“I’m really worried about Alyssa.” Lynn told Ryan. Ryan looked at her, confused.
“Did something happen?” Lynn’s eyes got wide.
“You don’t know?” Ryan shrugged. “Alyssa’s parents are getting divorced and Mr. Morgan moved out.” Ryan looked down at the ground. He knew how hard that must be for Alyssa. She was always really close with her father. “But even worse, she doesn’t believe in love anymore.”
“You’re kidding right?” Lynn shook her head. “Did she tell you this herself?” Lynn nodded. (Flashback)
“What’s wrong Alyssa?” One minute they were having a good time, the next Alyssa was sobbing.
“My parents split up and my dad moved out.” Lynn looked at her sympathetically.
“I’m sorry Lyss.” Lynn took Alyssa into her arms as her best friend began to sob. The two girls rocked back and forth as Alyssa cried, releasing everything that had been pent up for months. Breaking up with Ryan before senior year, leaving home, the pressures when she came back, breaking up with Jean-Paul, her parents. Alyssa had kept everything pent up inside and it came out in one huge torrent.
“It’s okay Alyssa.” Lynn said softly. Alyssa pulled away, tears streaking down her fair cheeks.
“It’s not okay Lynn.” She angrily wiped at the tears that continually seemed to fall. “How could they get divorced after twenty six years? Did they suddenly decide that they didn’t love each other anymore? Is there really a way that love can survive if they called it quits?” Lynn nodded.
“There is Lyss. You aren’t destined for the same thing.” Alyssa looked down at the ground.
“I don’t believe in love anymore Lynn.” She shrugged as though it didn’t matter. “It truly doesn’t exist.” (End Flashback)
Ryan wiped a tear that had managed to make it’s way down his cheek. Alyssa was in so much emotional pain and there was nothing he could do. He felt completely useless.
*********************
The apartment seemed so empty without Lynn. Sam sat down the couch and mindlessly flipped through the channels. Maybe living together wasn’t the best thing for them to do. Lynn had read all those articles about how living together destroyed relationship instead of helping it. Maybe we’re just too different, Sam thought. Maybe it would never work out.
“Maybe I was wrong.” Sam said outloud. You made her leave, a little voice inside him said. Sam shook his head. It was his fault that she left. He had always been complaining that he and Lynn never did anything that he wanted to do. All he did was criticize her. She had done everything she could to make him happy and it still hadn’t been enough. Sam sighed heavily.
“I’m such an idiot.”
*******************
“I feel really bad.” Julie said to Josh. He looked at her quizzically.
“Why?” Julie looked down at the ground.
“I am SO happy because I am marrying the best guy in the world while one of my best friends is having an emotional breakdown. I just can’t feel happy about the wedding.” Josh sighed.
“You can’t let it get you down Julie.” She looked at him in shock. “I said that wrong. The wedding will be a distraction for Alyssa, a chance to get away from her problems. You should be happy.”
“I think I’m going to apologize.” Josh nodded in approval.
“I think that’s good. It’ll help take a little bit off of Alyssa’s mind.” Julie nodded.
“I just hope she’ll be okay.”
****************
Julie Holland
I’m really worried about Alyssa. I mean, she’s never gotten this depressed before. With Ryan, her parents......I think it’s going to be too much for her to handle. From what I hear, she’s already given up on love. The saddest part is, there’s nothing any of us can do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josh Ridgely
This whole thing with Alyssa is scary. She’s always been the strongest of our group, the one who held it all together. But now.....she’s falling apart. And it seems so wrong for Julie and I to be happy when Alyssa’s life is being torn apart. I just hope that she’ll find some happiness at the wedding, and someday be happy again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ryan Brennon
Out of everybody else, I’d have to say that I am the most worried about Alyssa. I mean, her sadness over wanting me is part of the reason she’s about to break down. With Julie’s wedding.....I just hope that it’ll be a happy day for them. Because around here, none else seems to have any happiness in their life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trista Morgan
I am VERY worried about mys sister. Me? I’m not really affected by our parent’s divorce. Good riddance to my mother. But Alyssa always believed that our parent’s marriage was perfect, that no problems ever came up. Um, not the case. I hope she’ll be okay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alexia Jordan
I feel sorry for Alyssa Morgan. I really do. She’s lost Ryan, she’s lost Jean-Paul, her parent’s have split up. There is nothing good going on in her life. But if she would only take a few minutes to look around and see that Ryan would do anything to make her feel better, maybe there would be something good in her life. Nobody deserves to be that unhappy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jean-Paul Marquis
I hate to think about the fact that I might have, in some way, contributed to Alyssa’s unhappiness. I love Alyssa, but she loves Ryan. The sooner she realizes that, the happier she’ll be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lynn Michaels
I want Alyssa to be happy. Nobody deserves to be happy more than Alyssa. I just hope that she can see that she’s got a great guy in front of her who would do anything in the wrld to make sure that no unhappiness touched her life. But for some reason, she wants to push him away, like she thinks he deserves better. All of us know that’s not true. For Ryan, there is no better. They’re destined to be together.
********************
Drowning.
Exactly how Alyssa felt. She felt like she was drowning in her own emotions, with no life preserver to help keep her afloat. There was only one week left until Julie’s wedding was to take place. One more week and Alyssa could go back to Paris, the world where she didn’t have to deal with her parents, her sister, Ryan, or Jean-Paul. Paris was totally crap free.
Alyssa wondered what she was doing here. She was fighting with Julie, Jean-Paul broke up with her, and she had to deal with the crap she now called a home life. It still amazed Alyssa that two people who had been in love could just call it quits. Alyssa was amazed that her mother could treat Trista like utter crap, and not feel bad about it. She was amazed at how her relationship with her mother had deteriated. It had been four straight days since Alyssa had left her hotel room, and she had no intention of coming out anytime soon, except for Julie’s wedding. She just wanted to hide from the world.
****************
Lynn knocked softly on the hotel door and waited for an answer.
“Go away!” Alyssa shouted. Lynn knocked again, louder this time. Alyssa came stomping to the door and threw it open. Her greasy hair was thrown in a ponytail and she was wearing a pair of tattered, stained sweatpants and an oversize tee-shirt.
“Sorry Lynn.” Alyssa mumbled. Lynn’s breath caught in her throat. Alyssa looked like she had been to hell and back. In some ways she had been. Lynn breezed past Alyssa and sat down on her bed.
“Take a shower and get dressed. The group is going to the roller rink.” Alyssa was about to protest, but thought the better of it and headed to the bathroom. After showering, blow drying her hair, and putting on some makeup, Alyssa had to admit that she felt better. She actually smiled. When Alyssa walked out of the bathroom, Lynn had laid out Alyssa’s khaki hip huggers and lilac spaghetti strap tank top. Alyssa swallowed hard. It was the same outfit that she had worn her last night in the States.
“Feel better?” Lynn asked after Alyssa got dressed. Alyssa nodded.
“I do actually.” After sliding her feet into a pair of black platform sandals, Alyssa grabbed a jacket. “I’m ready to go.” When they arrived at the rink, Ryan, Trista, Josh, Julie, and Sam had reserved a table in the back of the rink. Julie stepped up to Alyssa.
“I want to apologize for what I said that day in the store. It was rude and insensitive. I should have relaized that you had issues going on in your life. I’m sorry.” Alyssa nodded.
“Apology accepted.” Josh clapped his hands.
“Okay, then. Let’s skate!” The friends skated around for about an hour until the Dj announced that it was couple skating. Alyssa would have been fine, she didn’t mind sitting out. But the DJ had to play “Amazed.” If there was one song that could destroy Alyssa it was Lonestar. Alyssa’s carefully put together facade crumbled as she began to sob, deep heart wrenching sobs, fueled by the pain and despair that she was feeling. Her friends skated over as fast as they could, though Ryan held back. He knew Alyssa would just push him away. Josh pulled Alyssa’s head into his lap as she cried.
“Lyss? Are you okay?” Alyssa took deep breaths as she tried to calm herself down. The fragile happiness that Alyssa had worked so hard to gain was thrown to the wind, leaving nothing but a feeling of total and utter despair.
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