More than just a Crush (Ryan x Tina)

Chapter 4: Lunch

After gym class, Sal and Ryan say bye to each other and go their separate ways. Ryan then heads over to the entrance of the lunch room. He walks up to the doors and meets up with Goldy, Unicorn, and Shark. They go and find an empty table.

Goldy and Unicorn sat across from Ryan and Shark. Goldy smiles and speaks. "How's your guy's first day going?"

"Pretty good actually." Ryan answers. "I've been hearing a lot about Tina."

"From Shark?" Goldy asks.

"Well... No, Sal. I have a class with him." Ryan tells her.

The three sigh. "Ryan, I'm sorry, but he isn't one you should listen to. Sal, Cookie, and Sabre. They are all with Tony and Tina."

"You don't understand Ryan. Things have changed. Like I said earlier." Shark sighs.

Ryan glances at the door and sees the one person he was wanting to see so badly.

Tina the Tiger.

She walked into the lunch room with Cookie and Sabre. Sal and her brother, Tony following close behind. There was something different with her. Ryan could tell that they were right. Her smile was gone.

Tina's hair was still long like before. It was a little wavy. She didn't wear her tiger onesie. Ryan knows how much she loved that onesie.

Ryan then thought about trying to talk to her. "Ryan!" He turns his focus back on the three friends he sat with. "Dude, I know what you're thinking... But I wouldn't do it if I were you." Unicorn says.

"She isn't the same Tina anymore, Ryan." Goldy says.

"Maybe I could get her to talk though." Ryan kept insisting.

"Ryan..." Goldy sighs.

"I really wouldn't try. Not now anyway." Shark spoke. Ryan looks over at Shark.

"You keep saying that, but Tina is my best friend guys-"

"A friend who you haven't seen or talked to in over 10 years." Shark told to Ryan. "Listen, she isn't the same. I don't get why you don't want to listen to us."

"What do you mean you don't understand?" Ryan felt mad. "I don't understand what you are trying to tell me!"

Goldy sighs and tells Shark to calm down. "Shark... We need to try to understand Ryan. He can't just accept it right away." Unicorn and Shark both nod.

Ryan glances at Tina. He really wants to talk to Tina. He wanted to find out what was wrong with his best friend.

"Ryan... We are just telling you that it's best if you didn't go. Plus you can avoid the embarrassment." Goldy sighs.

"I just don't understand how she isn't the same... You said it was 'cause of me. So, wouldn't that change her if she saw me?" Ryan said this even though he knew the truth about what really happened to Tina. He just wanted to make it look like he didn't find out anything else from Sal.

All he really wanted was to go and comfort her. Be the comfort that she didn't have since he was gone. Ryan wanted to make up for it.

Ryan then stands up and the three gasped. "Ryan, wait!"

Ryan makes his way over to the five. He saw Sabre's eyes widen as Sabre saw that Ryan was coming. Sabre nudges Cookie and she gasps.

"Tina..." Ryan heard Cookie speak, but couldn't hear what else she said. Ryan finally gets up to her.

He taps her shoulder and she glances at him plainly. "H-Hey Tina..."

"Hey." She says then turns back around. Ryan sighs.

"I heard you were having a rough time after I left." Ryan tries to start a conversation.

Tina sighs and kind of glares at Ryan. "And how would you know that? Listen, I don't have time for this. I have work to finish." She says pointing at her lunch.

"I just want you to know I'm here for you this time Tina." Ryan takes a hold of her hand and sits next to her. Tina rolls her eyes and pulls her hand away from him. She faces the table and ignores him.

"But Tina..."

"Okay, let's go." Tina stands up and walks away.

Sabre groans, "Come on man... I'm not done with my lunch!" Cookie hits his shoulder, "Stop it! Let's go." Sabre sighs and walks with Cookie. Ryan glances over at Sal and Sal sighs.

Tony gets up and walks away following his sister. Sal looks at Ryan, "Too early bro." He gets up and follows the rest of them.

Ryan groans and goes back to Goldy, Unicorn, and Shark. They watched him as he sat down. Ryan sighs and and leans into his hands against the table.

The three give a sympathetic smile to Ryan. As if they planned on saying in sync they said. "We told you..."