Teaching Ryder [DON'T READ]

Chapter Seventeen: 20 Questions For The CIA

Chapter Seventeen: 20 Questions For The CIA

Aria left two days later, early in the morning.

And by morning, I mean at an ungodly time, even for regular people. She's the only person on this stupid planet that could make me wake myself up at four-thirty in the morning just to see her off. Eyes closed, I can almost imagine what happened just hours ago.

"Hey, stop worrying Gill, yer gonna get premature wrinkles." She laughed, the familiar brassy-sounding chuckle lit up her entire face. Her long, bronze hair was plaited back, though a few strands had escaped. I brushed them back, dulled sparks flying at the touch. I pulled my hand back and put it in my pocket.

"Are those blonde streaks new?" I asked, checking the time on my watch: 4:06. We didn't have much time left to talk in person.

"Yeah, Ryder convinced me to get them. She said that it was her 'hair vision', ever since she saw me. Does it look alright?" She said, touching the glittering gold strands insecurely.

"Yeah, they look great." I replied, staring down at my hands. Ryder. I never knew what the fuck to think about her, I don't even know now.

"She's a really nice person. Smart, beautiful, kick-ass - Gilly, what don't you see in her?" She asked, staring at me with her wide, green owl-eyes. I bit my lip, twiddling with my fingers to release some of the excess nervous energy.

"She's nothing like you." I mumbled, keeping my eyes trained on the dirty blue floor.

"I think that's a good thing." She said, her voice hushed so I could barely hear her. "To be honest, I came back so I could try to talk you into coming back with me. I mean, it's not everyday that your on/off boyfriend leaves the country because of you." She paused. "I still really like you a lot, Finn, but that's just the problem. Half the time I want to rip your clothes off, then I want to sit and laugh about my addiction to soap operas with you, and then I want to cry because you broke my stupid teenage heart. This is too much."

I looked up at her, and she smiled, teeth and all, even though her eyes shimmered with tears. "I'm not good enough to break your heart, trust me, Ari. If anyone's going to do that, it's going to be Ryan Gosling, because we all know that you were dying to be Rachel McAdams in that movie." She laughed again, though a tear slid down her cheek.

She opened her mouth to speak, but the overhead announcer beat her to it. "We will begin boarding for Ireland in six minutes."

"That's me." She said, frowning. She stood and zipped up my grey hoody, looking incredibly oversized on her slender frame.

"Thanks. Didn't think it'd be this cold." She said, playing with the white braided cords.

"Maybe my smell will ward off guys with bad intentions." I joked, though a sinking feeling settling in my chest when I thought about it. I won't be the one making sure that Aria got home safely anymore, or the one she watches bad soap operas with, or the one she kisses underneath the stars on the swings. Whoever she chooses, I hope they'll be better for her than I was.

"We will begin boarding the flight to Ireland in three minutes. Please make your way over."

"I guess I better get going." She said glancing around the bustling airport. "Can I ask you something?" She asked, glancing up to me shyly.

"Of course." I replied.

"Can I kiss you?" She asked, staring me directly in the eyes as people around us raised their eyebrows and began chattering amongst themselves in hushed voices.