"What happened?"
"Can I just tell you later?" I groan.
Sherry, one of my friends from soccer, looks at me dead in the eye. A single brow lifted up. Then, she raised a perfectly manicured finger at me.
"You better tell me everything! And don't you think about forgetting!"
She stares at me as she walks backwards, turning around and fully walking away.
I sigh out just as my name's called.
"Danny!"
I turn my head towards the voice, seeing Ryder leaning up against his car.
I mentally roll my eyes and smile at the same time.
I'm still very much annoyed by him, but what he did was sweet.
I walk over to him, seeing that stupid smirk play at his lips. The same smirk that Blake had that used to drive me crazy.
"You're pretty good out there." He sheepishly smiles.
"Thanks...what are you doing here?" I look around.
Most of the girls have already left, leaving only him and I.
"I came to give you a ride home." He stands up straight, running his hand along the side of his sleek car.
"Well, my mom is coming to pick me up." I step back.
"How long is she going to take though?" He lifts an eyebrow, shoving his hands in his pockets.
I think for a minuet, realizing that he's right.
She does take awhile to pick me up since she's at work.
I'll give her a break.
"Fine." I sigh out, looking up at him. His stupid smile making me roll my eyes.
He runs over to the passenger side, opening the door for me to get in.
"M'lady." He waves for me to go inside.
I take my time, walking to where he's at and slowly getting in.
"Thank you." He closes the door and jogs over to the drivers side, effortlessly slipping in and turning on the car.
"Ice cream?!" He yells as he speeds out of the parking lot and away from the school.
"You said you were taking me home."
"I still am taking you home, eventually." I look at him, the side of his lips upturning into a mischievous smirk.
I sink into the comfortable leather seats, my head swarming with all possible thoughts that I wish to ignore.
Everything in my head all at once. Never letting me forget.
But how can I forget something that happened only a few short hours ago?
And how can I forget someone that meant so much to me that long ago?
"Do you wanna talk about it." Ryder's voice pierces through my thoughts.
I only stay quiet.
And he noticed, but doesn't bother me any further.
We keep driving until he pulls into the ice cream parlor, turning off the car and stepping out. I put my hand on the door handle, but before I could even pull it, he opens the door for me.
"T-thank you." I keep my head down and shy away.
I walk away, until he catches me. Pulling me back to him softly with his hand on my arm. Lowering his lips to my ear, his warm breath making me shiver.
"I don't know what's bothering you, but just let me make it better. And don't say that I can't, that'll only make me want to do it more."
He backs away from me, the cold air returning from the loss of his warmth.
He turns around and walks into the ice cream parlor, leaving me to my racing thoughts in the cold air.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We pull up to my drive way, the big trees around the house shivering in the cold wind.
"Thank you." I get out of the car.
Expecting him to drive off, he doesn't. Instead, he turns off his car and gets out, jogging over towards me.
I turn and look at him.
"What are you doing?" I ask confused.
"What kind of guy would I be if I didn't walk you to your door?" He smiles down at me.
"Oh, okay." I continue to walk to my front door.
Climbing up the porch steps and getting my keys out of my back pack.
"Well, I had fun today." He says.
"Yeah, I did too." I give him a half smile.
"Thanks."
I stick the keys in the door, just about to unlock it when Ryder speaks again.
"Umm...do you maybe wanna, I don't know" he nervously scratches the back of his neck, putting one lone hand in his pocket. "...go out with me this weekend? We could go watch a movie!"
I try to smile, but the thought of going out and possibly seeing Blake with Molly makes it quickly fade away.
"Or, d-do you not want to? It's okay if you don't, I don't mind." He sweetly lowers his head, softly speaking.
"Oh, no. It's not that...sure, I'll go out with you this weekend." I smile, an actual smile.
"Great." He smiles giddily, his eyes sparkling.
We both stand there, him staring at me while I wonder how much longer we are going to stand there.
"Alright." I nervously laugh.
Gosh, I'm awkward.
"Alright." He copies me, his eyes never leaving mine.
He steps closer to me, his eyes glowing a brighter shade of blue.
He grabs my hand, then drops it when he holds something else.
My phone.
"And you took my phone, why?"
"To put my number in." He says to me in a dumb tone.
"Oh." Is all I say.
I watch him type in his information, but as he's doing that, flashes of memories go through my head.
The time when Blake did that, putting too many hearts next to his name. The first time we met and became best friends. The time I thought that I found somebody who actually cared. The time that I fell, never being able to get back up.
After all the images, a single tear streams down my face. My heart breaking again as it all becomes unbearable. Ryder looks up, at the wrong time. His eyes follow the tear on its descent down my cheek.
Then, out of nowhere.
He engulfs me in a huge and comforting hug. His arms tightly wrapping around my body and squeezing me to his warm body. And the tears start to actually flow.
And not just one by one. More like, a thousand by a thousand. Each tear falling after the other so fast like a rushing river.
I cry all over his shoulder, soaking the soft jacket that covers his body.
His hand rubs circles on my back, helping the tears subside as I try to contain them.
I just can't hide it anymore. Everything that I see reminds me of Blake.
Everything.
I don't know why I thought that I could try and forget everything that fast. It haven't even been 24 hours and I thought I could. How stupid was I to think that it wouldn't bother me even though it all happened at lunch.
I don't want to cry. I don't want to show that weak part of me. I don't want to show how much this affects me. Or how broken I really am.
I don't want to look weak.
But that's all I feel is weak.
Actually, I can't feel anything at all.
I feel numb.
I still stand there with Ryder's arms around me. The tears not wanting to stop.
"Everything will be alright." He whispers in my ear. Softly petting my hair.
I just lightly nod in compliance.
But, little does he know...
Nothing will ever be alright.
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A/N: oh my gosh!! It's been so long!! And I'm so very sorry. But here's a better chapter hopefully. I hope y'all like it and are enjoying it so far. And don't worry, the juicy stuff comes really soon!!!
Thank you all for reading!!
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~ Hayleigh💕