Read Catching You for Free Online Page B

situation.”
She looked sad. I sighed. “When I feel like talking about things we can sit
down and have one of our long conversations, but for now can you just leave me
alone?”
    “I just want you to know that you don’t have to get rid of
Ryan so fast. He was part of your life for four years and that’s hard to
forget. Just don’t dwell too much on him and forget to live your life, kay?”She
came over and sat on the bed.
    I turned to her. “Do you want to know what’s bothering me?”
I paused to take a breath, “I just found out that Ryan was cheating on me with
Elisabeth, my best friend, of all people!”
    “I’m sorry. I know that he hurt you by doing that,” she said.
    I continued speaking, “You haven’t heard the best part. On
the way to the restaurant he broke up with me. I was the reason that he wasn’t
looking at the road when the car came barreling at us, he was looking at me
instead.” Tears welled in my eyes.
    “Honey, it’s not your fault Ryan’s gone. Do not even think
that for one minute. I didn’t want to tell you this, but the papers are saying
Ryan’s brake line was severed and that’s why his brakes wouldn’t work. So, I
don’t want to hear you blaming yourself for Ryan’s death again. It’s not your
fault.”
    I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Someone had cut
the brakes on Ryan’s car. I wondered who would even do such a thing. Did they
want him to die? I wondered if there was more that I didn’t know.
    “That can’t be true!” I said, voice shaking. “Nobody would
be cruel enough to do that to another human being. Especially not Ryan,
everyone loved him. He was even voted Most Popular in our senior poll. You have
to be mistaken, you just do.” My hands were shaking.
    “I’m sorry, honey. Maybe you should lay down for a bit. You
can always eat later,” she said moving the plate to my dresser. I’d forgotten
about it. I curled onto a little ball and just lay there.
    I heard my mother leave the room, but didn’t glance up. Is
there ever going to be an end to the pain I’m feeling?
    I glanced up and noticed that my mother had left the boxes
sitting by the door. I got up, dug through the first one until I found the
teddy bear, and held on tight. I guess I wasn’t ready to give up on everything
yet.
    I woke up a few hours later and the sky was pitch black. I
glanced at my bedside clock and saw it said 11’oclock. I’d been sleeping for
the last ten hours. I blinked recognizing my own room and realized that I was
no longer in the hospital. My stomach grumbled. I was starving.
    I walked over at the dresser and saw that the plate from earlier
was still sitting there and picked up the sandwich. My mom had made peanut
butter and jelly, my favorite. I sat up and pulled the plate into my lap. I
took a bite and noticed that the bread had gotten a little soggy from sitting
out, but at this point, I didn’t care. I cracked open the pop can, wincing at
the deafening pop the can made in the silent house. Nobody stirred. My parents
were usually asleep at this time of night and I didn’t feel like waking them
up.
    I threw the empty plate away and set my almost empty pop can
back on my nightstand. I really should go back to sleep, but after my ten hour
nap, it didn’t seem possible.
    I stared at the wall, watching the lights from outside make
shadows. It reminded me of the times I used to make wall puppets when I was
younger. I made a “V” with my fingers and moved it in front of my face; it
still looked like a bunny to me even after all these years. I snuggled back
under the covers and closed my eyes hoping the shapes would lull me to sleep. I
was halfway between being awake and unconsciousness when I heard my cell phone
go off. I had a text message.
    I hurried up and grabbed the cell phone before it could wake
my parents. If they knew that I was up they’d be mad. I flipped it open and saw
one new text flash on the screen. The recipient was the same undisclosed