The Broken One

Chapter 20- Senior Year Round 2

Ryder's Point of View

I walked downstairs ready for my first day of my second year of senior year. I was just about to walk into the kitchen when I saw Megan in the kitchen with someone else. Someone with fading silver hair. I knew it was wrong, but I listened in from the hallway.

"So how are you dear? Blake had mentioned you had come back, but we were in London." Megan said.

"I'm good, how was London?" the person said confirming my suspicions were true, Megan was talking to Harley. I moved around so I could see them and sure enough they were both at the table drinking tea.

"So did you and Ryder talk? Is everything good between the two of you?" My aunt asked.

"What did Ryder say when you asked him?" Harley questioned.

Aunt Megan rolled her eyes. "You know boys, he doesn't tell me anything.

"I think he friend-zoned me," she mumbled.

"What an idiot," Aunt Megan said shaking her head.

"No, but don't get mad at him it was his choice and I have to respect that," Harley said quickly.

I wasn't sure what to do. This was so awkward, why did my aunt have to befriend the people I knew? I tried to go back around the kitchen and upstairs but the floorboard creaked and Harley turned her head and saw me. She quickly thanked Aunt Megan for the tea and left. Megan turned to where Harley was looking and saw me. She practically dragged me into the kitchen

"Ryder what am I going to do with you?" She said pressing her thumb and index finger into her temple. She sighed and sat down next to me.

"How can you two not see what I see in you guys?" she asked as she pushed a plate of food towards me.

I stared at her for awhile, unsure what to say. "She chose someone else over me," I said finally. "She left me for Daniel and didn't come back for three months," I said clearly still hurt by it.

"But Ryder, even you must know she doesn't even like Daniel."

"She told you about Daniel?" I said shocked.

"We are closer than you think," she said waving off my disbelief. "Ryder, the point is she did come back," Aunt Megan said gently. "She came back for you."

I shook my head angrily. "And what happened when she leaves again?" I demanded. "I already lost my mom and my dad. She hurt me once before and it was enough to tell me that if she leaves again, I won't be able to handle it."

Her gaze softened and she took my hand. "Ryder I know it's tough and I know it was hard to lose your parents at such a young age. In case you forgot, I lost a sister that die," she said quietly. "But you can't just shut out everyone and the feeling you have for them just because you are scared of getting hurt again."

"Why not?" I asked. "It would save me a lot of pain."

"Because if you shut every feeing out, yeah you avoid the bad ones but you never get to feel the good ones," she explained. "Don't you want to fall madly in love and feel the love your parents had for each other?"

"I'm so scared," I mumbled.

I know," she said pulling me into her arms. "She won't leave you, Ryder. It took so much strength and courage to come back, it would have been so easy for her parents to send her off somewhere knew but she came back for you. Trust me, that girl isn't going anywhere without you."

"You can't be sure of that," I pointed out.

Aunt Megan frowned. "If only you could see your relationship through my eyes. You guys do love each other, but when you start to get close, neither of you wants to drown the other with your past. I promise you, when you open up to each other. you guys will realize just how much you love each other," she said confidently.

"Wow, why are you and Jake so good at giving advice?" I asked.

"Please I taught that boy everything he knows," Aunt Megan said rolling her eyes. "Now get to school you're going to be late," she said practically shoving me out the door.

I got on my motorcycle and went to school. Once I got there I saw everyone staring at Harley. Probably wondering why she was back in school after disappearing, but the second they saw me they all turned and stared at me. I noticed Harley used that as an opportunity to escape and went inside towards her locker. I tried to follow, but the bell rang and I had to go the other way. I went to Math and sat in the back. Harley came in and saw me in the back, but sat near the middle.

After math, I went to music and I realized Harley would also be in this class. I sat by the piano and wait for her. She came in and noticed me, she looked around but she saw everyone already had a partner and headed in my direction. Once she sat down she took out her songbook and started to go through it. "What song do you want to do?" She said softly.

"Uh whatever you want," I said awkwardly.

She nodded and pulled out Taxi Cab by twenty one pilots. She sang it while I play piano.

We finished with enough time to perfect it a little bit and when the bell rings and we headed to our next classes without talking about anything other than the song. The rest of the day was uneventful up until science. Harley had her earbuds in and was not really working with me, while I was trying to make our liquid into slime, keyword: trying.

The teacher came over and got mad at Harley, but I could tell Harley was in a bad mood, something must have happened. It was clear she was not going to work today. 

"Get to work," the teacher said motioning for Harley to join me.

"I don't want to," she said bluntly.

"Well you were the one that chose to not come to school for five months so deal," The teacher told her.

Harley muttered something under her breath and I was not able to hear it, but apparently the teacher did and he sent her out of the room. Harley angrily stormed out with just her phone in hand. I looked down and saw her bag still on the ground. When the bell rang, I took her bag with me and looked around for her in the hallway. Surely she needed her bag for her next class. However I couldn't find her anywhere, I decided to check the parking lot to see if her car was there when I found her. She was standing a few feet away from a boy who looked around our age. I watched from a distance as Harley glared at him.

"What are you doing here?"