Keep On Walking (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 3 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

❝leave (pronounced liːv or leev), verb,
to go away from.❞

Three months went by, in which Spencer grew healthier and stronger. His eyes, beautiful and blue, like his father's, and his face, soft and pale like his mother's, reminded Phoenix strongly of an angel. Like the baby cherubs that they had painted in church sometimes.

He knew that something was up. Papa was quiet, and Mama was, too. They seemed to be spending more time together than ever before, and yet, they weren't really... together. They didn't seem to care anymore. Nothing mattered. It felt... bad. He didn't like it, not at all.

One day, walking past Ryan's study, he heard quiet talking. Despite his instincts screaming not to, he looked around, then pressed his ear to the door.

"... don't know. It seems so drastic."

"I know it does," said Mama. "You don't understand, Hunter. You can't understand."

"Why?" he asked her, sounding frustrated. He heard footsteps, and imagined him pacing across the hard wooden floor. "Why won't you help me to understand, Ryan?"

"Because... because..."

"Because what?"

"Because I don't know how."

He heard the footsteps stop. "So... what now?"

"I don't know."

He was quiet. Then, he said, "You really want to go, huh?"

"I don't understand. You were so willing to let me leave, and now-"

"Now I realise, Ry. I realise how much I love you. I realise how much I need you."

"It's not so long."

"But-"

"But nothing. I need to get out of here. I need to be free." She sighed. "I'm sorry. But I'm leaving."

Phoenix audibly gasped, and both his parents immediately stopped talking. Papa suddenly opened the door. "Nick?"

"How could you?!" he asked, beginning to cry. "Why are you leaving us, Mama?!"

"Phoenix-"

"Don't try and make excuses!" he cried. "Why don't you love any of us anymore?!"

Ryan knelt down in front of him, and breathed, "Darling, please listen to me."

"No!"

Elle and Robin had heard the commotion, and Spencer, who was in the room with Ryan while she worked, began to cry. Hunter sighed, picking him up and rocking him gently. "Ryan, it's about time you tell them," he said quietly.

"Tell us what?" asked Elle, narrowing her eyes.

Ryan took a deep breath. "I... After Spence was born, I applied for a university in London."

"A university? Is that like college?"

"Yes. It's called Cambridge."

"Cambridge? Isn't that like really famous or something?"

"It's very prestigious, yes. And they do a music school. I sent an application, to study there."

"In... in London? Are we coming with you?"

"Where's London?" asked Robin.

"It's... it's far away," said Ryan. "And I'm going there soon. I got a scholarship to study there and become a really good music teacher."

"How long are you going for?"

"It'll... it's not a long time. I'm going... I'm going for three years."