What I like about you

36

"You still mean the world to me. I never stopped having feelings for you." He grabs my hand in his.

I rip it out of his grasp.

"I'm with Ryder now, things are different."

Does he really think that will change my mind?

"Are you sure?" He asks.

"Yes, I'm sure, Blake!"

"I mean, he abandoned you at a stranger's house because he didn't want to ruin his perfect angel record." He lets out a deep humorless laugh.

"Those weren't his intentions..." I mumble.

"Oh, please, don't tell me that you forgave him for that?!" He raises his voice.

"Yes, Blake, I did! Because, that's what people do. They forgive and forget!" I whisper yell.

"Then why didn't you forgive me?" The change in his voice and attitude was drastic.

A silence falls between us, both of us staring into each other's eyes.

"Because...you can't cover stab wounds with band aids."
And with that, I walk away, ending the conversation with that last word in.

I walk back to our table, my friends smiling until they see my expression.

"What happened?" They both hurriedly stand up.

"Can we leave?" My voice comes out shrill and weak, even if I tried to sound tough.

"Yeah, we'll go." Blaire looks at me in understanding.

Kyla stands up to go with us, I look at her.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to. I don't want to ruin your lunch."

"What are best friends for if we aren't there for each other." She smiles and says goodbye to Marcus.

We all walk out of the diner, get in Blaire's car and drive back to school. Of course, we pick up something to eat on the way there. It's not like we're going to forget about that.

When we do get to school, the bell signaling us to go to class goes off.
As I walk to my sixth period class, I see Ryder down the hall.

He still looks distant. His usually bright face and smile has dimmed.
What's wrong?

Once he looks up and sees me, a small smile forms on his face.

I smile back.
There.

He hurriedly walks right up to me, his voice low.
"We need to talk."
Then he continues his way to class, giving me one last wary look.

What is that about?

••••••••••••••

I try to listen to what the teacher is saying but my mind keeps wandering to somewhere else.

Why does Ryder need to talk to me?

Is it bad?

Is Blaire right, it's about our relationship?

What could it be about?

From all of these thoughts, my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Ryder.

Ryder:
> Meet me in the hall.

I feel my stomach drop.
Why am I so nervous?

I raise my hand, silently waiting for the teacher to see me.

"Yes, Miss. Martin?" He tips his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"May I go to the restroom?" I impatiently tap my foot, making it look like I need to actually go.

His eyes avert down to my continuously moving foot, the vein in his forehead beginning to pop out.

He sighs.

"Fine, go."

"Thank you." I rush out, soundlessly leaving the room.

I walk down the hall, searching for Ryder until I see him standing by the water fountains. There's still something off about him. Just the way that he's standing shows that something isn't good, or at least right.

My feet take slow, hesitant steps toward him.

"What's wrong?" I walk closer to him, giving him a concerned look.

My eyes drop down to the collar of his shirt, the material all wrinkled and mangled.

"I just needed to talk to you about something." He says with his eyes focused on anything but me.

"Okay...What is it?" I nervously ask.

"It's about us, Danny. I really do like you, it's just that...you deserve someone better."

"What are you saying?" Tears start to sting at the back of my eyes, threatening to fall out.

"I'm saying that we should break up." He finally looks at me, regret filling his eyes.

My eyes feel glossed over, the tears on the verge of pouring out.

"Wait, since when do you decide what's better for me?"

"Face it Danny, I don't mean to sound rude when I say this but, I don't love you. And we both know that you don't love me."

"It hasn't even been a month yet, Ryder." My voice cracks.

"Come on, please don't make this any harder for me than it already is." He rubs a frustrated hand over his face.

"I just don't understand...I-I" I look at him, then I look passed him.

I see someone down the hall, anger filling my emotions more than sadness.

Blake stands in the hall, clearly eavesdropping.

Him.

"You wanted this to happen, didn't you?!" I yell from my place down the hall.

He deciphers whether to feign confusion or to assert to the problem. He chooses the latter, walking over to us.

"Danielle..." He walks to me.

"No, you were just jealous. An now your wish came true." I let out a humorless laugh.

"Congratulations! You didn't win the girl."

I can't hold back the tears anymore, they start to viciously pour out.

I turn away from Blake.

Ryder tries to intervene.

"Danny..." He tries to grab my hand, but I yank it away.

I run down the halls and out the school doors.

The cold wind hits my damp cheeks, stinging my skin.

I dial a number on my phone.

Three rings, then she picks up.

"Mom...can you pick me up?"

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A/N: New chapter!! And I know, Danny sounds like a whiny baby. But, you have to give her a break, that's her first relationship and she never experienced a break up before.
And tying things together was the only thing that made sense for her. Don't worry, everything will get better. Anyways, thank you all so much for reading and everything!!
Thanks!!

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~ Hayleigh 💕