I didn't see Ryder for the rest of the weekend. Aside from the "good night" thoughts he presented to me the next two nights, I hadn't contacted him at all. In regards to Stella and Carol, Stella had texted me Sunday morning informing me that Ryder didn't tell Carol about Stella's wolf possibility because there was only a fifty-fifty chance of her even turning and he didn't want to worry her about something that wasn't guaranteed to happen. Which I guess made sense. I just didn't know how things were going to turn out and the full moon was coming up.
"So what's going to happen with Aaron?" Stella asked on Monday before school started.
"I don't really know," I told her. Apparently, Aaron was out on the streets because he wanted to go to the hospital (Preston's new home) and was stopped by Colin. And considering most adults kept an eye on the troublemaker that was Colin Bourne, Carol spotted Aaron by association.
"You haven't talked to Ryder?" she asked.
"No, have you?" I asked and then she frowned and began to shake her head or nod, but then looked past me. I turned around and saw Stormy walking up to the school. She looked pissed. Stella and I simultaneously sighed to prepare for whatever she was going to scold us for.
"Where is your boyfriend?" she nearly barked at me.
"I don't know," I said. Stormy looked over at Stella.
"And yours?" she asked. Both of us frowned.
"I don't have a boyfriend."
"Right, right. Hasn't happened yet..." Stormy stammered, making us wonder what fortune telling herbs she was smoking this weekend. "Look, just tell Ryder I need to talk to him, okay?"
"A lot of people do," I mumbled. Stormy turned to leave and nearly ran into Andrew while saying: "I needed you forty-eight hours ago. I don't need you anymore so thanks for nothing."
"Wait, who's my boyfriend!?" Stella yelled as Stormy walked off and merged into the crowd.
"I didn't know you had one," Andrew commented as he sat down at the bench with us.
"According to the witch, maybe I do," she said, beginning to stand up and pull the strap up on her shoulder. Then, Bailee began walking up.
"Did I just see Stormy over here? I know you're friends with the love of your life's girlfriend, but now Stormy? Hmm, senior year is full of surprises," Bailee commented to Stella and then the three of us just looked at her in silence. "I'm sorry. That was dumb. I don't know—"
"It's fine," Stella forged a smile and then left. Bailee's face twisted as she took Stella's seat on the bench. I exchanged a look with Andrew who I guess was here to talk about something werewolf related and couldn't now. Bailee suddenly looked up.
"Wait, are they friends now? Because being friends with her and Stella would be so much easier if they were friends too," she suddenly rambled. I could only laugh.
"Yeah...I'll see y'all later," Andrew decided at Bailee's outburst and she simply pouted.
"Where's Evan?" I laughed.
"I don't actually know," she frowned. "He dropped me off and said he had a family emergency or something, but I mean Rose still came to school so I don't really know what's going on. I'll call him later."
Tell Bailee that Evan is with me, Ryder thought to me, making me wonder how he was able to just phase in and out of my living perspectives and cognitive interpretations throughout the day. Maybe he just had good timing.
That's supposed to be your version of assurance? Evan hanging out with you isn't very believable.
"I'm sure everything's fine," I told Bailee and avoided Ryder's command.
"Where's Ryder?" she asked. I shrugged. "How are you just so cool with being without him? I mean, I love Evan and all, but any time he isn't where he's supposed to be, I freak out and think the worst."
"Ryder can take care of himself," I shrugged. "Sure, I care about him and where he is and how he's doing, but even if he isn't where he's 'supposed' to be and hasn't talked to me, I just feel something inside of me telling me everything's alright until it's not. I can't explain it because it's way beyond trust, but I guess I just put my faith in the universe for everything to work out."
I love you, Ryder thought to me.
"Man..." Bailee gawked. "I wish I recorded that because I've never heard anyone say that about him. Not even Stella when her judgment was clouded."
"Whatever," I laughed and then the first bell had rang. I love you too. Now get to school, I thought back to Ryder.
And to my surprise, before I could stand up all the way, he was thinking back: Yes ma'am.
***
By lunch time, Ryder was back at school and instead of eating lunch with his usual friends, he had paid for my lunch and ushered me away from the company of Bailee. But to my surprise, he didn't lead me towards the tables; we were headed to the hallway. I looked over at him and saw he was smiling more than I had ever seen him before. But while it caused a smile to my own face and I attempted to ask him, we ran into Colin.
"I've seen you more at school this month than you were here all last semester," Colin commented.
"Well that's because you barely went to school last year," Ryder insulted and then his smile returned. "And plus, I finally have something worth being here for," Ryder added without his smile wavering. Colin glanced at me.
"Stormy or her family must have charmed him with something because he's only like this when he's high," he muttered.
"Not high; just happy," Ryder corrected. "And the only one Stormy's family's charmed today was Evan," he added, making me believe maybe Ryder used Evan's friendship with Aaron to subdue him before making him forget. "Goodbye, idiot."
After taking my tray and putting it into Colin's hand, Ryder's hand slid into mine to pull me along while Colin stood in place calling after us with: "Well that attempt at an insult proves he's still Ryder at least!"
"Hey, that was my food," I laughed and then my waist was quickly grabbed and I was placed between Ryder and the wall.
"I'll buy you more food later," he promised before capturing my lips with his. I didn't know why he was so happy or excited to kiss me, but I was eager to kiss him back as well. I clutched onto his shirt, wanting to strip it off more because I knew I couldn't in such a public place. His hands had cupped my face and he his tongue was keeping me there more than the hold he had on me. The same feeling I had when we were making out on his bed was what I felt, but it was way more intense and I didn't know how to deal with it. And then he pulled away, revealing we were both out of breath. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, but what's with the—"
"I found it," was all he sad.
"What?"
"I found them, I mean," he stammered. "My dad's book for me, your father's will, the treaty—"
"Ryder," someone addressed and then I was about to maneuver around Ryder until I saw who it was. I stayed in place.
"I already know that she told you about us so what is it now?" Ryder asked Trevor and took the initiative to step away from me.
"I wanted to apologize," Trevor announced. Ryder began laughing and I put a hand on his chest so he wouldn't be so harsh. He only looked down at me.
"If you want to hear him out, by all means, go ahead, but years after dealing with him and his crap, I'm still not sticking around to listen to his apology even when it's finally proving he's been wrong about me," he told me in a kind voice. We'll celebrate the find after school. I'll just pick you up. He leaned down to kiss my cheek quickly, slid lunch money into my hand, and walked off.
I faced Trevor and crossed my arms.
"You two are amazing," he commented. "I never noticed it before but—"
"—because you were hell bent on making him out to be this monster who pries on the souls of innocent girls?"
He smirked at that. "You're good for him. Even though I know he can hold a grudge, I want him to know that I apologize for how I treated your relationship. I wasn't familiar with the whole imprinting dynamic, but once I talked to my parents, I was well informed."
"It wasn't anything to talk to your parents over," I narrowed my eyes. "You should've just been able to accept that if Ryder was with anyone and he was happy, you should support that."
"He's been happy and in relationships before and still managed to hurt people," Trevor commented, making me question what he meant. "But with you, it's different. My parents said imprinting makes the wolf dependent. But as I see it, you two feed off of each other. You make him a better man and I can't exactly be disappointed in that."
"It wouldn't matter if you were or not," I muttered and saw him smirk ever so slightly. I didn't mean to be a jerk to him while he was apologizing, but he was right; I fed off of Ryder and if Ryder and his wolf were hostile with Trevor, then maybe part of me was too.
"On the contrary," he began. "Ryder thinks he has a lot of power here, but he's not all in charge."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Trevor neared me and was closer than I ever wanted him to. I didn't know how I could mistake his scent upon meeting him because in this proximity, the aroma burned my nose. "There's a three-tiered Order in the supernatural world; werewolves, witches, and vampires...and a bunch of other beings that are insignificant. While it's true werewolves hold power in this land, things are shifting this coming moon. Maybe you two should be talking about that instead of whatever hormone-driven proclamations you chose to display at the moment."
I nearly growled at him solely because it felt like a threat to me. But he took a step back and presented me with a smile.
"But I'm just a half-vamp so I have no jurisdiction to tell you what you should be concerned with whether it's in accordance to the treaty or other affairs," he began to conclude. "I'll tell you just like I told your brother: I hope that all magic aside, we can be friends. Or does Ryder have control over that aspect of your life too?"
Trevor walked off leaving me in bewilderment and obscurity.