Hardly A Scholar

Chapter Seventeen - Drama at Eleven

I narrow my eyes at him, but can't remove the stupid smile from my lips. Oh well.

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"Nar. You making fun of me, sweetheart?"

"Stop calling me that", Ryan snaps.

I purse my lips, "True. I need something more fitting. Hmm. Grouch? Grumpy? Tallheart? Drama Queen?"

"Stop!" Ryan blurts, "Geez", he heaves himself to his feet. "I'm having a shower. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone and leave my neighbours alone."

"I promise", I reply with a grin.

The second he's gone I swap couches and dig up my phone to message Penny. Just to let her know that I continue to live and to tell the parents so. Shouldn't be much longer, but I know it's a lie as soon as I type it. Easily and hour and a half work, then it will take the same amount of time to get home. Suddenly, the front door swings open and I'm gazing at a tall women, with glossy brown hair and a face of makeup. She's wearing strappy heels and a black, clingy dress which offsets her shocked expression as she takes in the pizza boxes, the paper, and then me.

Sitting on the couch.

In her son's shirt.

Hair wild, eyes gleaming from near hysteria.

"Hi", I try to sound innocent.

"Hi", she repeats before becoming unstunned and bending over to undo her shoes. "What's happening here?"

"There's a paper due tomorrow which Ryan and I are trying to smash out before it's late. I'm Peyton, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you Peyton, I'm Tammy", she picks her way through the lounge room, heading to the kitchen.

And that's that.

Guess she's walked in on her son in much stranger situations.

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Several minutes later, Ryan reappears, toweling his hair and wearing a fresh set of clothes.

"You finished it yet?" he jokes as he leans on the doorframe and looks me over.

I meet his roaming grey eyes with some hard, brown ones, "What the hell are you thinking about now?"

"Well", he rolls his eyes up to the ceiling, "The beach, sweetheart." He returns to looking at me, a smug smile twisting his lips, "I swear."

My scowl deepens.

"I guess you really are only working on a paper", Ryan's mum mutters from the kitchen.

I glance her way as Ryan stands straighter and looks surprised. She's watching me with sharp grey eyes, a smile tugging on her red lips.

"Good for you, love", she says to me.

"Mum?" Ryan strides through the lounge room and peers into the dim kitchen. "You're back?"

"I am."

"I've been using your iPad, okay?"

"That's fine, love. I'm going to bed now anyway. Want some?"
She holds out a bottle which looks like it contains alcohol.

A mum who comes home close to midnight then drinks before she goes to bed. Hmmm.

I'm not judging, I'm merely observing.
"Nar", Ryan replies and flips his damp towel over the back of one of the kitchen chairs.

She turns her eyes back to me, but before she can open her mouth Ryan cuts in.

"She doesn't drink, mum."

His mum raises a surprised eyebrow and I nod my solemn confirmation.

"Well..." she seems a little lost for words. Looking at Ryan, then back at me, then back at Ryan. "Good for you."

I don't know which one of us she was directing that at, but it doesn't seem to matter. She doesn't wait for a response; placing the bottle on the kitchen table and crossing the lounge room once again. Then she disappears down the hallway and I'm left gazing at Ryan.

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"Guess we'd better finish this up", he says and flops back down in the couch, eyes not meeting mine once.

"Alright", I say, but don't move. Glaring lasers in his direction.

He shifts a little, not looking at me.

"You okay?" I eventually ask.

"Yeah." Still doesn't look over.

"Then look at me", I say bluntly.

I am yet to pick up my laptop again, so there's freedom to cross my legs and arms.

I mean business.

"Sweetheart", Ryan purrs, "We have work to do. I don't have time to follow your every command."

"Right. But if you don't look at me I will come over there and smack you around the head with one of these spare cushions." I reach beside myself and grab a gorgeous orange one, brandishing it threateningly.

He continues to avoid eye contact and I'm forced to enact what I just threatened. I launch myself, once again, over the coffee table and collect his head in one, sweeping motion.

"AaaRGHA!" Ryan exclaims as he is thrown back against the couch and I collapse in silent laughing.

He looked so funny! SO FUNNY!

"You really went there?" he moves quickly, slipping the iPad to safety and tugging the cushion out of my hands.

I blink in surprise and look up at him as he holds the thing high above his head. It looks like it's going to hurt. I try to kick him in the stomach and put him off, but he manages to catch my ankle with one hand before I get him. Now it will only be a one handed cushion attack, but I still wouldn't sign up for it.

"Just tell me why you're acting weird", I blubber as I twist and strain, trying to free my ankle and escape.

"I'm just tired", Ryan's grey eyes finally meet mine. "Okay?"

"You were fine after the shower."

"Are you saying something about my mum?"

"Are you?"

He looks angry now, letting my ankle go and throwing the cushion back over to the couch it originally came from. I scramble backwards, but still sit beside him.

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Ryan reaches back for the iPad and I feel as if I am going around and around in a confusing circle.

What is his problem? If it is his mum, he should just say.

"Any of your tattoos relate to your mum?" I ask as I study the ink that wraps up his arms.

"Can we just finish this shit?"

Swearing now, are we?

"Not until you spill. You always get whatever you want out of me, my turn."

Ryan rolls his eyes, "None of my tattoos have anything to do with my mum. Happy, sweetheart?"

"Nope."

"I know you judged me based on my mum. Coming home late and offering drinks around? Bet that doesn't happen at your house. I saw it in your face. You judged."

"It doesn't happen at my house", I confirm and lick my dry lips. "But I didn't judge you. I was a little shocked, but I think it was just the surprise I got when she came home, that's all. I didn't just change what I think about you."

"Right."

"You really are a drama queen", I huff and pushmyself to my feet. "Now I'm judging you." 

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