We were never meant to be

Chapter seventeen

Kayla
I was just getting out of the house when I hear my phone buzz. Closing the door, I pick it up.
"Hey." I say.
"Cheesecakes, where are you?"
"Just got out. Where are you?"
"I'm picking Ryan at the airport and I'll meet you guys there." He says and I let out a deep breath. Today I'm meeting Aaron's brother. He's coming from Huston here to spend some time with everyone and I'm freaking out. I'm scared he won't like me, and I will not blame him if he doesn't. He'll be the only one to see the threat that I really am.
"Oh great. See you there."
"See ya cheesecakes." He says and my breath gets caught. The call has ended, but my phone is still in my ear.
Cheesecakes. When I see cheesecakes, I have the need for them to be mine.
I'm sure he just means it as a joke, since I had so much fun laughing about it, but I can't help, but think...what if he means it as more?
I'm probably reading too much into it. It's better for him, to not mean it as more. He doesn't, I'm sure.
He's so good. Too good. I don't deserve him. Which is why no matter how much I need it, I want it, he can never be mine.
***
"Are you excited?" I ask. Lizzie and Cory both stop what they're doing and look at me.
"Excited?" Lizzie asks.
"We're farting fireworks!" Cory shouts and I laugh.
"We love Ryan. He's the funniest, most dumbest, and smartest at the same time, hilarious guy you'll ever meet." Lizzie says and he seems like a very nice guy. That's nice, that Aaron has someone like that in his life, he deserves it.
"You know what will help her understand Ryan's character better?" He asks Lizzie.
"What?" Me and Lizzie ask at the same time.
"You watch a lot of movies, Kayl? Can I call you Kayl?" He asks and I nod.
"Yes you can and I do watch a lot of movies, I love them." I say and Cory smiles.
"Splendid! You know who Ryan Reynolds is then?" He asks.
"Of course I do. I love that guy. He's so funny, not to mention hot!" I say and Cory laughs.
"Yeah, don't mention that to Aaron." Lizzie mumbles.
"What?" I say and Cory gives her a look before speaking loudly.
"Great! So you know him! Well, Ryan Andrews is exactly like Ryan Reynolds. I can't tell you about the looks, but the personality, it's completely the same. Like they're lost brothers." Cory finishes and we hear a door open, but it's no one we know.
"Why isn't Ella and Nate here?" I ask. Cory and Lizzie look at me.
"We don't know. They've both been acting very weird lately." Lizzie says.
"Is there something wrong?" I ask.
"Probably Nate screwing up again and Ella not putting up with him anymore." Cory says.
"Cory! Don't talk like that about your friends!" Lizzie says and I'm so confused.
"I'm not saying anything that's not true." Cory replies and Lizzie scoffs.
"Did I miss something or what?" I ask.
"Ella and Nate have had a thing going on for two years now." Cory says and it suddenly makes very sense. "I don't know why they tiptoe around on it and don't just seal the deal. What exactly are they waiting for?" Cory continues.
"Well you don't know that. That's their business Cory. Maybe they're waiting to finish school?" She says and this time Cory scoffs.
"Maybe they're waiting for pigs to fly."
"Well I would like to finish school first and then get in a relationship. I don't want to get distracted." Lizzie replies.
"Is that why you keep avoiding my question Elizabeth?  You know I'm a pretty straightforward guy." He gets closer to her. This is like watching TV.
"Cory, not now." She whispers and he backs off.
"This conversation isn't over sweets Lizzie." He says and I feel like I should be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
"Do you guys want me to leave? I can wait in the bathroom until the others come." I say and Cory shakes his head. He looks disappointed now. Lizzie looks sorry.
"No it's fine. I've waited a whole year. What is a day more?" He says and my heart breaks. It's clear he cares deeply for Lizzie. She just looks away though. As if she'll break if she sees him in pain.
"So Ryan Andrews?" I ask trying to change the topic. "Is he that fun?" And before Cory can reply, Aaron comes in with another guy following him, which by the looks I'm guessing is Ryan.
"Well, I'll guess you'll see for yourself." Cory replies as they make their way to our table. Ryan's the same height as Aaron, and they do look alike, not much though. Ryan's softer in the face, whereas Aaron looks more harsh, when you first see him, but he's beautiful in ways no other person I have seen is. Ryan has lighter hair color than Aaron and his eyes are brown.
"Ryan! Ugh I missed you dumbass." Lizzie shouts and hugs him.
"Queen Elizabeth? Is that you? Your Majesty? How have you been?" He asks and Lizzie hits his arm.
"Oh shut up and hug me back." She says and that's what he does. I smile as Cory gets up from his chair.
"Okay, my turn now." He says as Lizzie entangles herself from Ryan.
"Cornelia? Oh my lost love. It has been an agony missing you." He says and I laugh. He is funny.
"Reyna my love. You've come back to me. You've found me once again." Cory says back and they both hug, while fake crying. I love these people. My smile is so big, no wall can contain it.
I look at Aaron, but find him already looking at me. A soft smile on his lips.
"Now where is this Kayla I've heard so much about?" Ryan asks and I freeze. He's heard a lot about me?
"I'm, um...I'm Kayla." I say and he looks at me.
"Oh you're right, she is beautiful." Ryan says and looks at Aaron. Both Aaron and I blush. Aaron more, I think. "I have only one question for you Kayla?" He says and I wait. Okay this is it. This is where he sees the monster I actually am. "You should be very careful. No one up to this day, has answered right. And if you are as amazing as my whipped brother here says you are,"
"Ryan." Aaron growls.
"Then, your answer will be correct. Remember, the key is to answer truthfully." He says having ignored Aaron. I wait. We all do. No one is talking, not even breathing. Ryan is still not asking the question. And then finally...
"Pizza or chocolate?" He asks and I get ready to answer, but I stop. What?
I look around, finding everyone grinning, like they expected this to happen. What is going on here? I'm too scared to look at Aaron, so I just look at Ryan and I answer truthfully.
"Both." And silence. No one says a thing. And then...
"CORRECT! You really are amazing!" Ryan says as he picks me up and hugs me while spinning us around. What is it with the Andrews men and them picking me up?
He puts me down and whispers in my ear.
"Better to put you down, before Aaron here has my head on a stick." And I laugh. "Oh Kayla, thank you!" He says and I'm confused.
"What are you thanking me for?" I ask.
"Girl, I've been dying to roast Aaron since he was born. But the freak has never had any crushes, up until you. Oh wait until I tell you all the stories, you will die laughing." He says and I'm baffled. Ryan is like me. This is how I used to be, before everything. I missed that. "K, you have no idea what Aaron has said. Can I call you K?" He asks and I nod.
"Yes! Apparently everyone here has a nickname for me. You call me K, Cory calls me Kayl and Aaron calls me cheesecakes." I finish and Ryan gasps so loudly.
"What, what's wrong?" I ask and he looks at Aaron and then at me. Aaron is somehow begging Ryan with his eyes not to say something, and Ryan is just looking back and forth, not knowing what to do or say?
"HE CALLS YOU CHEESECAKES?!" Ryan shouts and I don't get it. "K, DO YOU UND-'' Ryan starts saying, but Aaron cuts him off.
"Okay, that's enough with the dramatics, big bro. Let's all sit down and enjoy each-other's company. How about that?"
"Mood killer." Ryan whispers and I chuckle.
Aaron sits next to me and not even 2 minutes later Ryan faces my direction.
"Do you wanna hear the story about how Aaron fell of a tree,"
"It was one time!" Aaron says.
"Or how he came crying to me, because he thought socks were to put at hands and he didn't understand how he could use his hands to do stuff from that day forward?" Ryan continues.
"I was four!" Aaron says, but a small smile is playing on his lips. It's clear he missed his brother.
"K! You should hear the time when he found cheesecakes in the trash can and started eating them."
"I was two! I don't even remember it." Aaron says and then mumbles. "God, this is going to be a long night."