Don't Fall for Me

Part 14: Mother

Without looking at me, his arm shot out and wrapped around my waist. He crushed me to his chest and buried his face in my neck. My arms were stuck to my sides. I tried to pull away and he held on tighter.

"Don't," he said.

He wouldn't let me move. His body started shaking softly and I realized why. Ryker was crying.

I cautiously lifted a hand and placed it on his back. My shirt started to get damp where his face was plastered to my shoulder. I was pretty sure he could hear my heart thumping in my chest.

He abruptly pushed me back and used one hand to wipe his face. With the other, he shrugged out of his signature leather jacket and threw it over my head. I made the mistake of inhaling his scent that was a mix of outdoors and spicy cologne.

I must have stood their like an idiot daydreaming for a while because then Ryker lifted the jacket a little so he could see me under it.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Where you just crying?" I blurted, immediately regretting it.

His eyes narrowed and he dropped the jacket back over my face. I sighed and pulled it off, holding it by my side.

"It's okay to cry, Ryker," I said gently to his back.

He stiffened.

"No it's not," he said harshly.

I put a hand on his arm and said, "You don't have to act like you don't care-"

He spun around so fast I stumbled back a step.

"It's my fault my mom died. See this?" He lifted  his hair off his forehead. A scar peeked through just at his hairline.

I gasped. I had seen that scar the first day he had come back. I had forgotten all about it.

"I was driving the car that killed her. I swerved a drunk driver and crashed right into a tree. The passenger side got the brunt of the impact. My mom died instantly, leaving me with a scar and a piece of my heart torn away. I don't deserve to cry over it. My mother is never coming back and it's all because of me."

He took a shuddering breath and stormed away. I chased after him up the stairs, dropping his jacket on the ground.

When I reached him in the hallway upstairs, I yanked on his arm, tightly wrapping my hands over his tattoos. He stopped walking.

"Ryker! How could you blame yourself? You swerved to dodge the drunk driver. The Mrs. Avery I knew would not blame her son for this. She would want you to keep living guilt free," I said.

"Don't talk about her like you knew her," Ryker spat, tense.

I flinched and let go of his arm.

"You're right, I'm sorry," I apologized, defeated.

He faced me again and his tough features crumbled. His face softened.

"God, Angel. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just," he sighed, raking his hands through his hair.

"It's okay."

He glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, it's almost eleven. Your mom will be worried if you're not home soon. I'll take you home now."

I nodded my head and followed him out the door. He handed me the helmet and I put it on, getting on the bike behind him. He drove me home and I headed up the driveway to my house.

"Angel, wait."

I looked back at him, raising my eyebrows.

He wouldn't look me in the eyes as he said, "Thanks...for everything."

Then before I could say anything, he sped off down my driveway and into the night.

Did Ryker Avery just thank me?

~*~*~*~

That song was not mine. I changed a few words of the song Brother by Falling in Reverse.