just soaked with tears, and my nose is running so much it is getting all over everything. My heart is breaking, knowing this is the last I'll see of Ramon in a while. But, I know this is for the best.
Ramon just stands by himself, getting more and more withdrawn, which is how he shows displeasure. He doesn't say a word the whole time I'm talking. I hate that I am the one making him feel this way. But, Ramon needs to realize that our friendship has been hurting me.
When I finish my speech, I feel like I have been talking to a vacuum that has been sucking up all of my words into oblivion. And so, I conclude with, “Umm…yeah, bye.” Since he seems so unwilling to talk, I start practically running away from Ramon.
He says, “Mackenzie, wait,” and grabs me into a hug. I take a whiff of his cologne for the last time, imprinting it permanently to my memory. He holds me there for a second. “Sorry for all of the trouble I have caused.” He rushes by me, very surly, and starts climbing into his car. Suddenly he turns around and says, “I don't mean that in a bad way.” And he is gone before I can even respond.
I drag myself into my car and start the engine before I realize my eyes are so watery that I can't see two feet in front of me. I put my head on the steering wheel and bawl. I feel so small that I will soon disappear and never have to deal with anyone or anything again.
Chapter Ten
Crickets are chirping outside under the moonlight, forming the orchestra of the night. But, I barely notice them.
“They said they knew where I live, and if I don't tell them the information they need, they will come to my house and….” Shane is grappling for words as he talks into his phone. He's so terrified he's having trouble putting them together. I have never heard him so tense before.
It has been just over a week since I told Ramon I can't talk to him anymore. “Who are
they
?” I ask Shane, trying to sort out what he's saying.
“I don't know, but they keep asking for information about Brent Andrews and Scott.”
“What is the screen name?”
“YMS,” Shane utters. My worst fears have been confirmed. YMS is that local gang who gave Ramon so much trouble. They are not a really hard gang, just a bunch of bored kids out to cause trouble, but they can cause a lot of it. The only connection I have to them is through Ramon because of his one-time encounter with them. “Only eleven people have my screen name, and I have talked to all of them. None of them did it; I know that none of them would,” Shane adds. It is really not that hard to get a person's screen name, so this doesn't bother me so much. But then Shane says, “Not that many people know where I live. Just you and Cody.”
“What about Ramon?” I ask Shane. I already know the answer to this, but I want to remind him.
“Yeah, he gave me a ride home once a long time ago.” Shane seems to brush off this information.
“Ramon also has your screen name, right?” I point out; I'm trying to lead him to the conclusion that I have already drawn.
“He does, but I seriously don't think he did it.”
“I don't either,” I tell Shane honestly. “But he is the only connection you have to YMS, which is through me. If they know all this information about you through me, then somebody is stalking the both of us.” I feel a chill go down my spine. “Someone who knows that I was Ramon's friend probably followed me to your house.”
“Do you, do you really think that?” Shane stutters out. I can tell that I am not making him feel any better. But I don't know what to say to make him feel better, except try to figure out who is harassing Shane so that the situation is more tangible and hopefully easier to handle.
“Well, it's the only solution that I have.”
“Could you talk to Ramon about it?” Shane asks tentatively. I know he's asking me to talk to Ramon because I know him better than Shane does.
“Umm…. Well I guess I can. I'm not really talking
Ramon just stands by himself, getting more and more withdrawn, which is how he shows displeasure. He doesn't say a word the whole time I'm talking. I hate that I am the one making him feel this way. But, Ramon needs to realize that our friendship has been hurting me.
When I finish my speech, I feel like I have been talking to a vacuum that has been sucking up all of my words into oblivion. And so, I conclude with, “Umm…yeah, bye.” Since he seems so unwilling to talk, I start practically running away from Ramon.
He says, “Mackenzie, wait,” and grabs me into a hug. I take a whiff of his cologne for the last time, imprinting it permanently to my memory. He holds me there for a second. “Sorry for all of the trouble I have caused.” He rushes by me, very surly, and starts climbing into his car. Suddenly he turns around and says, “I don't mean that in a bad way.” And he is gone before I can even respond.
I drag myself into my car and start the engine before I realize my eyes are so watery that I can't see two feet in front of me. I put my head on the steering wheel and bawl. I feel so small that I will soon disappear and never have to deal with anyone or anything again.
Chapter Ten
Crickets are chirping outside under the moonlight, forming the orchestra of the night. But, I barely notice them.
“They said they knew where I live, and if I don't tell them the information they need, they will come to my house and….” Shane is grappling for words as he talks into his phone. He's so terrified he's having trouble putting them together. I have never heard him so tense before.
It has been just over a week since I told Ramon I can't talk to him anymore. “Who are
they
?” I ask Shane, trying to sort out what he's saying.
“I don't know, but they keep asking for information about Brent Andrews and Scott.”
“What is the screen name?”
“YMS,” Shane utters. My worst fears have been confirmed. YMS is that local gang who gave Ramon so much trouble. They are not a really hard gang, just a bunch of bored kids out to cause trouble, but they can cause a lot of it. The only connection I have to them is through Ramon because of his one-time encounter with them. “Only eleven people have my screen name, and I have talked to all of them. None of them did it; I know that none of them would,” Shane adds. It is really not that hard to get a person's screen name, so this doesn't bother me so much. But then Shane says, “Not that many people know where I live. Just you and Cody.”
“What about Ramon?” I ask Shane. I already know the answer to this, but I want to remind him.
“Yeah, he gave me a ride home once a long time ago.” Shane seems to brush off this information.
“Ramon also has your screen name, right?” I point out; I'm trying to lead him to the conclusion that I have already drawn.
“He does, but I seriously don't think he did it.”
“I don't either,” I tell Shane honestly. “But he is the only connection you have to YMS, which is through me. If they know all this information about you through me, then somebody is stalking the both of us.” I feel a chill go down my spine. “Someone who knows that I was Ramon's friend probably followed me to your house.”
“Do you, do you really think that?” Shane stutters out. I can tell that I am not making him feel any better. But I don't know what to say to make him feel better, except try to figure out who is harassing Shane so that the situation is more tangible and hopefully easier to handle.
“Well, it's the only solution that I have.”
“Could you talk to Ramon about it?” Shane asks tentatively. I know he's asking me to talk to Ramon because I know him better than Shane does.
“Umm…. Well I guess I can. I'm not really talking
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