:30," My mother says. "Now sit. We have to tell you something."

I sit on the other couch. My heart is pounding. I don't know why I already know what they're going to say. I just want to know why. Why did they buy a house in LA?

"So your father and I have been talking." she grabs his hand. "We were thinking about getting you a car!" she says excitedly. I heard them, but I don't know how to respond. That wasn't what I was expecting. A car. They want to get me a car!

"So, do you not want a car?" My father asks, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

I realized I haven't responded to them. "Yeah, yeah. Of course."

"You don't seem excited." My mother says.

"That just was... I wasn't expecting you to say that."

My mother laughs. "What did you expect us to say."

"Nothing," I say. I want to just tell them I know about the house. But I'll wait, it's a reason they haven't told me yet. Maybe they have changed their minds. It's been weeks since I saw that house deed. "Why now do you guys want to get me a car?" I ask.

"Well, your mother and I are just so proud of you, we have talked to your therapist, and she says that you're doing good and that you're making progress. Ms.Moore sent me your school report about a week ago, and your grades are phenomenal."