The Edge Of Us

Chapter 11: New Number

I think I died once during the process of hauling Malcom's body up the stairs and through the door. The poor guy was drooling on my shoulder as I jammed the keys in the door knob and flung us in. We practically toppled into the room, but at least I had avoided the scholarship Malcom would win to Hangover University.

I successfully got him into his bed on his side. I planted a water bottle on his side table and placed a cold towel on his forehead. I tried prying his shoes off like in the movies but the bastard double knotted his laces. I kicked one off after a hot minuet of struggling, contemplated the other, then decided not to put myself through that obstacle course. I nearly went off on his bitch-to-untie methods. The damn thing was like a cheerleader's fishtail braid. But I had to give him credit. At least he had the foresight that he's be too drunk enough to carry anything if he lost his shoes, let alone himself.

I crashed on my own bed after rummaging through the fridge for anything cold to put on my scrap. I discovered that the cold bag of expired frozen peas in the back of the freezer wasn't to be taken for granted. It's an item of a developed matured household. Not a college dorm. I might as well be living out of my backpack. I managed to scrounge a few ice cubes and a damp napkin that would hopefully get the swelling down.

A slight buzz went off in my front pocket. I dug it out to find the time that reminded me I had a 9 am class in a few hours and a text message. I slightly hovered the phone near my chest at a guess of who it might be.

From: Unknown
Did you treat that scrap yet?

It was from a number I didn't know, but clearly Ryder. The only person who knew about my scrap was him. Even if I hadn't mentioned it, he'd probably notice anyways. That guy's crazy observant even though he doesn't look like he has a care in the world. He can figure anything out. I didn't want to reply with his name because that might come off as eager. But the fact that he found out was enough to make my stomach flip.

You:
Who's this?

There were a few dots loading as he typed. I watched it and imagined him on the other line typing his reply just to talk with me.

From: Unknown
Don't be smart

My fingers jumped on the request.

You:
Ryder

From: Unknown
Sure is

I bit my lip as I typed my response

From: You
I didn't expect you to text me

From: Unknown
You didn't think it was me? Who else has been dragging you into dark rooms?

From: You:
Lol I don't know if I could survive another interaction like that without a migraine. God you scared me.

From: Unknown
Finally you admit it. Couldn't do that to my face?

Form: You
I don't know if you know how it works, but people don't usually admit that to the thing that scared them.

From: Unknown
But ur not like other people. I mean other people don't hate their in laws the way you do. It's kinda special.

From: You
Well, I didn't find the right time to ask for your number and memorize it so we wouldn't have to go through these games

From: Unknown
Wasn't during God's plan a good time? Or maybe before your sister's boyfriend. Or the future in law you'd be?