Blooming Passion •• Ryan Tedder {1}

Don't Move An Inch

Ryan's P.O.V.

Four weeks later, April was just a week from ending and the weather was getting gradually hotter, especially in a place like southern California. On the other hand, Ryan and Ramona had gotten closer than ever. Shawn had been out of the way for weeks now, and Ryan hadn't seen Ramona happier. He, too, felt her freedom and saw how she broke the chains that held her in place. He couldn't have felt better either.

Currently, the two of them were jogging in the park Addie first met Ryan and Zach in. Ramona had gotten in the habit of taking jogs all over the place whenever she could. Without a doubt, Ryan had rubbed off on her a bit.

As Ramona jogged just ahead of him at his side, he couldn't help but notice the way her faded electric blue ponytail bobbed back and forth as she ran, and just about everything else he found perfect about her. Even if her face was sweaty and there were flyaway hairs around her face, he still thought she looked gorgeous.

Ryan thought back to how just a few nights ago Ramona decided to start sleeping in the same bed as him, too, and move her things to his room. Ryan was still adjusting to how nice it was. It was quite rare for Ramona to wake up before him, so he was able to wake up each morning and see her beside him at last, looking like an angel as she slept. It was, perhaps, the fact that whenever she slept, it was the most peaceful Ryan had ever seen her. While awake, her mind is as active as a rabbit, and she still fights with her past, just not as violently.

Ryan also loved thinking of the times when he felt the happiest, which was usually holding her in bed, feeling her heart beat so slightly as she fell asleep in his arms. That's where he wanted to stay forever, if he could. They were not two parts of the same whole, no, but two different wholes that seemed to have been designed specifically for each other. Designed to look perfect together, the way black compliments white, the way the sun is parallel to the moon.

Soon, Ramona stopped and bent over to put her hands on her knees, panting. Ryan jumped out of his thoughts and slowed down just in front of her.

"Can't handle it? Gonna give up?" He teased with a smile. Still looking down, Ramona panted back, "Shut up. You're more active than I am."

"We haven't even gone around once!"

Ramona finally looked up, standing upright again. She gestured to the whole park, where people had picnics set up, where children played frisbee with their dads and ran around with their dogs. It was a large park, though, which was exactly what Ramona was getting at.

"What, so you can run this whole thing in three minutes, I suppose?" Ramona asked. Ryan simply laughed.

"Maybe." He shrugged. Ramona gave a joking glare, and Ryan knew she wasn't serious after he saw the corners of her mouth fight back a grin.

"My point is, I'm out of shape, you're not." She replied, chest still heaving. Ryan shrugged another time, and began to jog again.

"Well, then, pick up the pace, Butterfly!" He called back. Then he heard her yell back to him, "Remember, I may float like a butterfly, but I sting like a bee!"

Ryan laughed again, only to feel someone zoom right past him a second later. Once he saw the blue ponytail moving quicker than before, he ran to catch up. Once he got just behind her, he yelled, "You're not gonna be able to hold this for long!"

"I know! I'm gonna beat you to where we started!" Ramona stated loudly.

"Okay! I'll go easy on you then, don't worry!"

For a split second, Ramona looked back, glaring. Ryan fought back a smile again. Then he saw the very corner of the park, where they first began their jog ten or fifteen minutes ago. He had to give Ramona props for it, she was fast. But, to be fair, he wasn't doing his best.