EVOLUTION - RYDER SCANLON

2

Geordie was very excited to tell her parents about Ryder. Of course, it wasn't as if her and Ryder were anything more than project partners, but it still made her happy that he was more than willing to invite her over to his temporary house.

When her mother stopped in front of the delightful home with the blooming garden of colors, she told her daughter to be extra careful and extra polite.

"This is councilwoman Burke's home. Don't disrespect her, you have no idea what these political figures are like," her mother warned, running a stiff hand through her aging hair. If searched through close enough, a valley of gray hairs would radiate shamelessly.

"Councilwoman Burke? How do you know that?" Geordie asked, worried that her mother might have been stalking on the Internet.

"How do you not?" She questioned back. "Honestly, do I have to teach you everything?"

"Please," Geordie begged, feeling her stomach flip up from the idea of stepping foot in a house full of authority. On top of that, she was nervous about her nothing-more-than-project-partners partner and if the day would go as smoothly and nicely as she hoped.

Her mother awed, admiring the innocence Geordie managed to keep even when in high school. It was clear that Geordie's mother believed Geordie wasn't very experienced when it came to boys because there were simply no boys who wanted to experience anything with her.

Of course, that wasn't Geordie's fault. And deep down, her mother knew that, too.

"Boys are boys," her mother stated. "They're all the same; act the same, talk the same, think the same—sometimes even dress the same. There's no need to get nervous over one. If this doesn't work out, they'll be another one and then some."

Geordie flashed a look of confusion towards her mother. "I don't want anything to work out with Ryder. Well, I mean, I do. I want to be his friend but that's it. Nothing more."

And that was the truth; Geordie didn't want anything other than friendship from Ryder. He was sweet, understanding, everything you would want in a best friend. That was something she really needed at the moment, whether she believed it or not.

However, her mother thought differently. Her mother figured it was useless to be friends with a boy who would be nothing more than a friend. Completely and utterly useless.

"Why not?" She wondered, gripping the steering wheel. "Is he not cute? Does he have a girlfriend?" She gasped. "Is he...you know...playing for the other team?"

No matter how inexperienced Geordie was, she was very clear on what that expression meant.

"What! No, I...I don't think so. Mom, I just met him. I obviously don't feel that way about him and he much lesser about me. It's just a project.

"You say that now, but mark my words: coed friendships do not exist without one of the two involved having feelings for the other. Now go on with your study date."

Geordie groaned, a rarity in her teenage years. "It's not a study date, it's a project."

"Fine, project date," her mother said as she watched her daughter hop out the car. "Have fun!"

--

"This is a lovely home," Geordie complimented, looking curiously around the decorated kitchen.

"Uh, thanks." Ryder nodded, grabbing a juice box from the fridge. "Want one?"

"Wow. Juice boxes. Haven't seen those in forever."

"You don't have any at your house?" Ryder asked.

Geordie shook her head. "I'm on a strict water diet. I see it as a much more healthier option in my everyday lifestyle."

Ryder forced a polite smile which made Geordie grow anxious.

      "Here, let's go to the living room. Joe's about to start cooking dinner and I'm not sure if I can concentrate near the smell of heaven."

     Ryder led her through the swinging door, poking a hole through his juice box. His aunt Mel was sitting on the couch reading through a magazine.

     "Joe?" Geordie asked, eyeing all of the decorative and very much expensive looking furniture. She couldn't help but stare at all the picture frames surrounding the room and filling it with so much...comfort.

     "He's our nanny," Ryder explained. He didn't give any time for Geordie to react before he introduced her to his aunt. "Aunt Mel, this is Geordie. We're working on a project for English together."

     As Mel stood up, Geordie couldn't help the cheesy smile on her face that she hoped was full of respect and politeness. As she was prepared to be greeted by a lunatic politician with a snarky attitude, she was greatly misled by Mel's very own cheesy smile.

     "Hi, I'm Mel." She shook her hand, ecstatic that Ryder was comfortable enough in the house to bring over people from school. "I was just finishing up here, so you kids do your thang."

     Mel laughed, and it was obvious to Geordie that she was a helpless cause in the department of cool aunts. She didn't mind it, though. She thought it was very sweet.

     Ryder, however, thought Mel was being completely embarrassing.

Just as she was about to exit the room—and just as Ryder was prepared to let out a sigh of relief—Mel bounced right back to the pair and offered her aid.

"What's the project on?" She asked, fully interested. A little too interested.

"We have to write a report summarizing one of Shakespeare's plays," Geordie explained flawlessly, setting her backpack on the couch.

"Oh, Shakespeare!" Mel chirped. She wanted to say how much she loved him and his tragic love stories even though she couldn't barely understand a word from the Elizabethan language. "Which play?"

Ryder decided to answer this one on his own. "Cleopatra, the one where she turns people to stone and the guy dies in the end."

Ryder smiled proudly as Mel stared with a grimace.

She leaned over to Geordie who showed no expression for Ryder's...whatever it was Ryder was portraying.

"I don't exactly think Shakespeare ever wrote about a lady with snakes on her head turning people to stone," Mel whispered. "Especially not one named Cleopatra..."

Geordie adjusted her glasses on her face and answered, "I'm well aware."

Mel smiled and clapped her hands together. "Well, it seems like you two have everything under control. I'll leave you kids to it!" Mel nervously laughed and before exiting the kitchen made sure to tell the two teenagers, "Don't have too much fun!"

     Ryder made sure she was gone before apologizing to Geordie. "I'm sorry about her. She used to be cool."

     But Geordie just laughed. And that made Ryder feel better than okay. "You don't have to apologize. I think under whatever circumstances you're going through, she's really trying her best. You should appreciate her more."

     Ryder blinked for a moment, taking her words into consideration. "Yeah, she is, isn't she?"

     "Indeed she is." Geordie nodded, then carefully placed her hands on Ryder's arms and lowered him onto the couch. "Now, I think there's something I should tell you about Cleopatra..."