This is the story of Ryla, a 12 year old girl. Her life started off mostly normal. A mother and father and grandparents for the first week of her life. Slowly they all started fading away. Now Ryla bounces from foster home to foster home and adoptio...
I let out a heavy sigh, as I leaned against the moving truck. I had been helping Webber and his family load their boxes. It's pretty early- his parents wanted to hit the road bright and early. I had left the house this morning, without notifying anyone. Mom and Dad left early to get some thing set up for the tour. Everyone else was asleep, and if I'm honest, why would they care? They didn't even give me an opinion on this whole thing. I saw Willow and Wesley walking out with medium sized boxes of stuffed animals and barbies. The vet clinic and convertible barbies they'd gotten from Webber for Christmas, were present on top of the boxes.
"I'm gonna miss you, Ryry!" Wesley ran up hugging my torso after she'd placed her box in the truck.
"Me too!" Willow cried out, latching on beside her sister. I wrapped my arms around them both.
"Girls, girls, you're suffocating her," Weston smirked, walking out of the house, a box of clothes in his arms. I smiled at him as the girls let go, clutched each other's hands and skipped back into the house to collect more toy boxes.
"I'm gonna miss you kid," He said, he was blocked behind the trucks doors, I could only see his black converses. He moved around the door and wrapped me in a hug. We had gotten quite close, he was like my brother... but really, who isn't? You can never have too many brothers. We'd had many a conversations whilst Webber was in the restroom or I was waiting for Webber to get back from sports practice. He was also the one to break out Webber's baby book... Webber didn't talk to him for a week.
"I'll miss you too," I frowned. He let me go with a small smile.
"See you around kid," he called, walking in to do a last check around the house. Webber's parents were busy stocking the van up with essentials for on the road. Lastly, Webber emerged from the house, a few things in his hands.
"I- uh, wanted you to have these..." he said with a small smile. I tilted my head at him, waiting for him to go on. "To remember me by..." I half smiled at him and studied the 3 objects. A plush penguin, a framed photo of him & myself and his favorite t-shirt.
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"I have the same picture with the same frame... I thought you'd want something that smells like me... I don't know, I've head girls like that- Weston told me they did. And the penguin has been part of my life for so long... I thought you'd want them." I hugged him tightly as his father closed the moving truck doors. With one final sweep of the house, his mother locked the door and they all loaded into the van.
"I'll probably visit..." Webber kissed my cheek.
"I hope you do," I wrapped my arms around him and we walked to his van. I waved them off in the middle of the street before walking home.
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And now here I am, cuddled into his penguin in the back of a tour bus. I could hear my sibling and Ratliff singing songs in the front of the bus, clearly I'm not having as much fun as I should be... We'd been on the road for a while, probably close to hitting out first stop in Littleton Colorado. I dunno, the Lynch's said something about relatives? Not that I'd know. I'm not a Lynch by blood. I could hear everyone yelling about arrival, but I don't care.
"Common Ry! We get to see our cousins!" Ross yelled, opening the door, but not actually waiting for me.
"Your cousins..." I mumbled letting out a sigh. I stood up, and left my penguin on the bed before slowly following out the Lynch's. I could see mom and a lady hugging, Dad and a man hugging as well and the Lynch kids talking to a group of kids with ranging ages. I was about to turn back onto the bus- thinking they needed some family bonding time- except Stormie noticed me.
"There's our newest addition!" Everyone turned there gaze towards me. I should've stayed on the bus... I nervously looked around,
"Come meet our cousins!" Riker called, saving me from further embarrassment.
"This is Gus, Gordy, Gil B, Gator, Boston, Beauty and the youngest Bauer." I smiled at them.
(A/N:Forgive me for not knowing much about them, I really did try and find out as much as I could)
"Nice to meet you," I mumbled, ducking away from their curious glances. I got multiple responses, before everyone got involved in a conversation about hockey... or football or something related to those. I slowly got away, staying out of sight of Mark and Stormie who were catching up and laughing with the other adults. After playing spy around Lynch's, I slowly made my way back into the bus. They aren't my family... I'm still getting used to the Lynch's. I hugged Webber's penguin and thought about all the good times we had. I'd much rather be with him and Quinn than doing all this awkward family stuff. I could hear the buzz of realities through the walls of the tour bus.
"Anyone seen Ry?" One of the Lynch boys asked.
"He's behind you," A littler unknown voice called.
"What- no uh I mean the girl Ry." The voice summed up.
"Check the bus sweetie," Stormie suggested. I heard the door open and Riker appear.
"Why aren't you out there?" He asked slowly, joining me at the table.
"I don't want to intrude on your family moment." I explained, staring at the penguin's face. I could feel Riker's eyes watching me.
"Ry, you are our family now," he reminded. I shrugged, it doesn't feel like it.
"I guess." I mumbled.
"We're going to the ice rink, I don't know if you play hockey or not, but you could skate around with Beauty and Rydel?"
"Can't I stay here?"
"I don't think mom and dad would approve..." He mumbled, sending me a sympathetic look. "Don't worry Ry, we're only here today and tomorrow, then we'll be back on the road..." He patted my knee, sending me a small smiled. "Now, come on-" he held his hand out. I grabbed his hand, but didn't release my grip on the penguin. We were parked outside the community center, which I hadn't noticed before.
"It won't be that bad," Riker started, ushering me through the building.........
