A Reason (A Reason, Season, Lifetime Series) Read online

  Ryan bows low to me. “Madame, your slave is ready to honor and serve you. Shall I escort you to French class?”

  I curtsy to him. “Oui, merci. Au revoire, mes Amis!” He makes a big deal of getting up from his bow, then holding his hand up high in the air. When I place my hand in his, he kisses it, looking me directly in the eyes. Oh Lord, the butterflies. This boy is my kryptonite. Everyone starts clapping and whistling, and we try to look very serious, while he escorts me to class. We are all headed mostly the same way, at least to the same hall, so they make a big deal about clearing the three steps from the gym up to the main high school hallway. They are all being loud and smart about making way for Queen of the leg press and her lowly slave. It’s kind of hilarious.

  We take a right around the offices and are now facing the hall where I have French and he has US History. Ms. Rivers English class is across the hall. All three of those teachers come out when they hear the noise.

  Ms. Rivers is laughing and claps her hands together, looking pleased. The French teacher, as always, looks like something smells bad, but the US History teacher gets involved. He bows in front of us, addressing me as Queen and Ryan as King. The girls all giggle of course. Before I can correct him, Ryan kneels down on one knee. “No, not I. I am but a lowly servant to the Queen of the leg press. I shall serve none but her with all of my days. For now, I beg your Grace my leave. I must attend History, whilst you are taught the most beautiful language of love. For now, I bid you adieu. I shall but wait with baited breath to serve you when we shall meet again.”

  My face is on fire, and to make it worse, he kisses my hand slowly while looking up at me with his green eyes that make me melt. I bite my lip, and just stand there while he kisses my hand and looks at me. All common sense is gone with one look from Ryan. I lick my lip, it is a little sore from biting on it, and Ryan’s gaze shifts from my eyes to my lips.

  Ms. Bleu, the French teacher, breaks our gazes when she grabs my arm and pulls me into class as the bell rings. I can hear everyone laughing in the hall still, as well as the students in here. One thing I forgot? Danny is in my French class. Yes, my boyfriend, whom I completely forgot about when I was with Ryan. I look up and he is sitting in the back of the room with his feet up on my chair. He motions with a finger to join him, not smiling at all.

  I sit down and open my text book. Luckily today we’re watching some French movie with subtitles. A few minutes later, Danny hands me a note.

  What is going on with you two? I know he has a thing for you and wants to help you, but do you like him too?”

  I sigh heavily. This is so not the time or place for this. So on the back of his note I write: I will admit attraction to him. I won’t lie to you. Coach saw me leg press the whole rack, the guys went crazy about it and they made a funny little act out of it all. Since we’re starting this drama club, Ryan’s act was perfect timing to sell the drama club thing, don’t you think? Right now I am worried about my mother in surgery, and learning how to protect my mom and Eva in the future. I don’t have time for teenage drama when the next fight could mean burying someone I love. Life was simpler when you and I were best friends. Can we be best friends, or must everything be dramatic?

  With a heavy heart I hand the note back to him. It makes me sad that I don’t feel the same for him as he does for me. He is a great friend.

  I see him read the note, and watch his shoulders slump as he realizes what I was saying. We just aren’t meant to be a couple. He is my friend, and I need a friend. I need to learn to defend myself and fight to protect my mom and sister. We somehow get through the end of class, and Danny follows me out of class. Since we had made a presentation of walking to class, everyone is standing around waiting to see what happens next. It was the final period of the day, so everyone would be headed for the buses, other than the few who were staying after. Danny grabs my hand, and I didn’t fight him. Until he places it in Ryan’s hand. Ryan and I just look at him, I have no idea what to say. I didn’t write all of that because I wanted to date Ryan right now. I wanted less drama!

  Leave it to Danny to make this a singing moment. Our town is really small, we don’t have much entertainment, obviously. “I’m happy for you, I’m really happy for you. I guess it’s over baby, it’s really over baby. And from what you’ve said, I know you’ve gotten over me. It’ll never be, the way it used to be. So if it’s gotta be this way. Don’t worry baby I can take the news okay. But if you see me walking by, and the tears are in my eyes, look away, baby look away.” Danny turns and walks out towards the buses. I feel awful. I didn’t want to hurt him.

  Ryan turns to me and pulls me into his arms. That got the applause and whistles going. Damn. “I think he’s just trying to make it easier on all of us. If he was mad, you know he would have taken a swing at me, right? I’m not saying we’re together now but if the town thinks it, then the time we’ll spend together training and everything will be more believable. Are you okay?” I nod my head yes, which everyone seems to think is my agreeing that we’re together. They all start chanting, stomping and clapping. “Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss.” Damn small towns.

  Ryan whispers in my ear. “He’s out at the bus. Let’s just get this over with so we can disappear and start training, okay?”

  I am so going to hell. I nod again and pull out of the tight embrace. Ryan looks down at me, raises one hand, with a finger up, which is enough to quiet the school. Star athletes totally run this school, did I tell you that yet?

  When everyone is quiet, he raises my hands in his, kisses each one, and then wraps them around his neck. With one hand on my lower back and another on the back of my neck, in my long curly hair, he leans me back and kisses me like I had only seen in cheesy movies.

  He starts with a light teasing peck to my bottom lip. He leans back a little until I open my eyes and look into his. Then with that perfect smile of his, he really kisses me. With a lick of his tongue my mouth opens to his, and our tongues dance a tango as if they already knew each other. He kisses me thoroughly and completely, enough to make the one leg that was still touching the floor go weak. I started to fall, but he catches me. He pulls me up into his arms, so he is carrying me, and laughs loudly when everyone starts cheering harder and louder. Yeah, a guy kisses you good enough to make your legs weak, he deserves cheers.

  “If you servants would excuse us, we have work to do with Ms. Rivers. Can someone hold the door, I’m not sure Emma here can walk yet.” I laugh along with everyone else, my face on fire, and just let him carry me into the classroom across the hall, surrounded by applause.

  Ms. Rivers holds the door while he carries me in, then closes it behind us. “You two are adorable! I am sad about Danny, but looking at his face, he seemed fine. Now let’s wait for the buses to load and leave, then we’ll head down to start training. I was added to an approved list of callers, so we can call and check on your mother, Emma. Eva should be here shortly, she had her community day with her Early Childhood Ed class, so she’s in the Kindergarten wing.” I nod, because I knew that. I always know where Eva is. We’re close, we protect each other, so we always know where the other is. We share a small room at home, we have no secrets and tell each other everything.

  A few moments later Eva walks in. “You two are together now? That was fast! Do you know the elementary kids know what you did? The buses were held up waiting for the high school students to load first. Teachers and students are talking about it. Some teachers saw and heard what happened after gym, so there is a whole story about how Mr. Romantic here stole you away from poor Danny. Danny never stood a chance with poetry, bowing, and a kiss that made her lose control of her legs, I just heard?”

  “Damn this is a small town!” Ryan says and laughs.

  “Um, yeah that’s about the just of it. Kind of. We’ll fill you in. Ms. Rivers is going to call and check on mom.” I tell Eva. We’re sitting on top of the desks closest to the teacher’s desk with the phone on it, Eva sits near me.

  Ms. Rivers dial
s the number and asks for a nurse, Gail. Within a couple of minutes we are able to speak to our mom, briefly, on speakerphone.

  “I’ve been assured you two girls are safe. You don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I have a plastic piece in my cheek from where my cheek was broken and I have some other bruising and minor damage, but I’ll be just fine. I asked them to hold off on pain meds after the surgery so I could talk to you and find out what’s going on. I’m understanding that you are staying with a Social Worker for the weekend, who is also a friend?”

  “Yes, that’s correct. Mary Doyle is a lovely woman and an old friend of mine. Her son is close friends with Emma. The girls are in good hands. I assure you they will be safe and cared for all weekend.” Ms. Rivers says.

  “Thank you so much, Lara. I owe you so much. I don’t know what we would do without you. I appreciate you being able to keep this a secret and help protect my girls.”

  “Mom, what set him off this time?” I ask her.

  “I received a letter in the mail. Eva had applied to a college far from here. I hadn’t had time to hide it, before he found it. He became very angry with me, accusing me of awful things, of trying to escape him, and lost his temper. I should have known better. I should have done something.”

  That makes me so angry, I walk over and punch the wall. Well, I try to. Ryan catches my hand before it can hit. “Breaking your hand won’t help. We’ll get through this with the plan we have in place. You’ll train faster by hitting dummies and sparring, not walls.” He kisses my hand, and I sigh. He was right, of course.

  “Are you Irish at all? How are you so calm?” I ask him while Eva talks to my mom. This town is primarily Scottish and Irish. Most last names here start with Mc, Mac, or O’, plus a few French last names like mine. My mom’s family is Irish though.

  “Yes, I am Irish, smart ass, and yes I have a temper, but I’ve learned how to deal with it. Let’s head down to the gym so we can get started.”

  “You should take the pain medicine now Mom so you can rest. We’re going to be fine, and Ryan’s mom said she’ll try to see if she can sneak us in to see you, as long as we can be sure my sperm donor won’t be there.” I say to the speaker phone.

  “Emmalyn Irene, he is still your father! That is not appropriate language for a young lady! I am so sorry, Lara.” My mom says, so serious. Of course we’re all laughing, including Ms. Rivers.

  “It’s perfectly fine, sweetheart. You get some rest now while we start planning our new Drama Club and play! Emma and Ryan are going to Romeo and Juliet, it’s going to be perfect!” Ms. Rivers tells my mom.

  “Thank you so much, again, Lara. I am so blessed to have you watching over my girls. Thank you Ryan, to you and your mother as well. It helps to know my ladies will be with friends and watched over all weekend.”

  “My mom and I are happy to help, Mrs. Bellamy. Your ladies are very special young ladies and we will do what we can to give them a good weekend while you recover. They will have their own room to share, and we’ll keep them busy. My mom loves to bake, like Emma, and Eva loves to read, like my mom, so they will be busy. My sister has two young kids that will be stopping by, so we’ll be out playing in the snow too I’m sure. You just rest and don’t worry too much about your ladies. I’ll keep them safe and take care of them for the weekend.” He wasn’t kissing ass or telling her what he thought she might want to hear. He was relaxed and talking as if he meant every word.

  “Okay Mom, you go get some rest. Take the pain meds, and we’ll talk to you later to say goodnight if we can. Ryan’s mom has it all set up with the nurses so we’re safe. We love you!” I say, and Eva echoes that she loves her as well. We all say our goodbyes and Ms. Rivers hangs up the phone.

  Then there’s a beep and Ms. Rivers pushes her intercom button. “Yes?”

  “We’re ready for you down here anytime. It’s clear.” I recognized the coach’s voice. I forgot the coach from earlier with the leg press was also Ryan’s wrestling coach. He’s a good guy, I am okay with him being in on it.

  So we all walked down the hall, take a left at the offices, down another hall and down the few steps into the elementary wing where the gym is. Grant and Robert are there, and mats are set up.

  “Hey, I hear you can leg press the whole rack there, strawberry shortcake. Care to show me?” Grant says with a laugh. He is so cocky, but he always makes me laugh. He’s huge, you would think he would be really mean, but he is actually a tender hearted, funny guy if you get to know him. He is also Danny’s cousin, which I forgot earlier.

  “Um, Grant. About Danny.” I start to say.

  “Listen, it’s not my business. But if I have to give an opinion, you two were friend zoned and he was hoping too hard to make it something more. If Ryan can make you happy and keep you safer than he can, then he’ll be cool. After your scene from earlier, I think Ryan can make you laugh at least. So you just worry about being happy, and safe, though I prefer safe first. Worry about the rest of it later. Now let’s see you press, then we’ll get started on some other simple things for day one.”

  I nod, walk into the weight room, and once again pushed the full rack.

  “Damn, girl, you don’t even struggle too hard. I wonder how much more weight we can put on that baby?” Grant says.

  “Let’s not cause any physical damage trying to push it. Her father doesn’t weigh three hundred pounds. I don’t think leg pressing more than that will matter.” Ryan says.

  “Okay then, tell me this. You and Eva share a room I hear. Is there a set up where you could brace yourself and use your weight to keep that door closed?” Grant asks me.

  Thinking about it, I could see that working. “Yeah, I can brace at the end of one of the beds on the right of the door. If I really had to, I could move them to the middle of the room. They hit the wall, so from there I could absolutely be in the middle of the room, in front of the door, with my feet against it. I’ll practice that when we go back home.”

  “Then let’s start this as test number one. I want you to practice how long you can hold that up. Not just a quick press, but hold it. Robert and coach are going to show Eva some basic defense on the mats while Ryan and I hang out in here. Is that okay?”

  I like that he’s asking me what I am okay with. “Yeah, I trust you guys. Eva will be fine. Let’s do this.”

  “Ryan. Go make sure the tub is free. She’s going to need to soak in about fifteen minutes and you may need to rub out the Charlie horses she’ll get from this later.” Grant says.

  “I’m not taking a bath right now! There isn’t a tub here, is there?”

  “Yeah, actually there is. It’s used mostly for sports therapy, though now and then the nurse will use it if someone has an injury that is hurting them. It’s a one person tub with jets. You can set it for hot or cold depending on what you’re using it for. You’ll want it hot and the jets on, because after holding that rack up for a while, you’ll be cursing me. We can’t have you walking funny for three days, not after your play this afternoon. The rumor mill would have a field day and the churches would be full of people praying for you. So let’s use the tub. Just trust me on this. Do you have a bathing suit here? If not I can find a small gym uniform probably. If the coach doesn’t like what someone wears to practice, sometimes he makes us change, so he has extra school shorts and shirts in the back.” Grant explains.

  “Um, no I don’t have a bathing suit, it’s freaking November! Please tell me the shirts are not white at least?”

  “Nope, maroon and grey, school colors. So you’re safe, Strawberry Shortcake.”

  “Ha, ha, Grant. Can we get to work now if you’re done gossiping like a girl? My girlfriends might talk less than you do. Brenda at least.” I say to him, with a wide, toothy smile.

  “Oh, yeah. The Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. At least that’s what she is in my dreams. Okay, push it and hold it as long as you can without too much pain. If you feel a pop, pull, or serious burning, stop. I want you to breathe. You need to hol
d out long enough for help to come. We won’t do this in one day, but eventually my goal is for you to hold that for at least fifteen minutes.”

  Nearly three hundred pounds for fifteen minutes with my legs? I have strong legs from cheering and everything, but that is more than double my weight, wow. I’m determined to do what I have to do, so I’ll do what I can. The fact that I can press this at all is a blessing. It’s shocking enough to surprise these guys and the coach, so I’ll do it. If holding that door shut saves at least my sister, then that’s what I’ll do. I breathe in deep, and push with my legs.

  I get comfortable, well as comfortable as I can, holding up nearly three hundred pounds with my legs, and finally release a breath.

  “Great job, Emma! Keep breathing! Try to think of something else, to keep your mind off of time. How about some music? Let’s see what the cheerleaders have in here for music.” Ryan says from behind me, as he walks back in the room.

  Being a cheerleader, I know a lot of the music we have in the room off of the weight room where the radio and announcing station is.

  “No girly, whiny shit, please!” I yell after him and hear a laugh in response.

  I feel my legs shake and drop the rack. “Fuck. Sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize, Emma. That was four minutes! You did amazing! Think you can make your boyfriend look bad and do it again?” Grant says with a big toothy smile.

  Gonna make you sweat, also known as Everybody Dance Now by C&C Music Factory came on, and I nod my head. “Hell yeah, and let’s see if I can break five minutes.”

  I lift it again, and Ryan comes back in. He sees that I’m holding on to the grips on either side of my hips tightly, and grabs my right hand that is closest to him. “Don’t hold too tightly, concentrate on your legs doing all of the work so you don’t overstrain more of your body. Let go with your hands and let’s see how you do.” He starts rubbing my hand which is tingling and really cold.