5AM and we still feelin' reckless
Piled up in the whip gettin' breakfast
All my friends by my side
Is all I need in my life
All my friends by my side
Is all I need in my life
-All I need
-Dimitri Vegas
-Like Mike
-Gucci Mane
•••••
"Chocolate is way better than vanilla," Noah argued, licking the chocolate ice cream off of his spoon.
"No ways! Vanilla is the best, there's so many toppings you can put on it without getting a funky taste," Violet retorted, scooping up a lump of vanilla ice cream from her ceramic bowl.
"Now, now children I think we all know peppermint is the best," Kyle chided.
Violet and Noah started to laugh at Kyle.
"Peppermint's for grandmothers," Noah gasped out in between his laughter.
I watched their banter and licked the caramel ice cream that was dripping down my sugar cone. Cameron shrugged when Noah asked him what his favourite ice cream flavour was.
"Anything with nuts I guess."
Noah wrinkled his nose in disgust at Cameron's choice and then turned to me to.
"What about you Riles?" Noah asked.
"Cookies and cream," I said confidently.
Violet gasped.
"Don't you mean vanilla?" she asked me with a sickly sweet smile.
I shook my head and stuck my tongue out at Violet.
"What about you Ryder?" Noah asked Ryder.
Ryder looked up from the bubblegum milkshake he was drinking and glanced at me. His eyes fell to my lips and I sucked in a deep breath through my nose when he lifted his eyes to mine, his slightly darkened.
"Cherry," he said, taking a long drag of the light blue foam.
I fixed my eyes on the white spotless napkin on the brown wooden table in Delilah's Delights, which was an ice cream and milkshake bar. My cheeks flushed a bright red colour and I prayed and hoped no one noticed my sudden discomfort.
Noah turned to me and then to Ryder, and then back to me.
"Okay then," Noah said, dragging the 'o'.
I let out a breath of relief when Kyle changed the topic to how he was still single and it was already three weeks into the year.
Although everyone seemed to have forgotten what Ryder had said, one person was still staring between Ryder and I curiously.
I looked up to meet Cameron's dark gaze and gave him a friendly smile. He smiled back and then gave up on trying to figure out what was going on with Ryder and I, and instead joined the conversation on finding Kyle a girlfriend.
"Hey, what about the girl behind the counter?" Noah asked Kyle, pointing to a girl standing behind the counter where you place your order and collect it.
She was pretty, with long wavy brown hair and round brown eyes. She was taking one of the customers orders when Kyle waved her over to our table.
"Oh please don't scare the poor girl," Noah said sadly watching the girl saunter over right into Kyle's trap.
"Here we go again," Violet muttered pushing her empty bowl away from her.
The girl's name tag read Elana Willis.
"Hi, is there something wrong?" she asked Kyle, smiling politely at the rest of us.
Kyle gave her a panty dropping smirk and I saw Elana stiffen.
"Actually, I just happened to notice how extremely beautiful you are," he said in a husky voice.
Elana raised her eyebrows at Kyle.
"Really? Thank you I guess," she asked suddenly looking very out of place.
She shifted from one foot to the other as Kyle kept throwing compliments her way.
"Well, I'm flattered believe me, but I should be getting back to work," she said giving Kyle a forced smile and spinning on her heel to leave.
"Wait, can I get your number?" Kyle asked hopefully.
Elana pressed her lips together into a tight line.
"I'm sorry, but I have a boyfriend," she said apologetically and walked away from us.
Kyle stared with a gaping mouth after her.
"Damn bro, you've lost your touch," Noah said, giving Kyle a pat on his shoulder.
"Is it me, or did that girl look really familiar?" Violet asked, referring to Elana.
I shrugged my shoulders saying I haven't seen her around.
"That's because she is Elana Willis, the sixteen year old dating Jake Allan," Ryder said, twirling his straw around his empty glass.
"The quarterback?" Kyle asked, seeming to have gotten over Elana's rejection.
Ryder nodded and Noah let out a whistle.
"Wow, I wonder what a girl like her is doing with an airhead like Jake," Kyle muttered.
"Jake, is actually the sweetest person I have ever met," Violet said, earning a glare from Cameron.
"But you're sweeter," Violet cooed and kissed Cameron's nose.
I melted at the sight of the two of them meanwhile Noah and Kyle were making gagging gestures and Ryder looked awkward and out of place.
Ryder looked up and caught me staring at him. He smiled at me and I smiled back, not used to seeing him genuinely smile at me instead of his usual smirk or brooding stare.
"Guys, Riley's looking for a job. Do you have any options?" Ryder asked the rest of the group.
My mind flashed back to yesterday night. Just before I could get out of Ryder's car, I had agreed to drop out of the championships and Ryder had promised to help me look for another job.
I had already told Dylan that I wanted to drop out of the championships because of the pressure, but I didn't want to stop my training to be a better fighter. Dylan said he understood what it felt like and told me that I'd have to stop fighting in the normal matches because the judges were already trialling for the championships.
What did I get out of all of this?
Ryder had promised to let me watch him fight a match.
It wasn't that much, but I was intrigued to see just how good he really was.
"Well, you can always ask to help at the local library," Noah suggested.
"That's so boring! How about working with Cameron and I at the coffee store down the road from your apartments?" Violet asked me hopefully.
I would have said yes, but I didn't want to intrude on her and Cameron's personal time. I also didn't want to be a third wheel.
I shook my head but thanked her for the offer.
"What about being Ryder's match organiser?" Noah asked.
Ryder glared at Noah, while everyone exchanged nervous glances.
"Uh, he meant athletic match organiser," Kyle said smacking Noah on his head.
I raised my eyebrow at Kyle.
Ryder rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to probably tell the group that I already knew about his fighting but Violet spoke first.
"Can't we just tell Riley already?" Violet asked Ryder.
Ryder scowled at Violet.
"Maybe if you people let me speak, then you'd find out that I already told her about my fighting," Ryder said.
Violet stared at him with an open mouth.
"How did that come around?" Cameron asked, also shocked that Ryder had told me anything about himself.
Ryder shrugged, "It just came up."
The group was still shocked even after the conversation ended.
As we were walking out of the restaurant Ryder managed to pull me aside to talk to me.
"Thank you for dropping out of the fight," he whispered.
"It's really no big deal," I said.
Ryder grinned at me and continued to walk out of the restaurant with the rest of the group.
"Ryder, Cameron is boys evening still on?" Kyle asked, halfway in his car with Noah in the passenger seat.
Ryder glanced at Cameron and then a smile spread on both their faces.
"Oh boy," Violet muttered.
"How about we go in my car to Kyle's house Cameron?" Ryder asked, already unlocking his car.
Cameron nodded and kissed the top of Violet's head.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Cameron asked her, giving Violet the keys to his Ford.
Violet nodded and rolled her eyes at Cameron when he suggested he stay behind with her.
"Go Cameron! I want to visit mom anyways," she mumbled.
He nodded and pulled her in for a hug.
"I'll be back at eight," Cameron said.
Kyle hooted for Cameron to hurry up and get into Ryder's car already.
"I guess it's just us now!" Violet squealed and dragged me to Cameron's car.
I grinned at her excitement.
"Great, we have exactly four hours before Cameron is going to come back from boys evening. That's plenty of time to explain what the hell is going on between you and Ryder," Violet said getting into Cameron's car.
I groaned and held my head in my hands.
"You noticed?" I mumbled, slightly blushing.
Violet smirked at me.
"I notice everything," Violet said, pressing down on the accelerator.
The tires squealed and the car shot forward.
Well damn, if Ryder doesn't kill me anytime soon Violet's driving sure as hell would.
•••••
"Explain," Violet demanded, once we were seated in my bedroom.
Violet sat cross legged on my bed and I had dragged my desk chair over to the side of my bed, to talk to Violet.
There was a bowl of popcorn in between the two of us which was nearly empty since as soon as we got to my house, I had made us popcorn and we had turned on Friends.
We got lost in the world of Jennifer Anniston and Matt LeBlanc for two hours, and now only had two more hours until Violet had to leave.
"Explain what?" I asked Violet, pretending like I didn't know what she was referring to.
Violet narrowed her eyes at me.
"Explain what's going on between you and Ryder," she said, scooping up a handful of popcorn and throwing it into her mouth.
I sighed and leaned back in my chair to stare at my bedroom ceiling.
"There's nothing between us-"
"Oh don't give me that crap! There is something between the two of you," she said.
I groaned and began telling her the story of how Ryder and I had met all the way up to the present day. I had even told her about the warehouse, but I had left out the parts where Ryder had accused me of hiding things from everyone.
"See, there's nothing going on between us," I concluded, getting up from my chair and laid back on my bed next to Violet.
"I think there's something going on there. I mean when Noah asked him what his favourite ice cream flavour was, he literally stated the colour of your lips!" Violet exclaimed.
I blushed, embarrassed at being reminded of what had happened earlier on today. I rolled over so that I was facing Violet.
"I just don't understand! It's like one day I like him, and then the next I completely hate him!" I exclaimed.
She grinned and laid back against my pillows.
"You're in denial," she sang.
"In denial about what?" I asked confused as to why she would assume I was in denial about anything.
"About your obvious attraction towards Ryder," Violet grinned a cheshire cat smile and wiggled her eyebrows at me.
"Shut up!" I exclaimed smacking her with one of my pillows.
She burst into laughter and I laughed along with her.
As we were laughing I got the feeling that I belonged. It had been so long since I actually conversed with another girl about problems like this. Back in my old town, I never really spoke to much girls because I was constantly around him.
But sitting here in my room with Violet, I felt just like any other normal teenager. I wasn't Riley Carter, the girl with ten million secrets on the run from a bloodthirsty psychopath who was hell bent on ruining her life.
I was just Riley Carter, the girl who could have a normal conversation with her best friend about her conflicting feelings towards the most attractive guy at their school.
I glanced at the clock on my wall which read 7:00.
"Violet, don't you have to go visit your mother?" I asked Violet curiously.
Violet tensed at my question and gave me a sad smile.
"No, it's okay, I'll visit her when Cameron comes back from the boys evening. I'll leave at seven thirty if that's okay?" she asked me.
I nodded at her.
"Riley, I don't mean to pry but can I ask you something?" Violet asked cautiously.
I gave her a wary nod.
"Where are your parents?"
"They died in a car accident," I said.
Violet didn't reply and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a hug.
"My parents are divorced and my mother passed away," she said.
"Siblings?" I asked curiously.
"I had a brother. He went with my father. God knows where they are now. His name was Blake, Blake Wisely," she said.
Blake? As in Blake from the warehouse? As in Blake who thinks he's a terrible human being?
Should I tell Violet that her brother was here? I decided against it. Violet had already been through so much, and it would kill her if she found out that both her father and brother had come to Grey's Town and hadn't visited her.
"What about you? No siblings?" Violet asked me.
I hesitated before answering her question.
"I had a sister and two brothers. They're not around anymore," I said vaguely.
I didn't tell Violet where they were now, or if they even were around.
Violet didn't push me for answers and checked the time on her phone.
"I should be leaving now," she said, grabbing her sweater from my bed and getting up.
"Thanks for coming Violet. I enjoyed this," I said giving Violet a hug once we were at my front door.
"I enjoyed this too. It's been so long since I had some girl time. The boys are nice, but it was amazing to talk about how sexy I find Joey and not have someone throw an insult my way," she said.
I laughed with her and felt a sudden sadness that she had to leave so suddenly.
"Don't you want to stay the night?" I asked her hopefully.
"Unfortunately, I can't. I don't want Cameron to be alone at home," Violet said sadly, not wanting to leave either.
I nodded and unlocked my door and held it open for Violet.
Before Violet could leave, she turned to me to say something.
"Riley, don't take it personally if Ryder is a bit rude to you. He's not used to having to accept new people," she said.
"By a bit rude you mean, extremely arrogant and mean," I said.
Violet gave me a secretive smile.
"Just give him a chance. I think he's trying to change."
Violet left me standing in my doorway thinking about what she had said.
Change? Yeah right!
•••••
After taking a quick shower, I was overcome with a wave of fatigue and had thrown on a large shirt that came up to my knees and had climbed into my bed.
I snuggled up under my blanket and closed my eyes, ready to drift into the land of dreams. I felt my breathing start to gradually slow down and I welcomed a break from all the confusion and adrenaline that was my life.
My gratitude was short lived.
Ring ring
The precious silence that had descended upon me was broken by my ringtone which hadn't sounded annoying until now.
I groaned and turned over, burying my face into my pillow.
My phone had stopped ringing and then had started up again. I ignored it once more, and this time pulled my blanket over my head to block out the noise.
However, when my phone had rung for a third time, I threw back my blanket and sat up straight. I searched blindly in the dark for it on my bedside table.
Once I had found it, I checked who it was and had to do a double take once I had read the name. I stared at my phone, contemplating whether I should answer the call.
I decided not to and put my phone back on the table. When it stopped ringing, I waited and said that if it rang again I would pick it up.
When several minutes had gone by and my phone hadn't rung, it was safe for me to go back to sleep.
My silence was short lived.
Knock knock knock
I groaned and thrashed about, tangling myself in my sheets in the process, before getting out of my bed and angrily stomping to my front door.
This person better be bleeding from their chest to have disturbed my beauty sleep.
I unlocked my door and swung it open to reveal the person who had invaded my thoughts on countless occasions without knowing.
No, the sight of the last person I'd expect to be standing outside of my apartment didn't send me into shock. However, the fact that he had two suitcases which looked like they were going to explode was what did send me into shock.
"I need your help Carter."
Well this should be interesting.
•••••
Early update because I won't be at home tomorrow, so I wouldn't have been able to update : )
Thanks for reading my chapter!
-Grayx