A Walk In the Rain

The rain is falling down just like the day we played in the rain. Only the hopeless feeling that weighs upon my shoulders makes it difficult to breathe.
Ryan's gone. To who knows where. He didn't think it was worth it to stay. He didn't think we were worth it.
It stings, to be honest. I walk down the street, my mind wandering. Did he not think we were good enough? Could he not have stayed? For the sake of our planet, if nothing else.
"What's wrong?"
I whirl in my steps, the rain sloshing beneath my shoes. Sawyer stands behind me.
"What do you think is wrong?" I continue my quick gait across the water-stained road. "Ryan's gone."
"So? We can go on without him."
"No, we can't." I turn to see him quickly closing the gap between us. I don't want him here. Not now.
"And why not?" Sawyer stuffs his hands into his pockets, an action which slightly angers me. "It's not like he added anything to our little ensemble."
I want to slap him. "How can you say that? He added everything to our little ensemble, as you put it."
"You can't just give up now, Avary. We can't."
"What do you suggest? Move on? Act like we don't care? Act like he isn't gone?"
"Well, we have to get home first."
"Um, yeah, about that... how are we supposed to get back through the time warp bubble without him?"
Sawyer lifts his shoulder into a shrug. "We'll figure out."
I slap his chest with the back of my hand. "What the heck is wrong with you, Sawyer? You should be the one stressing about this."
"I don't know. I guess I don't really care."
"About Ryan?"
"About the fact that he's gone. We can live without him. What made him so special anyway?"
I twirl a strand of amber curly hair around my finger in thought as we continue to stroll down the soppy street. "I... I don't know. He was just... Ryan. You know?"
Sawyer shrugs. "I'm a guy. I don't fangirl over cute faces."
I feel my face turn red. "That's not it and you know it."
"It's not? Remember at the beach? You and him did a LOT of talking." The evil grin overtaking Sawyer's face gives me a sinking feeling in my stomach. "All alone... on the beach... in complete solitude... with the stars blanketing the heavens... oh, and did I mention you were alone?"
I slap him again. "You can be quiet now."
"You don't like what I'm saying? No? That must be because it's true... oooh, Avary likes Ryan..."
"Shut up." He does shut up, but instead he gives me an impish grin. "Shut. Up!" I insist.
"Fine, fine. But I continue to ask: why is he so special?"
"He has... I don't know." I snap my fingers through the air in an effort to come up with the right words. "He has a spark of life. Something beneath the surface that I just want to know about."
It hits me that I'm confiding to Sawyer Bentley -- something I've never done before and never thought I'd do. This sends many awkward feelings rippling through my heart. "Anyway. Who knows if we'll be able to get back home?"
"Yeah, you're right. Thank you, Miss Logical. Now if only that imbecile Ryan would've thought through that before he just took off with two feet running."
"True enough." I fold my arms, shivering against the rainy chill. "Think we should go back?"
"Up to you, Miss Townsend." He fakes a bow, complete with tipping his invisible hat. "You're in charge here."
It strikes me what a wonderful person Sawyer is. And it almost helps me feel better. Just a bit.