The Realms [Watty 2017 Shortlist]

The Tree - Part 6

It's been two weeks since I fell off the tower; one week since Maizie stopped coming to school and almost a week since Ryan showed up at my house feeling mentally unhinged. We haven't really spoken much at school, and I'm not sure why.

I stand outside Ryan's house and wonder whether this is a good idea. I escaped out of my own place without telling my parents, and I'm hoping they won't pick tonight to have an unscheduled chat. I didn't mean to come here. 

I went out for a run and ended up at his place, easily 10 miles from home. I look at the tree that I know connects to Ryan's bedroom window and weigh the pros and cons of going up the tree. What's one more concussion?

I place my foot on the bottom of the tree and search for a good grip. I wrap my arms around the trunk and wish I'd thought to bring gloves. 

CREAK. 

The bedroom window above me slides open; a figure clad in black starts to squeeze through. I watch as Ryan flees from his own family. I feel a brief flare of nerves, but I extinguish it. I didn't come here to go home without speaking to him.

"Ryan?" I hiss as he gains solid footing on the tree. I don't want him to fall. Nevertheless, he wobbles on the branch at the sound of my voice.

"Who's there?" he asks.

I almost laugh at his hushed response. "It's Hannah. What are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" he asks, his tone incredulous.

"Clearly your stalking tendencies are contagious," I say. 

He laughs a little and then jumps down from the branch, landing softly at my feet. "See, that's the way you fall gracefully."

"Ah, if only you'd shown me that a few weeks ago I could have escaped massive bruising and a serious concussion." I look up into his blue eyes that are dancing with delight. I love their colour; it reminds me of the sky back home. "Although, if we're getting technical, that was a jump and I would be crazy to jump from that tower." I feel a laugh welling up inside me.

"Seriously, what are you doing here?" he asks, peering at me closely.  

"That's a tough question to answer. I was running and then I was here..." 

"But, this is easily like ten or eleven miles from your house."

"Yes, yes, it is." I nod my head in agreement.

"That's not weird?"

"I find a lot of things weird lately, but I can't say a long run is one of them. For instance, I might find it weird that you were coming out of your bedroom window at exactly the moment I decided I was going to climb up and knock. But a run? No, I don't find that weird at all."

"Right, because a run that leads you to some boy's bedroom window is perfectly normal," Ryan says, grinning.

"What can I tell you? I said I'd never had a boy in my own room; I never said anything about being the girl in some boy's room."

He laughs, steps closer and runs his fingers along my face gently. "How is it that I never noticed you before? It really feels like you came out of nowhere. I can't believe we even have English together, and I didn't realize."

I don't tell him we've been in groups together, sat beside each other in the cafeteria, brushed arms in the hall, and in another life, so, so much more. I change the subject before I get lost in my own head. 

"So, why were you climbing out your bedroom window?" I ask.

He gives me a sheepish look. "I felt like a run myself?"

I smile and feel the familiar feelings stirring. I don't really know this incarnation of Ryan, but I could easily love him just as much as I loved the old one. I have an overwhelming urge to play with the soft curls in his short, dark hair and to continue to tease him. Although I didn't consciously come here, I realize he could be helpful. 

"I actually have a favor to ask you – if you're willing," I say.

His brows scrunch together. "Ah, sure. Of course. Well, I guess I should wait to hear what you want first." He gives me a beat to ask before continuing. "If it's my shirt off or a ride home, then it is a definite yes."

I laugh and tug at the bottom of his shirt. "I don't know; your pale skin might give away your cover. And, I actually enjoy a run, so I think we're striking out on the definite 'yes' category." I take a deep breath and question whether he'll actually be okay with helping me, whether asking him is even a good idea. "I was wondering if you could go over to Maizie's house tomorrow to check on her? I haven't seen her since I got out of the hospital and her dad is being weird about letting her talk to me." I try to calculate how far to push the lies and misinformation. "I think her dad thinks I jumped from the tower on purpose and that I might be a bad influence on Maizie."

"She's, like, your best friend, right?"

I hesitate and then nod. "Yeah...yeah she is." Somehow I really screwed up my friendship with her and didn't realize until it was almost too late that I actually care about being friends with her.

"Sure, I can stop around there tomorrow night after school. You don't think she'll find it weird if I just turn up? I've never really talked to her before either."

I give a slight smile. "No, somehow, I don't think she'll mind."

He grins. "In that case, I could go now if you really wanted me to." His grin stretches wider and he grabs my hand. "We could go together."

I shake my head, but I can't help smiling. "I think there's been enough stalking tonight." I glance down at my watch and notice the time. I left my bedroom light on, and I wonder if it's possible that my parents haven't checked my room. "Oh crap. I really need to get back."

"I can give you a ride?" he asks, hopeful.

"As much as I didn't think I wanted it, I think I'll have to take you up on your offer."

"I guess I should have mentioned that my offer had one condition attached to it," he says.

"Oh really? Well, hopefully, the condition is quick. Unlike you, though, I'm not taking off my shirt."

He laughs. "Really? I thought for sure we'd be on the same page there." His smile fades and then he looks down into my eyes. "Go out with me."

"Go out with you?" I ask, surprised.

"Yeah, you know. The kind of thing you might do if you weren't sneaking into people's bedroom windows."

I smile and pretend to think about it. "I suppose I could." Anticipation zings up my spine like an electrical shock. "Your parents aren't going to notice that the car is gone?"

"Nope, they sleep like the dead. How do you think I got to your house the other night?"

"You mean you didn't run?" I ask, teasing him. 

He laughs as he opens the car door. "Truthfully, I'm not much of a runner."

"You don't say." I feel my grin stretch even wider as I slip into the passenger seat.