Broken Protector

Chapter 20; "I.. want.. Ryder.."

You know those days where you feel like complete shit and you just wanna die? Or go home and cry your eyes out? Or maybe you miss someone so much that it feels like there's a big gapping hole in your chest.

Today was one of those days. I woke up with bloodshot eyes and a hoarse voice this morning, didn't watch out and end up having a cup of coffee splashed on me than I go to school and was late than lunch comes around and Marcus dumped a entire bowl of mystery gravy on my head and finally I haven't heard from Ryder all day.

And now, this shitty day is getting worse.

I sat huddled in my normal spot in the gardens, shivering against the cold and the snow that was falling when Marcus showed up. He hadn't seen me yet fortunately.

He was sitting on a bench a few feet away smoking and all he had to do was look up and he'll see me. I shrink back, wishing I could just disappear.

I froze immediately when his eyes raise and spot me. A grin breaks out on his face, "Well, if it isn't Ryder's little princess," he sneers. I flinch and stand up when he starts walking towards me.

"Leave me alone, Marcus!" I hissed, tugging Ryder's hoodie tighter around me. Marcus shook his head, "I don't think so." I didn't have a chance to dodge when his hand shot out and grabbed ahold of my wrist.

I gasp as he jerks me into him. I struggled as his arms wrapped around me like Ryder's normally do. But unlike Ryder's comforting embrace, Marcus's disgusted me. "Let me go!" I shout.

"Where's your little boy toy, Keeva?" He taunts. "Has he gotten tired of you already?" I squirm as his free hand starts roaming down my body, "Perhaps he's cheating on you right now with a whore, aye?"

"Don't listen to anything that anyone else says to you. I love you no matter what happens, princess."

Angry and scared, I bring my hand up and slap him across the face. When he let's go of me, I backed up quickly, "Do not speak of him like that!" I spat. When I turned to leave, Marcus grabs my wrist again and yanks me back, "On no, you don't, you little bitch!" He snarls.

I cry out as his fist slams into my jaw. He tosses me to the ground and I let out a soft whimper. "Keeva!" Marcus froze when someone suddenly calls out my name. Opening my eyes, I see Xavier and Ayato storming towards us.

Xavier punches him in the nose while Ayato rushes over to me. I'm scooped up into his unfamiliar arms and I search out his warm hazel eyes. "Ayato..." I whisper. "I.. want.. Ryder.." my vision started going hazy until I blacked out again.

*****

The next I woke up, I was back in my bed with a ice pack pressed against my bruised jaw. Opening my eyes, I see Ayato sitting next to me, gently pressing the ice pack to it. His eyes raised from my bruise to my eyes and I hear him sigh in relief.

"You had us all worried," he says, helping me sit up. I smile sheepishly, "Sorry." He waves me off, "You haven't been eating all day?" My eyes advert in shame, "I didn't have a appetite," I said simply.

Ayato sighs and picks up my laptop from my bedside. "You have a angry and worried boyfriend wanting to Skype with you," he informs me, "He wants to know you're okay." I wince at the thought of how much Ryder had to be freaking out. I take the laptop and flip it open, clicking immediately on the Skype app.

Five minutes later, Ryder's face shows up on my screen. "It's been only two days and yet you still get into trouble!" He practically yells with a clenched jaw. I flinch and stay silent. "I'm over five hours away, Keeva! I can't be worrying about you every single second!"

After he ranted for five minutes more and me keeping my head down, Ryder growls, "Look at me, princess. I need to see you," he whispers, his voice pleading. I lift my head and wipe away my ashamed tears. His golden eyes were soft and filled with regret, "I wish I could be there right now, holding you in my arms and taking your pain away," he tells me.

I gave a watery smile, "I want that too, Ryder. But this is reality and we can't always be together," I murmur, "But I love you and that's enough to wait for you." Ryder sighs, resting his chin on his folded arms while closing his eyes.

"What's going on, Ryder?" I ask, tucking hair behind my ear. His eyes open and reveal dark gold. "My dad wants me to take over the business," he says simply. "And I don't want too." Ryder watches as I nervously tug at my hair, tucking it behind my ear before untucking it.

"What's got you jittery and where did you get that bruise from?" He demands. Unconsciously, I had pulled the ice pack away from my bruise and Ryder had noticed it. "Woah, hold on, your lip is all busted up as well!" I frown and run my tongue along my bottom lip. Tasting blood, I cringe and my nose wrinkles.

Glancing back at my laptop screen, I see Ryder half way out of his seat. "Ryder, what are you doing?" I ask, confused. His hard eyes flicker to mine, "To fuck up whoever hurt you," he growls seriously.

Aiming a glare at him, I frowned, "Why?" He looks at me in disbelief, "I love you so hurt my girl equals a early death, princess," he replies. Ignoring my fast beating heart, I pointed a finger at him, "Sit down, Ryder. Ayato and Xavier handled it."

Scowling, he obeys, "Tell me what happened," he orders. I rub my left eye as I answer, "Marcus found me in the back gardens, pissed me off so I slapped him and then he punched me. End of story," I spat.

Ryder seemed even more enraged, "Stay inside next time!" I bristle, "I'm not going to stay inside just because of some asshole, Ryder! I'm not some animal!"

Ryder's eyes flash while his jaw clenches. Looking away from me, he stands up again.

"I have to go. I'll see you in two days," he mumbles before ending the video call. Sighing, I flop backwards and repress the ice pack to my jaw. Than seeing as it was melted, I scowled and chucked it across the room, "Damn thing!"

Feeling even more angry, I let out a stream of curses that I've heard from Ryder multiple times. But it didn't help, it just added to my frustration that finally I bury my head in my pillow and let out a loud scream.

Frustrated tears stream down my cheeks and I jump when there's suddenly a warm hand on my shoulder. My head while around to see Ayato looking me, smiling sadly. When he opens his arms to me, I immediately launch myself into them.

"I just miss him so much!" I blubbered. He rubs my back and sits down in my bed with me in his arms. "I know, Keevi-bear," he coos. I started sobbing a little and he rocks me back and forth.

"Do you want some ice cream?" He asks softly when I calmed down. I nodded, "Yes, please." My voice cracks. Ayato sets me to the side and stands up to go the ice cream, leaving me curled up in a ball, crying for the love of my life.