Never the Same

Fourty-four

THREE MONTHS LATER.

"Come on. Get up and have some fun with me and Jaydon," Alison said and tried to drag me out of bed, I've been a depressed mess ever since, well you know what.

"Hold on, I'm getting a call," I said and answered my phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, am I speaking to Aspen Smith?"

"Yes this is her. Is something wrong?"

"This is Sharon from L.A. hospital. Your mom is going into labor. She told me to call you." I sat up straight and hopped out of bed.

"I'll be right there." I hung up and quickly changed into light wash jeans with rips in then, a muscle tee that said nobody cares with Lisa from the Simpsons making a L on her hands, and some black vans. I throw my hair in a ponytail when I was going to my silver Infinity.

I sped through L.A and finally to the hospital. "Smiths. I'm the daughter," I say to the receptionist and tap my foot on the floor.

"Room 193," The receptionist said and smiled at me. I run to the room and the nurse said I wasn't allowed to go in.

I walk to the waiting room when I see someone's back to me, someone with dark hair. My life is about to be turned upside down, but nothing fully registers.

It can't be, I'm going insane. But when he turns around and those familiar emerald eyes pierce mind, reality checks in.

Ryder is here. Ten steps away from me. Oh, God, every feeling I've ever had for him comes rushing back like a tidal wave. I don't know what to do or say.

"Aspen's here," I hear him tell Daniel.

Like a robot, I walk towards daniel and wrap him in a hug. When I release him, Ryder is standing in front of me, wearing khaki shorts and a blue- checkered button-down shirt. I can only stare at him, my stomach does flip flops, making me queasy. All I can see is him.

I finally find my voice. "R-Ryder...? W-what are you doing here," I ask, all tongue tied.

He shrugs. "I promised Daniel that he can see your baby sister."

We stand here, staring at each other, some invisible force keeping me from looking away. "You came all the way to California just to see my baby sister?"

"Well, that's not the only reason. I'm going to college here."

Ryder? In college? I feel tears sting my eyes.

"Shh." He puts his arms around me, rubbing his hands across my back. "It's all right. I'm okay," he chants over and over again, his voice catching.

He feels good. This feels good.

He rests his forehead against mine. "You need to know something. I agreed to the bet because deep down I knee that if I got emotionally involved, it'd kill me. And it nearly did. You were the one girl who made me risk everything for a future worth having." He straightens and takes one step back to look me in the eye. "I'm so sorry, tell me want and I'll give it to you. If it'll make you happy for me to leave you alone for the rest of your life, say the word. But if you still want me, I'll do my best to be this..." He gestures to his clothes. "How can I prove to you I've changed?"

"I've changed too," I tell him. "I'm not the girl I was before. And I'm sorry, but those clothes... they're not you."

"It's what you want."

"You're wrong, Ryder. I want you. Not a fake image. I definitely prefer you in jeans and a T-shirt, because that's who you are."

He looks down at his attire and chuckles. "You're right." He looks back up at me. "You once said you loved me. Do you still?"

"I never stopped loving you. Even when I tried desperately to forget you, I couldn't."

He let's out a long, slow breath and rubs his forehead in relief. His eyes look glassy, filled with emotion. I feel my own eyes welling up again and I gather a handful of his shirt in my fist. "I don't want to fight all the time, Ryder. Dating should be fun. Love should be good." I'm pulling him toward me. I want his lips on mine. "W-will it ever be good for us?"

Our lips almost touch before he pulls away from me, but then he-

Oh. My. God.

He kneels on one knee before me, holds my hand in his, and my heart skips more than a few beats. "Aspen Smith, I'm going to prove to you that I'm the right guy for you and I'm gonna be the successful man you dreamed I could be. My plan is to ask you to marry me four years for now, the day we graduate." He cocks his head. "What do you think? You own my soul."

I can't help but smile as I swipe a lone tear trailing down my cheek. How can I not be crazy in love with this guy? Time away for him didn't change anything. I can't deny him another chance. That would be denying myself.

Time to take the risk, to trust once again.

"Daniel, you think she'll take me back?" I feel tears running down my cheeks at full speed.

"Yeah!" Daniel yells with his smile. His lips finally dear near mine, more powerful than ever before.

Wow. The solar system is finally in alignment, and and I get my Do Over without even asking.