Faith

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Acts 18:21 (ESV) -- But on taking leave of them he said, "I will return to you if God wills," and he set sail from Ephesus.

I woke up, slowly then all at once, and sat up while I rubbed my eyes. Ryan was still laying in the bed next to me, head buried under her pillow. I had to dig around the bed for a while, but I found my phone under my leg. The time read 8:55. "Why am I up right now?" I wondered. "It's not even nine o'clock."

A yell sounded out from downstairs. "Ryan!" shouted her mom. "You better be up and ready to go!" I  smiled. Ryan is still sleeping. I stuck my head out of the door.

"Ryan is sleeping. I'll wake her up!" Ryan's mom laughed and I stuck my head back into the room. "Ryan!" I hissed. She didn't stir. I smirked and dove onto the bed on top of my best friend. And, like the good friend I am, I tickled Ryan until she woke, squealing for me to stop.

I rolled away from her and gave Ryan her mom's message. "You need to be up and ready to go." Ryan groaned and shut her eyes. "Your mom said that," I reminded.

Ryan got out of bed, eyes shut. "Stupid movers. Coming at the break of dawn." Ryan finally opened her eyes and pulled out her phone. She checked her reflection and shrugged.

She grabbed her blanket, iPad, phone, and other junk, then nodded at me. We headed downstairs and I tried not to laugh at Ryan's bedhead. She clearly doesn't care what she looks like for this move. We walked into the kitchen and Ryan's mom gave me a disappointed look.

"Kaitlyn, you were supposed to make sure Ryan is acceptable."

I shrugged. "She wouldn't have listened anyways."

Ryan laughed and yawned. "I'll put my hair up if it makes you feel better. But I'm not changing. We will be in a car for hours, then organizing the house. I'm not wearing anything other than sweats."

Ryan's mom rolled her eyes and walked outside. "I bought donuts. Meet you out in the car." Ryan picked up her stuff but looked around the house. I saw the sad look in her eyes.

"I can't believe it. Sixteen years in this house." Ryan sighed. "I guess change is inevitable." We had a moment of silence then headed outside, to where Ryan's parents were in a car and a moving truck was parked behind. Sam was waiting outside with his hands in his pocket.

He looked up and the two of us shared a connected look. I broke it first. Ryan threw her things into the backseat and walked back to me.

We said nothing. We only stared.

I was the first to break the silence. "This is going by too fast. I wish you could stay for another hour."

Ryan smiled. "Then you'll want another hour, and another. I'll never leave."

"I'm not complaining."

With a laugh, Ryan pulled me in for a hug and tossed her phone to Sam. Sam barely had time to pull his hands out of his pocket, so he ended up fumbling the phone. He didn't drop it, luckily. "Take a picture Sam."

Ryan climbed onto my back, and I supported her with my arms. Classic Ryan fashion, she wrapped her arms around my face so I couldn't see. "Say cheese!" she yelled but I couldn't do anything.

With a laugh, Ryan climbed off of me and said, "Normal picture." We posed like the typical white girls we are, and just like that, it was time for Ryan to go.

I looked at my best friend, wanting to say so much but no words left my mouth. Verbal writer's block was equally as frustrating as actual writing block. So much needed to be said but we had nothing. What do you say when your best friend is moving?