Chapter 10

Reed

       While I was on the phone with Jonah's mom, Whitney, all I was thinking about was how I wanted to get off the phone. I already knew what was coming when I saw the number calling my cell phone, but she was my foster mom. I couldn't avoid her.

       "Have you been taking your medication?" Whitney asked. "Are they working?"

       "I've been trying to," I said. "I've never taken it before, or any medication for that matter, so it's hard remembering to do so, and the side effects aren't too pleasant either. It's just a bit stressful having to stay in a motel and not my own bedroom."

       "We would have let you stay home if we knew," Whitney said. "You should have told us, Reed."

       I sighed and pressed a head against my forehead. "I know, I know. I thought I could handle it. I'm just... used to watching out for myself."

       "I know you are, Reed, and you really shouldn't be," Whitney said. "You're only fifteen. No fifteen year old should be looking after themselves. We're all willing to look after you, even Jonah, though it may not seem like it."

       "No, he's actually trying now," I said. "Unfortunately, it seems like he's trying too hard. I feel like he's suffocating me, and I just really need my space at times. Which is almost all the time."

       "And have you told Jonah yet exactly what you're going through?" Whitney asked.

       I was tempted to lie and said I did, but for some reason, I couldn't lie to her. "Honestly, no," I said. "I know he's supposed to be keeping an eye out on me, but he can do that perfectly fine without knowing exactly what's going on."

       "Well, it's your choice in the end," Whitney said. "As long as Clint and I know, I can't force you to tell Jonah, and I won't tell him myself. But I do think you should tell him about the less severe one."

       I sighed. "Yeah, maybe." At least Jonah would understand at least part of what was going on, and maybe he would stop pestering me about everything else.

       "Well, I should probably let you go now and enjoy your time in Meadowcliff," Whitney said. "Just know that you can call me or Clint if you need to talk to someone."

       "I know," I said. "Thanks."

       Not long after the phone call ended, there was a knock on the door so I walked over to answer it. Jonah was the one standing there, and he handed me yet another bag of food. "I figured you were running low," he said.

       "Well, you're not wrong there," I said, taking the bag from him. "Thanks."

       "No problem," Jonah said. "So, there's going to be a parade going on in about an hour. You want to come watch it with us?"

       "A parade?" I asked. "As in a bunch of people standing by the sidewalk? And standing for a good... however long the parade is?"

       "Right, that probably wouldn't be a good idea for your recovery," Jonah said. "Though we got camping chairs in the minivan. I'm sure you can sit down in it while we watch the parade. People do that all the time."

       "I think I'm just going to miss the parade," I said. "I... don't do well with crowds. Staying with all those people, and possibly people bumping into me and standing too close to me, will just set me off. I still rather not talk about the disorder I have that I'm taking medication for, but I will tell you that I also have really bad anxiety."

       "Oh," Jonah said. "I'm sorry."

       I shrugged. "There's nothing to be sorry about, really. A lot of people nowadays have anxiety. Mine's really bad, though. Normally, I should be on medication for it because it's that bad, but I can't because I'm on medication for my other disorder."

       "Well, then I'm not going to try to convince you to come to the parade if you feel like you can't make it," Jonah said. "Is your anxiety why you've barely left the motel?"

       "Kind of," I said. "That, and there's not really any place for me to go. Well, except for the stables, but apparently that's too far for me to walk."

       "Yeah, and you know it is," Jonah said. "Though knowing you since you seem a bit stubborn..."

       "I'm pretty sure you're a lot more stubborn than me," I interrupted.

       "Like I was saying, you'll probably end up going to the stables anyway so if you ever want to go, just tell me and I'll give you a ride there."

       I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

       "Yes, seriously," Jonah said.

       "What's the catch?" I asked.

       Jonah furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would there be a catch?"

       "Because there is a catch," I said.

       "You know, you should really learn how to trust people a lot more," Jonah said.

       I snorted. "Yeah, well, sorry for having a hard time to trust people because of everything I've been through. My dad gambling, getting us kicked out of our home and living on the streets, selling my horse. He was my dad and I couldn't even trust him."

       Jonah was silent for a bit before saying, "Reed, you never told me you were living on the streets. How did that happen?"

      "My dad gambling," I said. "So, sorry for not wanting to trust people right away, especially people who not too long ago treated me like crap."

       Jonah sighed. "Yeah, I guess I deserve that. Okay, I'm not expecting you to trust me with everything right away, but not everything I do for you will include a catch. The only catch about me driving you to the stables is that you're not getting on your horse until you're healed and get an all clear from the doctor."

       "Fair enough," I said, even though I was just itching to get back on Fate. I hadn't ridden him in such a long time, and I really missed horseback riding.

       Luckily I could sometimes admit when there were things I really shouldn't do, and riding Fate when my ribs weren't healed was definitely one of them. 

       I just really hope I could spend a lot of time with him before we had to head back on the road. I may have a family right now, but it felt like all I had was Fate.

_________________

Reed my bb ily <3

I'm binging a show and I'm in so much agony waiting for my ship to get together. They keep teasing meeeeeeee.

Save me (because the show is also sparking a book idea lol)