prepared for anything major yet and probably never will be.
Gazing up at the stars still, I realize how small and insignificant I actually am. Similar to a star, I am just a piece in the larger constellation—a simple pawn in a bigger game of chess. Nothing too special, just a way to set things in motion.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, I turn slightly to see who is coming towards me. Colton sits down on the bottom stair and looks up at the stars with me. Neither one of us speaks for a while. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he opens his mouth to speak multiple times, before deciding against it.
How did we get here? How is it that neither one of us can be in a room alone anymore without feeling awkward? I don’t understand how and why things have changed so much between us. Where’s the Colton that followed me to the gazebo to make sure that I was okay? I want that Colton to be here. Not the Colton that has Natasha following his every footstep.
After a few minutes, he sighs and says, “Did you know that most stars are over a billion years old?” I look over at him watching the stars. Even his profile is swoon-worthy. Stupid Colton and his attractiveness.
“Look, Colton. I’m sorry I ignored you. It’s just that so much was changing so fast that I kind of freaked and I took it out on you. I miss talking and being around you. Can things go back to how they were before? I want us to be friends again.”
Bringing my attention back to the stars, I wait from his response. I feel him watching at me, but he doesn’t say anything. Oh dear, he doesn’t want to be friends anymore. I’ve ruined it. I’m too much baggage and he’d rather be with Natasha. He exhales and I finally look over at him, searching for an answer.
“Just friends?” After thinking it over, he gives me a small smile and says, “I’d like that, Ry. I’ve missed you.” He hugs me and I let him, taking comfort in his embrace. I really have missed him. I try to hide my yawn, but can’t. Laughing, he stands up, pulling me with him. “Come on. We finished cleaning your room. You need to go to bed.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
For a while, everything returns to normal. We train every day with Tom. Emma and I become closer. She’s the best friend I’ve never had. My relationship with Colton also returns to how it was before. Colton and Liam seem to be becoming pretty close. David and Emma are still stuck in the flirty friendship stage with neither one wanting to be the first to initiate anything more. Conner and Madison come over occasionally, but Natasha and Natalie haven’t been back since that incident.
Days pass without anything exciting happening. We just prepare. Claire says that we have to stay at this house. That this is what is best for us. She does know best; she has the intuition after all. It’s a Wednesday when I finally crack. Boredom can cause someone to do that apparently.
I am sitting in a chair in the entertainment room with my notebook in my lap. This is the first time that I have no idea what to draw—no inspiration is coming to me. I’m having a doodle block. So, the only logical thing would be sit upside down in the chair and wait for inspiration to strike, right? I think so. I put my feet up where my head should be and lean back, my head facing the ground. I can see the ceiling and the other chair directly across from where I am sitting and I wait. Inspiration has to strike sometime.
I can hear people shuffling down the hallway. I know that pretty soon, everyone will come into this room and find me sitting here, but I don’t move.
“Hey…Ryanne…what…are you doing?” David asks slowly as if I can’t understand simple English.
Turning my head towards them, I reply, “I’m bored and can’t think of what to draw.”
“And is that working?” asks Emma.
“Nope.”
“Would you rather watch a movie?” I can hear the laughter in Colton’s voice as he asks the question.
“Nope, I’d rather see how long it takes for all the blood to rush to my head and I pass out.” They all laugh. “I’m being serious.”
“Oh, we know,” Colton says as he sits down on the couch.