OCEAN

CHAPTER 20: Let Me Explain

RYKER

I don't mean to be real distant with Meadow but ever since I got off the phone with my dad, not that I wanted to believe him but it nagged at me in my head all throughout the rest of the night to where I couldn't sleep.

So I next got up and looked up what he was talking about. He seemed to be right then also, he had sent me an EMAIL about what he was talking about and something still didn't seem right. So for the next few days I have been trying to look deeper into certain things and asked one of my friends who happens to be really smart and hacked into a certain database on this Rogers guy and was waiting to hear back from him.

However, since it has been a few days now since I spoke with him, I thought I would try and catch up on sleep so I ended up sleeping throughout the entire day almost until around four in the evening.

After I awoke, I started walking downstairs to make myself something to eat and then was going to message Meadow since I'm sure she is worried and probably is thinking I am purposely trying to avoid her.

I should probably tell her what I'm doing but need to find facts beforehand.

When I grabbed some food and a drink, I next sat on the couch in the living room and saw that Hamlet was sitting on the couch watching TV already.

"Woah!" I say as I'm a little taken back. "When did you get here?" I asked.

"I've been here for a few hours now." He says.

"You know you don't have to watch me or anything." I tell him.

"I know that. But people are worried about you, including me and especially Meadow." He says as he looks out the corner of his eye at me.

"I know. I need to talk to her." I agreed.

"Soon I hope. She feels like all of this is her fault. I don't know why you're doing this to her. But it seems like you need to figure something out quick. Meadow told me today that Sonya has come back to school thanks to you?" He looks at me with a cocked eyebrow after turning the TV off.

"What? I didn't bail her out or anything." I tell him.

"Well Meadow seems to think differently." He tells me.

Next he starts to get up and stretch then grabs his keys from off the coffee table.

"Where are you going?" I ask him.

"I need to head to my house. I have some homework to do." He says.

He walks out the door while I just continue to sit here and don't even eat.

I can't believe she feels that way. Not that I can blame her. I'm not sure exactly in what all is happening at this moment right now but what I do know is that my gut is telling me this has something to do with my father.

I hurry and get up then get ready while looking down at my watch and noticing that Meadows meeting is over in an hour. So I start heading upstairs, take a shower, pack my laptop and tablet before grabbing my bag of money, then taking my school backpack, along with another duffel with my clothes and start heading out towards my car and get inside then try and make it to her meeting.

I arrived at the meeting and parked in the middle row of the parking lot and waited for the last ten minutes to be over with before she came out.

The ten minutes went by so slow that I felt like it took an hour or more even. Then I noticed the door open and out came everyone then her and the lady that runs the meetings. After they hug and say 'bye' to each other she zips up her hoodie sweatshirt and then looks up and see's me.

I get out of the car and look back at her and put my hands in my pocket before I start walking up towards her.

I expected for her to begin walking away but she just stood there looking surprised.

"Hey." I tell her.

"Hi." She says awkwardly.

"I'm really sorry about these past few days and how I've acted towards you. I've been going through some shit with my dad and haven't been able to think about other things. Well, except for you." I tell her.

"You have a funny way of showing it." She says. "Excuse me, I need to get back to my house." She says before turning and starting to leave out the parking lot but I sprint towards her and stop her as I stop in front of her.

"Meadow, please. Let me explain." I start.

She looks at me indecisively before she shakes her head and then before I can say anything else, she says something.

"Okay. Explain." She says.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)