Chapter 2:
Ryan was that kid who never made friends easily. He disliked making conversation with strangers and if he could help it, he would never talk to anyone besides the people he was familiar with. It was this very quality of his that ended with the two of us as partners in class. Both of us were introverts and couldn’t be bothered about making friends. For weeks we would pair together and train without exchanging a single word. Ryan was always stronger than me, and I was never able to get the upper hand. It wasn’t until a particularly frustrating day for me that I completely lost my nerve and practically charged him.
I was the first to cry when I realized that I had straight out punched him in the face. All Ryan had done was smile at me. We were inseparable from that day. Soon after, I had learnt that Ryan had lost his mother to cancer two years before and was the sole reason for his shy behaviour. His dad was a kind man who loved his son and did whatever he could to make him happy. It wasn’t long before I was spending my time at Ryan’s home, eating supper, playing video games and at times sleeping over. David, Ryan’s father always welcomed me with open arms, never questioning my frequent visits to their home. He never failed to express his gratitude to me, seen as I was the first friend Ryan had made since the passing of his mother. Little did he know that Ryan was more of a lifesaver to me than I was to him.
I smile as I look at Ryan’s serious expression as he stares at the computer screen in utmost concentration. His blond hair is sticking up in all directions but still manages to look neat. His blue eyes move slowly over the screen as he purses his pink lips. Ryan has a strong straight jaw which he inherited from his father and he towers over me in all his 6’3” glory. Spending so much time in the gym and mixed martial arts classes left Ryan with a lean yet muscular built. It was painfully clear that Ryan was extremely good-looking, highlighted by his blond hair and blue eyes, his straight jaw line, and muscled body.
“Stop staring.” Ryan murmurs as he continues his slow perusal of the screen.
I blink, smiling at how he could read my every move, “I can’t help it, you just so cute when you all serious.” I lean forward in my seat to reach over and pinch his cheek.
He swats my hand away, “You know I hate when you do that.” He whines, rubbing his cheek while scowling at me.
I chuckle, “And you know I love you.”
His lips twitch with the smile that had the power to make an aching heart beat with renewed hope.
“Yeah, yeah,” he waves his hand flippantly but I knew that he liked it when I told him I love him, “let’s get down to business. Accommodation in New York is insanely expensive, so I arranged for us to stay with a friend for the time. The tournament starts in three weeks’ time. I’ve already made the call, so you set. Plus with the amount of fights and tourneys you’ve won till now, there was no way they could refuse you entry.”
“Wait, wait hold up,” I narrow my eyes at Ryan, keeping my expression serious, “you have a friend? When did this happen?”
Narrowing his eyes at me, Ryan flicks my nose as I chuckle, “I love how that’s all you heard from what I said, and yes I do have friends from besides you.”
“Sorry Mr Popular! But which name did you give?”
“Your name. Why, did you decide to change your name in the last few days, because if you did, I hope it’s something foreign, like maybe Giselle, or Mariya.”
I roll my eyes, “Yes Ryan, because I’ve always wanted to sound like a French maid.”
“And that’s bad why?”
“I am not having this discussion with you! I just didn’t want you to use the name my father knows.”
“Lea Anderson.” Ryan says, smiling at me. I guess he already figured out my plan.
I return the smile, “This way I can get some answers and not worry about him knowing who I am and going crazy, or kicking me out.”
“You sure that’s the best plan? I mean it can back fire.” He pushes the chair with his foot, moving from side to side.
I shrug, “I don’t know, but I’m sure that I don’t want to just walk in and start planning a reunion, plus I don’t know what to expect from him. I mean he left us and I haven’t seen him since I was seven. Who knows what type of person his become.” I fiddle with the pen, gazing off into space.
“Well whatever happens, remember I’m going to be there.” Ryan leans forward, squeezing my knee.
“Thank you.” I say sincerely, not able to express how grateful I was for a friend like him.
“You such a dork.” He chuckles, flicking my nose before walking over to my bed and flopping onto it.
“I just made that.” I grunt, walking over to him and kicking his dangling leg.
“Dork.” He chuckles before grabbing me around the waist and tossing me onto the bed so that I was lying next to him.
Rolling over I pull Ryan’s arm so that I can lie on his chest and naturally he wraps his arm around me. I sigh listening to the steady beat of his heart, watching the rise and fall of his chest. It was moments like these that made me forget everything, every trouble, every pain, every heart-ache, and every tear. I could lie in his arms for hours and we both wouldn’t say a word.
My thoughts float to the tournament and whether I could make it in an arena as big as that. I didn’t ever brag but I was good at what I did. Ryan and many other patrons of the gym continuously complimented me on my speed and agility. I could easily take on many of the male fighters, but many were not on the level of the fighters in these tourneys. Although the thought of fighting some of these fighters frightened me, I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement at the opportunity.
“It’s all going to work out Lea. Stop thinking so hard.” Ryan’s voice is soft as he strokes my back in a soothing manner. Everything Ryan ever did was to help me, he never failed to show me the good in life. Even the time when I was ‘diagnosed’ with attachment disorder and depression, the meds seemed to be endless, not to mention the fact that the court ruled against me leaving this place when I was eighteen. I was forced to go to a psychologist who claimed that if I was to leave home at such a young age then I was at risk of joining the wrong company, or even committing suicide. My mother played the sad, heart-broken mother, who assured the court that I would remain at home until I was fit to leave. When that was, only the lord knew.
It was some of the worst days of my life. Ryan stood by my side every day, even going to the extent to offer me the room in his home as he knew that I hated living here. Seeing as how he had suffered worse than I did, I always regarded him as the strongest person I have ever known. Even though he had struggled with his mother’s death when he was a kid, he had overcome the grief and soon his smile had become an everyday presence.
“Ryan, I’m not too sure about this plan. I mean, I don’t want my dad to know who I am so that I can find some answers before he starts sprouting stories at me, but what if I lose it and just start shouting at him. Or what if what I find out isn’t good and just makes everything worse? On top of that I have to try and win my fights so I don’t end up being sent home after the first round,” I groaned burying my head into Ryan’s chest, “this plan sucks big time.” I felt as if the rug had just been pulled from under my feet. How could I possibly follow through with this plan and come out unscathed? I would need to deal with seeing my father again after all these years, then pretending to be someone else while digging up his past and, not to add any extra pressure, try and win as many rounds as I can.
Ryan rolls over lifting my face so that he could give me the full force of his dead-serious stare. He holds my face gently as he looks down at me, his jaw is set in a firm line and his lips are tilted down.
“Firstly, I am going to be by your side the entire time, so whenever you feel like screaming I’ll be there to kick you in the head. Secondly, you’ve been waiting for this for so many years now, I think that you not looking for good or bad news but just news. Thirdly, you are way too good to be kicked out in the first round and since I am your manager slash couch I think you’ll do fine,” he lifts his lips into a smirk but his eyes never waver, “Fourthly…,” he pauses as if trying to remember what else needed attention, “uh… I guess that’s it.”
I shake my head chuckling, “You just ruined the ending.”
“Oh well excuse me for trying to give you a pep talk. Clearly I’m not cut out for this crap.” He rolls his eyes but keeps his hold on me as he leans over my laughing form.
“And yet you always manage to make me feel better.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him against me as I hug him tight. Ryan follows suit by wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me tight against his body. I can feel the warmth seep into me and I cherish the feel of his safe arms around my body.
Slowly Ryan loosens his hold as he lifts his head to gaze at me. His eyes have darkened into a cerulean blue and I find myself floating. I can’t help but stare at the intensity of his eyes. This couldn’t happen again, not now at least.
I sent a silent thank you to the big man as I hear my mother’s voice on the other side of my bedroom door.
“Lea! Are you busy? I…uh…thought…that maybe we could, you know, have dinner?” My mother’s voice is soft and vulnerable as it has been for the last couple of days. I can take the loud, obnoxious voice even the squeaky, angry voice but this voice always seemed to hurt my heart just a little bit.
Ryan sighs rolling over to lie on his back as he stares at the ceiling with an unreadable expression on his face. I realize what just happened before this but I’m too scared to say anything out loud. I sit up on the now messed bed, staring at Ryan’s handsome face, berating myself for letting it come so close.
“Lea…?” I turn my gaze towards the door, realizing that I hadn’t answered my mother.
I clear my throat, walking to the door and pulling it open. My mother is turning away as if she is about to walk away before she spins back around with a big smile on her make-up covered face. Her blond hair rolls over her shoulders in silky waves, accentuating the white dress she had on.
I try to pull a reasonable smile onto my face and it seems to satisfy her because her smile ups a notch. I almost feel like covering my eyes from the blinding white of her teeth.
“Dinner?” she whispers softly, looking so hopeful.
I clear my throat, “Uh, yeah sure,” turning my gaze to Ryan who is still staring at the ceiling with a frown on his face, “Ryan will be staying too.” His gaze snaps to mine and I offer him the smile I only ever gave him. He sighs before returning my smile and nodding.
I look back at my mother who’s currently staring at Ryan over my shoulder with a distressed expression on her face. I look back at Ryan to try and figure out what the look is for. I almost laugh out loud as I realize what the whole picture looks like, Ryan lying on my crumpled bed, wearing a wife beater and boxing shorts, while I stand here looking bedraggled in a tank top and pyjama shorts.
My mother decides to not comment on the scene she was witnessing but her look said it all.
“Well okay then. The food should be ready in ten minutes.” She forces a smile onto her face before scurrying away.
I close the door leaning my head on it. I knew my mother didn’t like Ryan but she had to get used to it now. He was staying no matter what. I put away my thoughts about our almost moment earlier and turn to look at Ryan.
“Mama Bear’s cooking for her cub now?” he quirks his eyebrows at me, his lips pulling into a small smirk.
I roll my eyes, “Psht, as if. It’s most probably take-out from some posh restaurant that caters for the rich and lazy.”
Ryan chuckles, pulling himself up off my bed, “Well that’s a relief, I almost thought I would have to suffer through a meal of your mum’s while trying not to cut my tongue out.” He widens his eyes, putting on a ridiculous expression that had me shaking my head with laughter. My mother wasn’t a bad cook, but the fact that she hasn’t used a cooking utensil in the last three years has caused that not-so-bad cooking to just drop to an all-time low. It just so happened that Ryan had decided to pig out and raid the refrigerator on the day that my mother had just bought a brand new recipe book. Safe to say Ryan stayed away from any unknown items in the refrigerator since that day, and my mother never spared that book a second glance.
It was safe to say dinner was extremely amusing. Ryan and I sit opposite to each other per mother's instructions, her blatant dislike of our relationship is as obvious as the stupidity of a Kardashian. Mum sits at the head of the table chatting away about anything and everything, trying miserably to include me in her conversation. She just doesn’t seem to understand that I have no idea how stunning the new Chanel range of handbags are.
Ryan, as a best friend should, continues making the weirdest remarks the entire time. I practically hack up a lung when he tells my mum, who was discussing booking us for a full-spa treatment this weekend, about the time he went for a Brazilian wax and because of some terrible accident he was now circumcised. I know that Ryan only says these things because my mother couldn’t be bothered to like him for who he is and frankly he is done trying to win her over. While I love Ryan’s crazy made up stories, my mother doesn’t find it that amusing. She practically chugs her too full glass of wine before running off for a much needed bath.
I chuckle as my mother leaves the dining room. Ryan is smiling like a cheesecake as he sips his soda.
“She’s probably going to expect me to go for a Brazilian wax too.”
“It’s a good thing you can’t get circumcised.” He says it seriously, nodding his head as if he made sense.
We chat for a while about the gym, the competition, his dad’s new job but make sure to steer clear of anything emotional. There’s always ease when it comes to Ryan, it could be anytime of the day and the feeling is still always there.
By the time Ryan leaves we have come up with a partially good plan. I say partially because after a bottle of my mum’s wine Ryan starts sprouting the most ridiculous ideas. Plastic surgery is on the list of roads to take in order to keep my identity safe, and steroids for winning all my fights. I made it clear to him, as he snickers his way out that he would never see a bottle of the devils piss ever again.