Hey Ratliff you picked the wrong lover

Chapter 2

*Ratliff’s p.o.v*

I walked through the front door, smelling the good food mom was making for dinner.

“Mom, I’m home!” I yelled as I took my shoes off and set them on the rug next to the door.

“Hey honey, how was your day?” she asks.

“Fine I guess.” I reply flatly.

“Honey what’s wrong, you haven’t been acting like yourself lately, I thought you’d be excited about the tour and stuff, what’s been going on? Is it Kelly, I haven’t seen her around in a while…did something happen with you two?” she asks.

“I don’t know, I think she’s going to break up with me.” I reply.

“Whatever for?” she asks.

“She wants me to quit the band; she doesn’t think we spend enough time together.” I reply.

“Well that doesn’t sound like Kelly at all; she knows that you would pay for a plane ticket any day so she can come see you.” She replies.

“I know, but it’s like it’s not enough for her anymore.” I reply.

“I think she’s just upset that you’re leaving again, she’ll get over it.” Mom replies.

“I hope so.” I reply back.

“Dinner is almost ready.” She replies as she pulls a cookie sheet of steaming rolls out of the oven.

I smelled the chicken sizzling on the grill.

Not even one of my favorite dinners could change my mood.

Suddenly there’s a knock on the door.

I go to answer it; Ross is in the middle of knocking again.

“Hey man, come on it.” I reply.

“Man Rydel was right you do sound bummed.” He replies.

“Come on we need to talk.” He adds as we go upstairs to my room.

We get to my room I turn around and close the door.

“Let me guess Rydel told you.” I say.

“Yea, we’re worried about you, you haven’t been yourself lately, Rydel told me what happened with you and Kelly the other day, that really sucks man.” He replies.

I felt kinda mad and a little embarrassed that Rydel would tell everyone what I’d told her in secrecy.

“That’s great.” I said inaudibly.

“What?” Ross asks.

“Nothing, what did you want to talk about?” I ask.

“Kelly of course, what are you thinking?” Ross asks.

“I don’t know, I don’t want to be the one that breaks up with her, we’ve been dating for so long I don’t want to give up on her now, you know?” I reply.

“Don’t give up on her because you’re going through a rough patch, even me and Laura can have our moments.” I reply.

“Really?” I ask.

“In fact me and her had the same problem when I left for the loud tour, she thought we hadn’t had enough time together for me to be leaving for a tour and she was talking all kinds of crazy talk, from me staying home to me taking a break from the band for a while we got in this big argument, but you don’t want to do what I was dumb enough to do, I left before we’d had another chance to talk and I went through half the loud tour without talking to Laura at all, she even told me she was thinking about breaking up with me, but I called her that night and we talked…and talked, and we finally worked it out.” He replies.

“Was that the night you spent three hours in the tour bus bathroom?” I ask.

He laughs.

“probably.” He replies.

I laugh too.

“The important thing is that you and Kelly are just going through a phase, it doesn’t mean that you two shouldn’t be together.” He explains.

I nod my head.

“You’re right, thanks for the talk.” I reply.

“Anytime, and good luck!” he exclaims.

“I gotta go, mom’s planning a family dinner so we can all be together before the tour.” He says after a slight pause.

“Alright, see you guys tomorrow for the band meeting.” I reply.

-Later-

“Dinner was good mom, I’m going upstairs to get ready for bed, band meeting tomorrow morning.” I say as I put the last dish in the pantry.

“Alright, goodnight, I love you.” She replies as she gives me a kiss on the forehead.

“Love you too.” I reply as I hang the dishrag up and go upstairs.

When I get upstairs I hear my phone ringing, I look at the caller I.D, it was Kelly.

I sigh as I pick up the phone.

“Hello?” I say through the receiver.

“I can’t believe you!” she practically screams.

“What did I do this time?” I asked.

“I can’t believe you told all your friends about our problems! That’s none of their business!” she exclaims.

“What did you want me to do? I had to talk to somebody, and you weren’t talking to me so I went and talked to Rydel!” I reply, instantly I felt my stomach drop knowing I’d said the wrong thing.

“RYDEL! Oh that’s great!” she replies sarcastically.

“Oh for crying out loud, she’s just a FRIEND, how did you even know I talked to her anyway?” I ask.

“Their mom heard Rocky and Riker talking about it and called my mom to find out what was going on.” She replies with an exasperated sigh.

I was gonna kill Rydel.

“The worst part about it, I had to find out from your best friends, instead of you, you know what Ratliff…we need a break, I’ll talk to you when I’m ready to.” She replies as she hangs up.

My body goes numb as the phone slides from my hand landing on my bed.

*the next day*

After very little sleep and a restless night I trudge to the lynch house for the morning band meeting, still angry, not just about me and Kelly, but that Rydel told everyone.

When I get to the house and walk through the front door I hear Rydel’s breath catch.

“Ratliff what’s wrong?” she asks.

“Kelly broke up with me, thanks a lot.” I reply.

“Thanks a lot? What did I do?” she asks.

“You just had to go and tell your brothers and everyone under the sun about me and Kelly’s problems didn’t you?” I ask, hearing my voice rise. Not meaning to yell, but I was angry.

“I thought maybe they could help you.” She replies, I can hear her trying to control herself.

“You wanted to help me, then you could’ve just listened to my problems without telling it to everyone, I trusted you!” I reply.

“Ratliff, I-I’m sorry.” She replies quietly.

“Guys! What’s going on?” Riker asks getting between us as he walks into the living room.

“Nothing, I’m done!” I reply as I turn around and leave the house.

I go home, not only feeling guilty about the way I’d treated my friends, but also feeling sorry for myself.

Mom wasn’t home so I took out my spare key, opened the front door, trudged up the stairs to my room, and plopped down on my bed, on the verge of tears.

You’re a man, you will not cry, you’re a man, you will not cry.

I thought to myself, but that didn’t stop the tears that were dripping onto my pillow case.