•Ryder's POV•
"Are you sure you're all good to do this?" I ask Josh as we walk to the cafeteria.
He rolls his eyes, "Yes Ryder, I'll be fine."
I purse my lips, "Just making sure."
"Hey guys." Layla says as her and Mandy come out from another hallway.
"Hey." We reply.
"Gosh, I feel like I haven't been in this place for ages." Mandy says, gesturing to the school.
"Yeah we all missed so much school, and now it's almost break again." Josh replies.
We enter the cafeteria and sit down at our usual table where all the others are, I see Mara's head down into the paper she's studying and snatch the pen out of her hand.
"Hey!" She snaps, trying to reach for it when I pull it further away from her.
"You need a break, you've been non-stop studying for weeks." I reply.
She rolls her eyes and puts her notebook away, "Only because I'm behind."
Claire scoffs, "We all are."
The pack was extremely happy when we announced Claire's return, it took them a while to fully come to terms with all the drama but everyone's good now.
"Where's Ryan and Torah?" Mara asks.
Trent shrugs, "Probably making out in a secret place or something."
Mara screws up her face, "Ew."
Josh wraps his arm around Claire and Trent does the same to Layla. I look to Mara, now reading a text book while eating her soup, and stifle a laugh.
She looks at me and frowns, "What?"
I flick her nose, "You're just too cute."
She swipes my hand away and goes back to her book, "Shut up." She mumbles.
Ryan and Torah finally make their appearance and sit down, giggling about something.
"Where have you guys been? Making out somewhere?" Josh asks.
Torah goes bright red and tries to hide her face behind her hair while Ryan swings his arm over the back of her chair and smirks.
Mara stands up and collects her stuff, "Ew, I'm getting out of here before this gets even more uncomfortable then it already is."
When she starts to leave I get up too and follow her, catching up with her as we get to the hallway.
She goes to her locker and shoves her books inside.
"So," I begin, leaning against the locker next to her, "I was think we could ditch the last class of the day?"
She looks at me and intakes in a breath to start her rant, "Ryder, you know I'm really behind in all my class-"
But I don't let her finish as I bring my lips to hers, igniting the fireworks that happen every time we kiss.
When I break away she just gives me a look, "Bribery now, huh?" She asks.
I roll my eyes, "Come on, just this once. You need something to get your mind off school."
She sighs and looks into her locker, after a minutes she sighs again and shuts the door, "Fine. But just this once." She points at me.
I nod, "Sure thing, come on now."
I grab her hand and speed walk out of the school to my car.
"Why in such a rush?" Mara asks.
I smirk at her as we get into the car, "Because we can't be late."
She frowns at me as we drive off, "Can't be late? Late for what?" She asks.
I shake my head, "Nope, not telling."
She pouts her bottom lip out and crosses her arms, "Why not? You never tell me anything."
I laugh and peek at her, "It's all part of the fun."
•Mara's POV•
I frown what feels like hours later at the sinking sun.
"I thought when you said 'ditch' you meant go to the nearest restaurant or something, why are we driving for so long?" I ask.
He just smiles and shrugs.
I groan and look back out the window.
"All part of the fun." He repeats.
When we finally start slowing down I look out the window to see anything familiar.
We start to pull into a gravel driveway and I look through Ryder's side window and see a large sign that reads 'Drive-in cinema'.
my face lightens up to this, "A drive-in cinema?"
He smirks, "I thought you'd like it."
I jump in my seat, "What are we watching?"
"Well, I was hoping it would be an old romantic, but it turns out it's The Wizard of Oz." He says.
I laugh, "Well, you're lucky that's like my all time favourite movie."
"Really?" He asks.
I nod, "Yep."
"Well then I feel like this won't be the last time we watch this." He says, turning off the car once we find a spot.
I shake my head, "Definitely not."
He reaches in the back of the car and grabs a shopping bag, I watch as he pulls out different foods. Chocolate, marshmallows, lollies and M&M's.
I grin, "Well, you prepared in advance didn't you?"
He pinches my cheek, "Only for you."
I giggle and smack his hand away, "Shhh, it's starting."
He smirks and then takes off his seat-belt and opens his door.
I lean over, "What are you doing?"
He looks at me, "Come on, I have an idea."
I shrug and get out, when I look over the car, Ryder's head is in the backseat.
"I'm really confused right now." I state.
He comes out with a two large rugs and all the food he had before, he gestures to the bonnet of the car and then spreads the rugs over it.
"After you milady." He motions.
I smile and crawl into it, turning around and laying back against the windscreen.
Ryder follows and it's perfect timing for the start of the movie.
He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer while popping a marshmallow in his mouth.
I lean in and kiss his cheek before looking back to the movie.
"What was that for?" He asks.
I peek at him, "For all this."
He scoffs, "I think I deserve more than just a kiss on the cheek, don't you think?" He asks, leaning in.
I push his head away, "Be quiet, we're missing it."
He rolls his eyes and lays back, arm still around me, "Fine, but only for you."
A smile forms on my lips as Dorothy opens the door to the land of Oz.
We snack on our treats as the movie continues, when it's over Ryder and I sit up, our back cracking from being in such a slouched position the whole time.
I stretch my hands above my head and let out a yawn, "That was so good."
Ryder laughs, "I don't get how you can watch a movie over and over and never get bored of it."
I shrug, "It's a girl thing."
He raises his eyebrows at me, "A girl thing huh?"
I nod, "I would think so, name one movie you've watched more than twice."
He looks up and thinks for a bit, "Nope, can't think of one."
I put my hand out in a 'duh' gesture, "See?"
Ryder grabs my hand and pulls me closer, "I don't care about movies and how many times I've watched them." He says in a low voice, his hand caressing my face.
"No?" I mutter.
He shakes his head, "No."
"Why's that?" I whisper, my eyelids fluttering closed as his fingertips trace my nose.
He's so close that I feel his warm breath tickle my skin, "Because I get to watch you everyday, and that's something I could do forever."
Then I lean in and close the gap, our lips clash, sparking the instant fireworks that never dim. I reach my hands up and clasp them around the back of his neck, leaning deeper into the passion-filled kiss.
He lowers my back onto the windscreen, holding his body up so he doesn't squash me.
In that minute that we're together, it's just him and I. Ryder and I.
We don't care about the cars as they pass, the chatter of people as they say goodbye, or the loud plane that flies overhead.
All that matters in this very moment is Ryder and I.
And I love it.
When we pull away, needing air, he rests his forehead on me, "I love you." I whisper.
He grins, "I love you too."
He gets up from the bonnet and pulls me up with him, "How about a late night run?"
I grin, "Sounds perfect."
"You better run babe," He says, "Because I'm leaving if you can't keep up."
I give him a look, "Way to kill the moment."
He laughs and sprints off, shifting as he enters the edge of the forest, I laugh too and run after him, shifting into my tiger and following the black figure in front of me.
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Hi everyone!
Okay, well next chapter is the last one! This chapter was a bit of a filler but I think we all love a bit of Ryder-Mara time ;)
I have an assessment free week this week so hopefully plenty of time for writing, I plan to have the book finished by the end of this week.
Stay tuned, vote and comment!
Thank you heaps! xx