Never the Same

Thirty

Ryder's POV.

With every word Taylor said, Aspen cried harder, her bottom lip was quivering and soft sobs were coming out of her mouth. It broke my heart not to go and hug her to death.

"So there you go. That's the story," Taylor said, a smirk played on his lips. He thought he'd win Aspen's love and I'd hate her. Wrong Taylor. Very very wrong.

"That's cool. Now leave," I said and smiled, this caught both of their attention. Taylor stood straight up and his eyes blew out of his sockets, Aspen's face came out from hiding in her knees. Taylor's mouth was in a perfect 'o' shape.

"W-w-what," Aspen's soft angelic voice said. Even when she was crying she sounded perfect. I'm so confused about how God created someone so perfect.

"You heard me. But he clearly didn't. Leave before I call security. I'm not afraid to. Don't test me." Taylor was taken back by me standing up to him, I could tell. His smile disappeared and he was just standing there.

"Call security. They should be afraid of me," Taylor said confidently. It came out funny because I broke his confidence.

"Okay, Aspen call Austin." I look at her and she's still in shock, she still looks cute. She does as I say and pulls her phone out to call Austin but Taylor runs out of the room before she can type in Austin's number.

"Why," Aspen asks, while shutting her phone off and placing it on the bedside table.

"Why what?" I run my hands through my hair, it's hardly four in the afternoon and I'm so damn tired.

"Why are you still here?" She leaned in a little bit closer, but keeping a safe distance from me. I've noticed that her eyes were bloodshot and she's stopped crying, at least were improving.

"Because you've ran out on me and I know how depressing that is. I don't want you to feel that way. Besides that was in the past." I inch closer to her and grab her waist. I pull her onto my lap and we just sit there, in utter silence.

"I didn't mean to you know? That kiss was nothing to me. All of the ones that aren't you are nothing to me. I went around California and found random guys, hoping they'd fill the hole that you did for so long. They didn't, I did things of the unspeakable just to survive out here. And it sucks. It really does, it's a shame actually. I want to go home with you, to see my mom, to see Carlos and Daniel, to see Kate, Alison, Blair, Camden, Jaydon, and Trenton. I miss everyone." I pull her close to my chest and stroke her hair lightly.

"Shh. Were gonna go back tomorrow I got us tickets. Shh, everything's going to be okay." I hold her closer to my chest and I wouldn't let go. I wouldn't.

"Tomorrow?" She sniffles lightly, she must be crying.

"Yes tomorrow baby girl. Is that okay?" She just nods before getting up, grabbing some clothes and going into the bathroom. She comes back out in a muscle tee with a skull on it, red shorts, and red vans. Her hair was down in curls, I'm assuming her natural curls. She looked effortlessly perfect. She grabbed a black purse and motioned for me to follow her. I quickly throw on a white shirt, black jeans and black converse.

"Why do you always wear white shirts," Aspen asks as she locks up her apartment. She always has to lock it twice, just to make sure.

"It's something my dad did before, well you know. It just became a habit to do it I guess. It's nothing special," I say and shove my hands in my pockets while we walk down the hallway.

"How old was Daniel? How old were you?" She's gonna ask a lot of questions, I could tell. She runs her hands through her blonde hair and smiles at me.

"Daniel was two so I was fourteen. Carlos was twelve and didn't take it very well. He started getting into fights and disrespecting girls, just like my dad did to my mom. Just a part of life, I try to teach him right instead of wrong. But that isn't working out. I begged my mom to bring you and your family over so he could see the way your dad treated your mom." I click the elevator button to the lobby.

"Yeah. Look at what happened, a divorce and a dead dad." She snorted and pulls a cigarette with a lighter, offering me a cigarette. I take it and smile at her. But we wait till we get outside to smoke.

"But then us happened, and I hoped we would change the way he would think. That people could change, people can become better, people can forgive and put away the past. But then you left and everyone constantly asks about you and it breaks my heart every time I hear your name." Aspen grabs my hand and lights the cigarettes. She puts her in between her lips.

"I haven't changed you though, people don't change. People never change. Don't you ever wish you could go back in time and change everything? I wish I could've saved my mom and dad from divorcing. My life would've been happier, I would change all the fighting. If only, but the world doesn't work like that. The world is a wicked place, it takes up your perfect life and kills it. I hate the world. I had a perfect life and it got ruined by my stupid dad and mom." She puffs out smoke as we cross the street to the beach.

"My life has never been perfect Aspen. My dad would come home drunk and abuse my mom. She would tell me to take Carlos and hide with him in the closet of my room. Daniel wasn't born yet. I remember one time he came into my room, looking for me and Carlos, I hid Carlos under the clothes and I took the blow. I was only eight, Carlos was six. You have no idea what it's like to have your dad hit you so don't you dare say your life isn't perfect. Cause it's way more perfect than mine." All of a sudden, Aspen's arms are around my neck, she's hugging me.

"I'm so sorry Ryder. I'm here for you. I love you so much." She mumbled into my neck, she was on her tip toes.

"Aspen. It's cool. Let's just go."