I am in the middle of blow drying my hair when the bathroom door swings open aggressively. "Why?" Luna asks her hands on her hips.
"Luna," I warn. "Be nice, this isn't hurting anyone."
"It is shirtless sleeping on our bedroom floor Francesca. It is disturbing my peace. Why can't it be at its own house?"
"Parker basically hasn't left hockey house since Saturday. Luna just try to be a little nicer to him, please, he has enough on his plate." I give Luna my best sad look because just like Ryder she is a complete sucker for it.
"You like him, don't you." Her tone isn't exactly accusatory but more stating what she already knows.
"It was an accident," I tell her. I feel bad this is how this conversation is happening. I should have told her, we tell each other everything, but lately I have just been with Ryder so much I never found the time.
"You could pick worse, I suppose."
"Like," I laugh as she sits on the edge of the tub while I plug in the straightener.
"Look at Maya's track record."
"Ok true but Alex is so sweet. He is exactly what she needs instead of those tools."
"He is not her type at all Fran, he is way too nerdy and sweet."
"Hey," Ryder interrupts, walking into the bathroom still half asleep. I catch Luna checking him out as he leans against the wall across from her. Even though she isn't his biggest fan, she can't deny that he is extremely hot, especially right now in his sweatpants that are sagging on his hips and no shirt. "Be nice to my bestie."
"Stan is a great guy, but Maya has a type," Luna defends her own statement.
"We just need to show her he is basically Christian Grey. Quiet nerd by day and kinky sex machine by night."
"Is he?" I ask not at all expecting that from Alex.
"Well I have no idea, but I heard he always makes sure a girl gets off twice when they hook up and the puck bunnies say he has a magic mouth."
"This is too much. We are going to see him at dinner in an hour, please." Luna leaves the room making fake gagging noises and Ryder happily takes her spot.
"How was your exam and speech?"
"The speech was fine, public speaking doesn't scare me but the test was shaky."
I reach out and adjust Ryder's hat so it sits correctly on his head instead of crooked. "You seemed to know what you were doing when I helped you review yesterday night on the phone. Though I will admit I don't really know much about quantum chemistry."
"I don't either apparently."
"I am sure you did great Ry. You seriously need to stop being so hard on yourself."
"Pot meet kettle," he grumbles, not impressed with my blatant hypocrisy.
"Whatever grumpy. At least Coach gave you the night off, you look like you need it."
"You have no idea." Ryder lowers himself from his spot to the ground and curls up by my feet. "Beck, what are you doing this summer?"
"Same thing I do every summer, working at the rink at home and preparing for the college skating championships in July."
"I thought finals was the first week in April? There is finals and championship?" I look down and notice Ryder is looking at his phone calendar. He put my skating competitions in his phone? Please hold while I melt into a puddle, he is so damn cute.
"Finals is only for people that place during the competition season with their school but July is for any college age skater and you can win money depending on where you place. Last year I won which is the money I originally used to pay for my ice time this semester but now it is being used for some new costumes and after the season ends I am going to finally buy new skates."
"Finally, you deserve new skates Beck." He looks so sincere as he smiles up at me from the ground. Even with the bags under his eyes he is easily the best looking guy in Michigan, though I am potentially bias.
"Hey," Maya greets as she walks into the bathroom nearly tripping on the boy at my feet.
Luna pops her head in as Maya gasps. "Don't trip on the dog," she smiles.
Ryder pops up from the floor and moments later he and Luna are loudly flinging insults at each other. "Hey My," I greet, ignoring my two children arguing.
"He is so hot, Fran why aren't you naked in his bed? The two of you together would be so hot it would be near illegal. It would be like two greek gods all sweaty and hot and," Maya pauses covering her mouth as if realizing where her mind just went. "I need to buy batteries for my toys if I am going to picture that."
"Maya!" I screech as she leaves the bathroom. I have never thought about sex with Ryder but thinking about it now I am pretty sure, given the outline in his pants, he would literally break me. Though no one ever talks about their experiences with Ryder. I don't think he's bad in bed because Maddie said they hooked up for like 2 months freshman year but unlike the rest of his team I have never heard anyone talk about him. Given what I know about him I would guess Ryder is as controlling in bed as he is the rest of the time. Not that I should be thinking about Ryder in bed because I doubt that will ever happen, but curiosity is just natural, right?
I finish getting ready and finally go to break up the two arguing in the bedroom. Tristian is on Luna's bed watching in amusement while the insult flinging continues. "Alright, the fun is over, time to go," I announce.
Thing one and thing two finally stop arguing and I throw Ryder his shirt while Luna finally greets Tristian. Maya meets us in the living room and we all head to Pickles for dinner. When we arrive Alex is alone in a booth waiting. "Maya why don't you go sit with Alex while we grab drinks, I got you," I tell her pushing her toward the table.
"Sneaky butt," Ryder winks as we head to the bar while Luna shakes her head at me. Luna it is for the greater good, get with the vision.
As we are ordering drinks Bray skips up behind Ryder and slings an arm over his shoulder. "I am not going to die a virgin," he tells Ryder proudly, "and you were right in the car," he rushes the end part before hurrying off to Parker.
I look at Ryder in confusion but he just has a smug look on his face. "Right about?" I ask.
"Everything," he smiles and boops my nose before grabbing both our drinks and joining our table. I follow behind him slightly dazed from the little nose boop I just received.
I slide into the booth on the end across from Tristian who is next to Luna, Maya, and Alex. Somehow I got stuck on the side with Bray and Ryder who are both huge and therefore I barely fit. Ryder notices me barely having room and pulls me basically onto his lap so I don't fall. "You ok?" he asks with a secure grip around my waist.
I nod because at the moment I don't think I can form sentences. Maya has put all kinds of dirty thoughts in my head that I never had before. My crush on Ryder, before today, was more innocent. I liked him because he made me feel safe and understood me. But now I can't stop thinking about him pulling my hair and slapping my ass because I talked back to him. I am not sure if that is really what Ryder is like but my brain has decided that and there is no going back now.
When I zone back into the conversation, Bray is talking and Ryder is trying to hide a frown. "Yeah, they are so excited but I am still a little nervous."
"Why?" Maya asks, thankfully keeping the conversation going. I have know idea who they is.
"I don't know. I came out to my parents over the summer and they were super supportive but this is my first boyfriend and they are still old people from Michigan. Rural Michigan no less, so they just have never really been exposed to anything like this before. I think they will like Parker, I mean who couldn't?" Bray kisses Parker softly before looking back at Maya who he was talking to.
"But," she prompts.
"You know old people. I am just worried they will say something offensive on accident. My parents grew up as very god fearing people with the aids epidemic, they haven't exactly been properly informed on gay people and gay relationships."
"I am sure they will try their hardest Bray, they love you and would never want to hurt you," Parker assures him, giving his hand a squeeze. Ryder is staring down at the table and I understand now where the frown came from. Ryder doesn't give away much about his family but he will occasionally throw out that his parents hate him.
"When my cousin came out my dad was the first one to speak and all he said was I thought about trying that in college."
"Stan, this is why you dad is the man," Bray laughs. "He is coming this weekend right?"
"Yeah I think most people's families are since it is the last home game and the Big10 finals. I think Bern was suggesting we have a party but invite the parents, kind of like the Frats do parents' weekend."
"That sounds hysterical," Luna chimes in. "If you guys have a parents party I am so there!"
Ryder nudges me a little and I quickly move so he can get up. Alex and Bray watch him walk away looking guilty. "Shit," Bray curses, basically running from the table to chase Ryder. Alex climbs over the table and follows.
The boys aren't gone for long but when they do return the subject of parents is completely avoided. Ryder is quite the rest of the night, buried in his phone typing away. Every time his phone vibrates, his mood worsens. By the time we are paying the check Ryder has had more drinks than he should have but doesn't seem to notice how intoxicated he is.
Bray and Alex are trying to figure out who will drive him home when I pop into the conversation. "I have no morning class tomorrow because we have a take home exam so if it's easier I can take his keys and drive him home."
They look at each other as if they are talking telepathically before nodding. Bray hands me the keys I didn't even realize he stole from Ryder. "If you need help or he starts being an ass just call one of us, we are pretty used to him."
"I can handle him," I tell them confidently.
"Get our boy home safe Beck," Bray says sadly before walking off to rejoin Parker. Alex watches Ryder at the bar, throwing back another drink, he looks like he wants to say something but instead just signs and leaves.
I walk over to the bar and give the bartender the signal to cut Ryder off. "Francesca don't. I don't need you babysitting me," Ryder warns, noticing what I just did.
"Can we go home Ry?" I plead. I think he is going to say yes, I think I won at least this battle but then he phone vibrates and I watch the almost slip away as he flags down a different bartender and orders another drink.
As I watch him I get this sinking feeling that maybe I bit off more than I could chew offering to drive him home.