Reforming Society •• OneRepublic {2}

Ending the Search

Ryan's P.O.V.

Walking away from his parked car at the side of the road, shoes sifting through the golden sand with each step, Ryan wracked his brain for ideas on how to help Ramona. For the twenty-two hours since they sat on his roof at sunset, that was all that filled his mind. Her silent pleas for him to save her broke his heart, and once again, he was finding it more tempting to sign his own resignation forms.

He stopped a few feet before the beginnings of wet sand, and stared down at where the water kept pulling up to land before pulling back softly. Look at me, the poet, He thought, thinking of how the water reminded him of himself. After all, he was going back and forth between grips on both the music and Ramona. Except his grip on Ramona became tighter and the strings he held onto with the music industry somehow felt more like blades with each passing day.

Ryan had little time to breathe the way he did last time he was at the edge of the coast, staring at a beautiful sunset. His phone vibrated with a text from Lynn. His heart skipped a beat, since he expected Ramona to be in bad condition again, he expected a panicked text urging him to return home to her.

But no, for once, Ryan could breathe and take his time. Ramona was improving. The guys all left work earlier and Nikki hadn't yet done anything about it. Then again, Ryan hadn't seen her face since last week (which he wasn't complaining about). The only thing Lynn - the only one with Ramona - was concerned about was her own time with Zach.

"Zach texted me saying you guys all left, so if he's going to be home I would like to be there too. Hurry back, please." Lynn had said.

"And Ramona's alright?" Ryan responded.

"Yeah, I haven't seen her this well in almost two months."

This brought a smile to Ryan's face. He almost forgot that it had been almost eight whole weeks since Ramona became distant and off. Was the music really that stressful now? That he seemed to have lost at least a month of his life because he was so filled up with worry?

But Ryan was thankful that he no longer had to worry about Ramona all the time. The only reason she was on his mind was perhaps because he was a bit scared that she would relapse back into it again. Yet even Lynn, as well as the other two, most likely, could see that she was improving. Ryan simply wanted to keep her on this track.

As Ryan approached his front door, he had to remind himself that no terrified and wide-eyed Lynn would again grab him by the arms. Instead, he went inside and was relieved to find her sitting on the couch with her jacket in her arms, her purse hung on her shoulder, and shoes on her feet. She looked pleasant with the way things were going, in fact. There wasn't a hint of stress there.

"Oh," She said softly, getting up as he came in, "You came quick."

"And I see you're eager to leave." Ryan nodded at her purse. Lynn shrugged sheepishly, "I don't get much time with Zach."

"It's fine, I understand."

Lynn nodded and stood there awkwardly a moment, and Ryan took his own jacket and shoes off. He looked back over to see her looking around the room, as if she had something more to say to him but was holding it back. She eventually decided to say nothing.

"Well," She sighed, "See you."

Ryan couldn't help but grasp at her forearm as she quickly flew to the front door. She was halfway outside when his grip stopped her.

"Hey," He said. She looked up at him, mildly alarmed.

"I just want to thank you for all you've done. I know there were times you probably wanted to be doing more than keeping an eye on Ramona---"