Some Kind of Wonderful (sequel to Give Me the Greenlight, Mr. Clifford)

Ch 4 - Jealous

Ryder drove the four of us to the cinema Friday night, after first stopping for pizza. We arrived early so we decided to kill some time playing games at the arcade next door. Ryder and Mason were fixated on beating each other on Guitar Hero, while Jaxson and I played air hockey.

After Jaxson won three games in a row, we decided to join the other two, who were in an intense Guitar Hero battle. I called dibs on playing the winner, which turned out to be Mason. Based on the smirk Ryder gave me, I had a feeling that he lost on purpose. Mason noticed, too.

"What?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Nothing," Ryder answered, still grinning.

I may have sucked at most games, and especially sucked at playing a real guitar, but Guitar Hero was my secret weapon. I could even kick Ryder's ass on that one sometimes. Though I must say, Mason gave me a run for my money. I barely won.

When it was nearing time for the movie to start and we got situated in our seats. I ended up between Mason and Ryder.

Mason asked me, "Have you ever tried playing guitar for real?"

I nearly got choked on my soda from laughing when he asked that. And I heard Ryder chuckle. "Oh my God, I suck. Ryder and my dad have tried to teach me. Bless their hearts. I just can't get the hang of it."

"Maybe you just didn't have the right teacher," he said, smugly.

"Hmm. Maybe. Are you saying that you're a good teacher?" I asked.

I heard Ryder clear his throat and his elbow hit mine as I said that. I shoved his elbow back.

"I dunno, maybe," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You'll have to give me a few lessons then."

I was kind of kidding. But then Mason replied, "How about tomorrow?"

"Oh? Well, sure," I replied, immediately getting nervous at the idea. "Like, at your place, or you want to hang out at Ryder's, or what?"

"Yeah, you could come over to my house if you want. That would be cool," Mason offered.

I thought for a second, imagining how weird it might be to be alone with Mason. I glanced at Ryder out of the corner of my eye, because I knew he had been listening to our conversation. He held up his hands as if to say "I'm not in this."

I turned my attention back to Mason and asked him, "Okay. Is noon a good time?"

"Yeah, noon is perfect. You have my number, right, in case something comes up?"

"Yep, I have it."

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Ryder teased me relentlessly on the way home about me going to Mason's the next day. "Katesby has a boyfriend," he kept saying in a childish voice. There were also comments such as, "Should we stop and buy some condoms?" and "Do I need to chaperone?" He continued harassing me even after we arrived at my house.

By the time we reached my room I had had enough. "Shut the fuck up, Ryder! God. At least I won't be calling you at two in the morning because I want to go home after getting wasted and fucking him." I regretted saying it as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

"That's mean, Kate," he said, looking genuinely hurt.

"Ry, I was joking, just like you. But you're right, it wasn't nice. I'm sorry," I apologized, hugging him.

He sighed, hugged me back, and put his head on top of mine. He mumbled, "It's okay, I deserve it."

"No, you don't. I need to get over it. I don't know what my problem is," I said, squeezing him tighter, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.