Just Ryan

To my unhappiness the morning was sunny and a 23° degree heat marked presence in the place, if it was the opposite, I would make up some excuse to my mom to skip class today, the first day of class after vacation wasn't as important as the rest, but my mom insisted on making me go and meet new people, which for me wasn't a good idea since I had someone I cared about more than anything, and this someone was my best friend Brendon, as well as no one else in the middle of the semester.

The sun burned my skin in a delicious way, I always preferred the cold and humid days because on them I could release all my sadness without anyone noticing, and for me, the melancholic days were the best because I could be who I truly am. I got out of bed still groggy from sleep and allowed myself a look in the window 一 and there she was, Emilly Harrison in all her glory standing in front of her mirror.

I was not a pervert to look at her, because that was not my intention. I got out of bed ignoring the laziness that insisted on remaining in my body and as I passed the mirror I realized how finished I was at the very beginning of classes after recess. My name is Ryan Travis, I am seventeen years old, and I am the most unhappy man in the world.

The ice cold water falling on my body made me want to go back to bed, and I wasn't in the mood to go, but I had to. Right after getting out of the shower, I put on my school uniform and went to meet my parents who were already waiting for me in the kitchen for breakfast as usual.

一 Good morning, son 一 They said in unison and sometimes I wondered if this was rehearsed or just coincidence.

一 Good morning 一 My dismay was noticeable, but I didn't make a point of hiding it and then they sighed together.

I sat down at the table without even looking at them, I didn't want them questioning me at this time of the morning, I was full of telling everyone what was going on, so I would spare my parents' ear. Sometimes my parents made me afraid, their excessive worry sometimes made me roll my eyes, but in a way I understood them, they were my parents and it was normal for them to worry so much about me.

一 Looking forward to class? 一 My father inquired sipping his coffee.

Maybe I am and maybe I am not, what difference does it make?

一 It's your senior year son, just hang in there a little longer 一 My mom asked giving me her look of comfort, but if she knew everything I go through in that damn place she wouldn't ask me for this.

一 You don't have to worry about me, Mom.

My parents looked at me as if they wanted to find out what was going on and I was sure they would have asked me if not for a knock on the door that caught our attention.

一 I'll get it 一 My mother was the first to finish her coffee, so she was the first to leave the table, and the only one who was free to open the door.

From the chair I was sitting in, I could see all the way to the front door, and to my surprise, it was Brendon who was knocking on the door. When I looked at the clock, it was already after twenty past six in the morning, and if I took a little longer I would be late, but I was not paying much attention to that. Brendon walked my mother to the kitchen where I was standing and as soon as he saw me, we made our beat.

一 Would you like to join us, Brendon? 一 My father asked the boy pointing to the table with bread, milk and cheese.

一 Thanks uncle, but I had breakfast with my mom 一 He thanked me for the invitation.

Ever since I can remember Brendon has been my best friend, we met in kindergarten and haven't been apart since. My parents always loved Brendon, he was with me in my worst moments and for me he was more than a friend, he was a brother.

一 Dude, if you don't finish this now we're going to be late 一 He warned me and then, I put the whole remaining piece of bread in my mouth and headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

I frantically brushed them, making me feel a little pain, but I ignored it completely, I knew I wasn't brushing my teeth properly, but now I wanted to leave, or my parents would continue the conversation from before. I left the bathroom and went to meet Brendon who was already at the door, said goodbye to my parents, grabbed my backpack and so, we headed towards hell.

Brendon was walking alertly on the sidewalk, maybe because of the almost fatal accident a few months ago where Mark, Emy's boyfriend, as soon as he saw us on the sidewalk on our way to school almost purposely ran us over. Brendon was no different from me, he was an only child, also tormented by the popular group just as I was sure he liked Helena, Emilly's best friend and the most insufferable girl in the world.

一 Do you want to give up going? 一 I broke the boring mood.

一 We can't, someone new might have arrived 一 He said smiling low.

一 Cut it out, no one would want to go in that place.

Come on, just hold on, I know you can do it. And that was the second time I heard that word just this morning.

一 Yeah, you're right.

一 And how was your little vacation? He inquired excitedly.

We spent half of it together, I think you know how it was," I shrugged.

We had nowhere else to go and no other friends, so our only option was to play video games and watch serials that we repeated a thousand times, go to the pool with my parents and his mother and die of boredom on the days that were left. And that's how my vacation was summed up, just like his, nothing so nice, but also nothing so bad.