Crossed Paths // Ross Lynch

nine

"Rydel, I need to ask you something," Ross said, sounding rather nervous.

His voice was cracking a little from anxiety and he was playing with his fingers the way he always did when he got a bit worried about everything. Brushing a hand through his long blonde hair which had fallen into his eyes, he watched as his sister wriggled her shoulders on the couch, sitting up tall and straight as if she was suddenly the boss of the entire house.

Ross thought she acted like it. She was always so protective over them all, forever nagging them about going outside and trying to be unseen. The only time Ross had been outside was when he was busking with her, except from the time he sneaked out to the market where he met Chloe. 

"And that would be?" Rydel asked, raising a finely plucked eyebrow.

She crossed her arms defensively over her chest and smirked her at her brother as if she had all the power in the world. Ross took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He really was nervous about asking his sister's permission about it.

She was so protective and she knew that if he ever messed up, ever made some stupid mistake, she would convince herself that they would all be found out and dragged away forever. And he could never forgive himself if he ever did it, but he had worked up the courage to ask her because if she said yes, it could have been the greatest decision he had ever made. 

"I was wondering, if uh...if uh...if..." he stuttered nervously.

"Just spit it out, silly!" Rydel teased, letting a small giggle escape her lips.

She put her hands on her hips, expectantly waiting for an answer from her brother. He always took his time, leaving her in suspense, but this time she knew it was serious. He was never this nervous around her. So it was definitely something that was worth asking about. 

"Well, uh, I was wondering if Chloe could maybe come out with me today? I wanted to just take her out for the day and have a bit of fun with her, just some time to relax. I really like her, Rydel. Like, I really, really like her. And I want to sort things out between us, have some sort of friendship instead of me being just the random guy who spoke to her this one time. Please?"

"Ross, you know what I told you! You know what'll happen if we go out for too long, especially if you're going around the village! What if you're caught, she's caught, what if we're all found out and then we're all separated? I can't do that, Ross! I can't live that and neither can you! We can't be separated all because of...all because of her!"

"No, no, no, but it won't be Chloe's fault or anything like that! We'll just...we'll be okay, I promise you! We'll go outside the village, go on a little walk and all that, just chat. I might even take her busking! You never know, she could be good, right? I've heard her sing before like when she's going about the house, she's good, Rydel, she's getting good. And I promise we won't be caught."

"Ross!" Rydel whined, "but what if you are?"

"But what if we're not?" Ross retorted, a smirk crossing his lips, "what if we're not? What if me and Chloe go out for the day and have the best time ever? What if we go busking and we make loads of money and it's great? Look what you're holding me back from, look what you're holding Chloe back from! This could be the start of an actual friendship for me."

"But it's not a friendship, is it, Ross? You like her, don't you? You really like her!" Rydel questioned. At this, Ross blushed bright red, the blood surging to his cheeks. Rydel raised her eyebrows, rather pleased with herself about the fact that she was right. 

"M-maybe," he stuttered.

"You do, Ross. I know you do. And I also know that you're not doing this to 'become friends' or anything like that. You're doing it so that you can get her to fall in love with you. You're doing it so you can bloody get her to fall for you and then you'll tell her all about us and spill our entire freaking life story and then...and then..."