Before Anastasia could answer, Ryder pulled her up and whisked her away. “Aren’t we dancing on the dance floor?” Asked Anastasia when he didn’t lead her to the dance floor where the music was on and everyone was busy dancing.
“No,” said Ryder gruffly. Anastasia gave him a look. What was wrong with him? Why was he behaving in such a manner? He had been avoiding her after the game of tug and war as if she didn’t exist at all. Now all of a sudden, when she was about to leave, he remembered her.
“I’m not going anywhere with you, Ryder. I need to go home now,” she pointed out. Ryder whirled her around to face him.
“You have to dance with me. How can you leave so soon? I’m not asking for anything else. I’m trying to stay within my limits, am I not?” he asked, looking hurt. Anastasia gaped at him. He was the one who wasted the opportunity by ignoring her and now how could he look hurt?
“You’re the one who kept on ignoring me after the games. You had other important work to do, so how can you blame me now?” asked Anastasia with disbelief.
“You think I had a choice? You don’t want me to kiss you. You want me to be only a friend to you. I don’t think I can be that anymore, Annie. Every time I’m with you, all I want to do is kiss you,” said Ryder, pulling her flush against his chest. Anastasia gasped with surprise and before she could react, his lips crashed to hers in a smoldering kiss. His fingers held onto the back of her head to dominate her mouth fully while his lips parted hers expertly. He deepened the kiss, his tongue plunging into her sweet mouth. It was exactly what he had been dreaming of doing for the last few days. It had robbed him off his sleep, his peace of mind and now that he had finally got what he wanted, it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He passionately tasted every recess of her sweet mouth yet Anastasia didn’t kiss him back. Frustrated, he broke off momentarily and kissed her neck, sucking the sweet spot there.
“Kiss me, Annie,” he whispered into her ear, licking a hot trail down to her face.
“Oh, Blue,” she whispered back, her eager mouth, sweetly claiming his. Ryder was lost in the torture. Her soft touch on his cheeks and the way her sweet mouth deepened the kiss, all made him soar to a different world altogether. He pulled her closer and a moan of pleasure escaped his mouth.
The sudden sound of footsteps alerted them and they drew apart, breathing heavily. Ryder looked up to see Rihanna coming towards them. She looked a little worried. “What happened?” asked Ryder.
“Annie’s grandparents are leaving. We looked everywhere but couldn’t find Ana,” said Rihanna. Then she turned to Anastasia. “Come quickly. Granny’s in a hurry to go home,” she said.
“Oh, what’s the hurry? Isn’t she feeling well?” asked Anastasia, rushing along with her.
“I have no idea, Ana. Maybe she isn’t feeling well,” said Rihanna.
Ryder sighed and stood there watching her go. She didn’t even turn to look at her, as if she had forgotten what they had just shared. However, his heart didn’t want her to go. He wanted to keep her here with him forever. At the bend, just before disappearing Anastasia looked back. Her sad eyes connected with Ryder’s melancholy ones, filled with so much longing. Her heart went out to him. She blew him a kiss and smiled. Ryder’s eyes lit up as he caught the kiss she blew in his direction. He smiled back, his eyes dancing with excitement. He would go to her house early in the morning before going to college and snatch another kiss from her.
They rushed inside just as her grandparents were at the main door. She hugged Renée and her mom and ran after them. “What happened granny? Are you feeling sick?” she asked worriedly.
Grandpa started the car and they all climbed in. “No, I’m okay. I just received a phone call from your mom. She’s here,” said her granny, with a look of dread on her face. Anastasia paled at the news, her face losing all its color instantly.
“Here? Where?” she asked, looking scared and vulnerable, dreading granny’s answer.
“In Fordsville, at our house. She’d been waiting for the last twenty minutes,” informed granny while a sullen and quiet grandpa just drove on. They knew that Bianca hated them and would never visit them if she weren’t compelled to. Maybe this time she came to take Anastasia away from them forever.
“Oh, I’m sure that she’d be furious with me,” said Anastasia, trembling with fear. Granny placed an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer.
“Don’t worry, dear. I’m sure she would understand,” she comforted her but she knew deep down how exactly Bianca Farrell was, selfish, vain and cruel. It wasn’t her fault that she was that way. Her mentor, Madame Slovene had molded her exactly the way she herself was. Anastasia felt tears prick at her eyes as she realized that the time had come for her to say goodbye to everything she held dear. Ryder’s face flitted across her mind, it had so much longing, so much love. She realized at that moment that he really did love her after all! But it was too late. She wouldn’t be able to see him again, even for the last time.
They reached her grandparents house and saw her mom waiting at the doorstep with a small trolley bag. It didn’t look as if she had plans of staying longer than needed. However, it was the angry scowl on her face that had her gripping onto granny bands for support. Bianca Farrell had never been the loving and sweet mom, she had wanted. She was in fact everything but that. Anastasia stopped expecting anything from her, it was clear why she had adopted her in the first place.
Grandpa parked his car with a grim expression on his face while granny and Anastasia climbed out, dreading what Bianca Farrell would do. “Where the hell were you, Anastasia? I had to wait for twenty minutes for you? You’ve grown wings, have you? It really was a mistake to send you here, it seems,” she gritted out with anger.
“I had no idea that you were coming down, mom. I had gone to a friend’s birthday party,” Anastasia said, looking guiltily at her feet. Her mom seemed to explode with anger at her answer. Granny unlocked the door since a neighbor peered out to see the cause of so much commotion.
“Birthday party? So you’ve been partying here while Madame Slovene is paying your college fees in Las Vegas. How can you be so irresponsible Anastasia? I’m really disappointed in you. Out of so many, I chose you and this is what you give back to me?” said her mom angrily. Grandpa didn’t say a single word and just walked into the house to his room. The sight of her gave him a headache. Anastasia started sobbing, her heart filling up at her cruel words.
“Bianca, can we go inside and talk?” asked granny, softly. Bianca gave her a look full of hatred. She pulled her trolley and barged into the house angrily.
“There’s nothing to talk about actually. I’m amazed at your small town mentality, Daisy. Couldn’t you have stopped Anastasia from going?” charged her mom. Granny Daisy looked at her calmly. She never lost her patience despite the angry insinuating remarks that Bianca always threw in her face whenever they met. She never expects anything better from Bianca. She forced their son David to change his surname from Hampton to Farrell since it was more modern and stylish. That broke the last link they had with their son.
“Why should I? Is she a robot without feelings? Everyone has a right to make friends. Don’t you have friends? Don’t you go to their parties? Then how is Ana any different?” she said, walking away leaving Bianca seething with anger.
“I knew it. I knew that they would do nothing but spoil you,” said her mom. Then she gave Anastasia a look of disgust. “Stop wasting your crocodile tears. They have no effect upon me. Just pack your things up. We’re leaving tomorrow at the crack of dawn,” said Bianca, walking over to the guest room downstairs. Anastasia ran up the stairs to her room and flung herself into her bed, sobbing her heart out into her pillow. If she could she would have escaped but where? Maybe to Ryder?
The idea kept on forming in her head. She wanted to escape but somehow she couldn’t do it. Reluctantly she packed everything and sat down to cry again, her heart wanting to revolt against her mom. There was a soft knock on her door and granny and grandpa peered in. They came inside to comfort her, trying to calm her down. “I’m sure God will help you when the time is right. Till then just smile and walk the path that he has chosen for you. This is a test, Ana. I don’t want you to fail. Study hard and make us all proud. When you’re independent and capable of standing on your own two feet and have given back what you owe, take a decision. Then do what your heart desires,” said granny.
“It might be too late, granny,” said Anastasia.
“If you’re destined for someone, he’ll wait for you forever, Ana. Learn to trust,” said granny.
“Yes, Ryder is a very good boy. I’m sure he loves you very much. As for us, we’ll wait for you as long as we are alive,” said grandpa. They hugged each other and later after they left, Anastasia found peace in her heart and she soon dozed off.