Finding My True Self | Protector 5.1

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

       I was waiting in the living room for the doorbell to ring and when it did, I got up to answer the door. Echo got here as fast as she could, and I couldn't be more grateful to have a girlfriend like her.

       "I got here as soon as I got your text," Echo said, walking inside and closing the door behind her before wrapping her arms tightly around me. "I'm so sorry, Rhys."

       I hugged her back, tears staining my eyes. 

       Echo kept her arms around me for a while before she pulled away, then wiped the tears off of my face. "Thanks for coming," I said.

       "Of course," Echo said. "Come on, let's go sit down." Echo and I walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. "Where's your family?"

       "At the hospital," I said.

       "You didn't go?" she asked.

       I shook my head and the tears began coming again, so Echo wrapped her arms around me again and rested her head on my shoulder.

       "I couldn't go," I said once I stopped crying for a bit. "I wouldn't have been able to handle it and if I want to go to the funeral, I have to be mentally prepared for it. Do you think you'll be able to come with me to the funeral?"

       "Yeah, of course," Echo said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, especially when you'll need the comfort."

       "Thanks," I said. "Is it bad that I'm not at the hospital right now?"

       "Definitely not," Echo said. "You just won't be able to handle it right now, and that's what the funeral is for. To say your goodbyes then. There's nothing wrong with not going to the hospital right now."

       "I just....I don't know how to feel right now," I said. "There's too much going on in my head. I need to do something to get my mind off of it."

       "Don't you have a dance you always do when you need to let off steam?" Echo asked.

       I nodded. "Yeah, I do. I actually think dancing will help me a bit. We can head to the studio."

       "Okay," Echo said. "Do you want me to drive you there?"

       "Yeah, I don't think I'm in the right state to drive," I said.

       We got up from the couch and I got the keys to the studio before we left the house and got into Echo's car. She drove us to the dance studio, and I really hoped me doing some dancing would do something to help me out.

       As soon as we got to the studio, I plugged my phone into the speaker and handed it to Echo so she can play that one song I always danced to.

       I stood in the middle of the dance floor and gave Echo the cue to start the song. I paid attention to the song and my dancing only, pushing out any other thoughts and feelings I had.

       It worked, for a bit. But as soon as the song ended, I broke down. Echo got up from the bench and hurried over to me, kneeling down beside me and pulling me into yet another hug. "I just miss him so much," I said between my sobs.

       "I know," Echo said softly. "I'm really sorry, Rhys. I wish there was something I can do to make you feel better. Is there anything I can do?"

       I shook my head. "I don't even know what to do. I can't handle going to funeral after funeral."

       "When was the last one you went to?" Echo asked.

       "Not for a while, but it's still close enough for me to remember every detail," I said. "I'm a really sensitive person, Echo. I have breakdowns and meltdowns all the time and I really hate it."

       "There's nothing wrong with it, Rhys," Echo said. "Everyone handles things different, and there's no shame in it being hard for you to handle somethings. And I'm fairly certain no one in your family is holding themselves together at the hospital right now. The only difference is you're here and they're there."

       "That makes me feel even worse, that I'm not there," I said.

       "Hey, don't put yourself down because of it," Echo said. "Not everyone goes to the hospital once a family member passes away. I didn't when one of my grandparents passed away last year. Here, I have one more idea for you. It won't make you feel better forever, but it will for the moment."

       Echo took my hands and helped me stand up before going to the speaker and plugging her phone in it instead of mine. As soon as she turned on a song, I couldn't help but smile a bit as I wiped my tears away.

       D.A.N.C.E had a dance that we used as either a warm up or a cool off at every rehearsal. It was a song to just let loose, and it was really fun to dance to at times.

       Echo and I both danced to the song, and I was really starting to let loose a bit.

       During the second verse of the song, Zayden and Kingsley suddenly showed up to the studio as well. Without a single word, they got into the dance as well. I didn't know why they were in the studio, but something told me they were here for the exact reason I was.

       We all loved dancing, and I knew the had to let off some steam as well. This was the best place to come do it.

       The dance actually got a lot more fun now that my twin brother and my cousin showed up as well. I was starting to feel a bit better with my family and my girlfriend by my side.

       When the dance ended, Zayden said, "So, I guess you needed to let off some steam too?"

       "Yeah," I said. "I just needed to do something to get my mind off of everything. How was, um....going to the hospital?"

       "Sad," Zayden said. "A lot of crying."

       "Don't feel bad about not going, though," Kingsley said. "My dad stayed home too. He's like you. He wouldn't have been able to handle it and if he wants to go to Great Grandpa's funeral, he needs to just get in the right mental state."

_______________

Hahahahahah oops????

I'm so evil BUT OH WELL.

But hey, if you miss Gene, at least he's in the AU book, shipping people like crazy. He might as well be the love expert. RYDER HAS BEEN REPLACED.

Ooh, and the song attached is Rhys's go-to song. It's one of my favourite songs and I always listen to it when I need to calm down (aka give a ten minute presentation ahahhaha)