Jade. Kennedy.
I peered up into her dark brown eyes, they held a fire like ball of anger in them. It was like someone told her that her favorite white channel bag had been stolen or ripped up by her dog.
"Tell your guard dog to leave my brother alone." She said pointing one of her red manicured claws in my face as the other was stabbing into my arm, tightly keeping me in place, squashed up into the blue locker.
"W-What do y-you mean?" I asked honestly, as I didn't have a single clue on what she was talking about.
"He attacked my brother yesterday at school, he beat him up right in front of the whole school! He even broke his nose and left him with a swollen eye, which is tots ugly." She said digging her nails in deeper to my arm.
I had no words.
I wanted to speak and stand up for myself but I couldn't seem to get the words out of my mouth, it was like they were stuck in quicksand, going further and further away being lost and never heard.
"Ugh you're so pathetic, I truly don't understand why Ryder even bothers with you." Jade says rolling her eyes and examines her nails suddenly seeming bored.
"She's right." One of her minions says from behind her.
"Of course, I am idiot." Jade scoffs and then brings her attention back to me.
"You wouldn't be able to survive without him. He's letting you live in his house for free, eating his food for free. You're just using him and its pathetic." She says harshly.
"I'm not using him; I would never do that." I say finally finding the words and spitting them at her.
"You are, you're a liar! He's paying for pretty much everything you need and want. I don't get how he doesn't see what you're doing, you're not pretty your actually quite the opposite and there's nothing special about you!" She spits out again as the bell goes.
She gives me one last menacing look that could cause anyone to drop into a six-foot-deep hole.
She then struts away probably to her next class with her minions following closely behind her one on each side of her.
I slowly slide myself down the wall of lockers, I ignore the painful sting of the hinges scrapping against my back and the throbbing sensation on my arm where Jade had imbedded her red pointed nails.
A tear falls down my check as Jades words bounce around in my head.
'You're not even pretty.'
'You're just using him.'
'Your pathetic.'
'I truly don't understand why Ryder even bothers with you.'
Her words hurt me but it got me thinking, maybe their true.
It's true I live at Ryder's pretty much for free, never once have I paid for anything, wether it's rent, food or any type of payment.
It's true I'm not pretty, I'm covered in scars their either on my wrists or on my shoulders, back or legs from my father, yeah most of them are faded but they are still there.
I know I'm pathetic, I've know that since mom died, my dad made that pretty clear.
I whipped my tear stained cheeks and took a deep breath. I got up and walked over to my locker and grabbed out my books for the class that I've already pretty much half missed.
Classes went by slowly until it was lunch time, I decided that I wasn't going to eat, that I wasn't hungry, so I made my way out to the front of the school where there were at least one or two picnic tables.
I sat down at one that was under a tree in the shade, it was peaceful but still Jades words still haunted me, I just couldn't get them out of my head.
To my surprise Alex, Maze and Will never came to find me or even text me to ask if I was even here, I guess that wasn't to bad as I wanted to be by myself.
The bell goes in no time and I make my way slowly to my classes. I have a class with jade surprisingly, she just sends me laser like stares, I could have sworn she threw something at me.
It's finally the end of the day as the final bell rings and everyone leaves the school building as fast as they can, retreating to their cars.
I decide on just walking back to Ryder's house as I don't want to bother him, he's probably still at home and had forgotten to come and pick me up anyway.
Within a good twenty mins I find myself walking into the huge mansion that I'm lucky enough to walk into.
I quickly sneak up to my room, I order and Uber to take me to work, yes I sadly have work, even though I feel like absolute death and don't want to go I know I have to.
I quickly change into my uniform which is a white shirt, and a black skirt, I pair it with my black vans and wait till I get to the café to put on my apron.
I pack my bag with a few clean clothes and toiletries. I think make my way down to the kitchen I grab out an envelope that is full of money.
Like I said from the start I'm paying Ryder back all the money I've owed him and I've finally done it.
I had stashed away the money for months now, every pay I would put money away so that when the time comes I can give it to Ryder.
I place it neatly on the kitchen bench and I rip of a corner of a random piece of paper and grab a random pen.
I scribble down Ryder's name in large letters on the envelope and then sign it with a flower at the bottom.
On the other paper I scribble down a thank you for all that he has done for me but I'm leaving and I won't be coming back and that he shouldn't worry or come looking for me.
I get a notification on my phone, saying that my Uber's outside. I quickly rush outside and get in.
I have a small chat with the driver about how his day is and if he's been busy tonight.
Within a speedy half an hour I make it to work on time. I take my bag out back and then come back out to the front where Jay is taking a customers order.
I smile at him as I tie up my apron and then grab a small notepad and pen.
Let's hope this shift goes slow because I have no idea where I'm going to go
tonight and Ryder's is not an option.
Within half an hour I've managed to have cleaned ten tables, get yelled at twice by an unhappy customer and take eight orders.
"What's up? You look a little upset?" Jay questions when the café starts to slow down.
"Nothing, just tired." I lied.
"You sure?" He asked a little concerned.
'Well lets see, I have no where to go tonight, I got told I'm ugly and pathetic and I'm using someone for their wealth, my arm hurts from a psycho girl at my school shoving her damn claws into my arm and I'm at work. So no I'm not okay.' Is what I wanted to say but held myself back.
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine." I smile as I take a try of food over to a couple that are seated at a booth.
"The blue berry muffin?" I ask as the lady nods that it's hers, I quickly pass it to her and then hand the man the ham and cheese croissant.
"Is that all I can do for you guys today?" I ask politely.
"No that's all thank you." The lady says as they both smile as I make my way back to the front counter.
"Hey Flo can you get me a hot chocolate and a double espresso?" Jay asked as I nodded a reply.
I quickly started on making the coffee and hot chocolate. As soon as they were done I placed then carefully onto a try and handed it to Jay who happily took it and made his way over to the customers that ordered it.
He came back over and handed me the tray to wipe down, as I didn't that he cleaned a table or two.
I was giving a customer their change when a very familiar face walked in through the door.
Ryder.
As the customer walked away I quickly ducked down behind the counter so he wouldn't be able to see me.
I looked up and saw that jace was looking down at me with a confused expression.
"Tell him I'm not here." I whispered loud enough for him to hear me.
"Hey Jay, how are you man?" Ryder asked Jay.
"Yeah I'm good man, what about you? You look a little worried." Jay said.
"Oh it's Flo. She wasn't waiting for me at school this afternoon and she wasn't at home, but she left me a weird note." He said sounding careful but concerned.
"Oh well shit man, do you have any idea where she could be?" Jay asked acting like I wasn't right here.
"No I was hoping she was here, I've been looking everywhere for her, I'm getting worried I'm going to have to get my guys to help me soon." Ryder said starting to get even more worried.
Apart of me desperately wants to jump up and tell him it's okay, that I'm here and safe, I imagine springing into his arms and being attacked with his kisses but apart of me knows that I can't keep using him and being with him all the time.
So that's why I'm still crouched down behind the counter. Hiding from the gang leader.
"Okay well let me know if you see her man, it was nice seeing you again." Ryder's husky voice.
"Will do man." Jay says obviously lying as Ryder leaves the café.
"The coast is clear." He says as I stand up and look around double checking.
"Now what was that about?" He asked concerned.
"Um long story." I said as I quickly walked over to a table and cleared the plates and cups onto a tray and gave it a wipe down.
"You owe me big time to by the way." He said as more people started to pile into the café.
Within half an hour both Jay and I were exhausted, there had been a random heap of people that had decided all at the same time it would be a good idea to come here and eat.
"Well we're finally finished." Jay said happily as he handed me my bag.
"I'm so happy that felt like ages." I smiled.
"Where are you going to go?" Jay asked slightly worried as we made our way over to his car.
"I'm not sure." I said truthfully.
"Well you can come stay at mine, I have a spare room and I can shout you dinner." He said opening the passenger door for me, obviously not giving me a choice in this.
"Okay why not." I said giving in and getting into his small blue car.
"Great because I wasn't going to give you a choice." He smiled and then quickly ran around to the drivers side door and quickly started his car and then proceeded in the direction of wherever he lives.
***
It was a short drive to Jays house. To my surprise it was a massive fancy rich house like Ryder's. Instead it was a small house, it was white and it had palm trees and other tropical green plants surrounding it.
"Make yourself at home." He smiled as I walked into his house.
He followed in behind me and quickly showed me around, I put my bag in the spare room.
The whole house was a mixture of white walls, a black tiled kitchen and polished wooden floors.
My favorite part of the house would have to be how he is right on the beach, he's got his own private back gate that takes you right onto the beach.
You could see it through the massive clear sliding doors, which then opened out to his large wooden deck, back yard and then a gate that lead to the beach.
"It's beautiful." I breathed as I sat down on his grey couch.
"You can say that again. So are you hungry we an order a pizza or something." He said giving me a smile.
"Yeah sounds great." I smiled.
"I'll go order it and then your telling me what the hell happened." He said walking away into the kitchen.
Within fifteen minutes we were eating the freshly made cheese pizzas and I was filling in Jay on what had happened today.
The fight that happened the other day, Jade today and why I had decided to leave Ryder's.
"Damn Flo." He said swallowing a mouthful of his pizza.
"Yeah sorry for dumping my problems on you." I said shyly.
"No it's more than okay, you know you can always talk to me and your definitely always welcome here, as you can see it's only a small two bedroom house so I don't get many visitors." He said.
"I'll definitely take you up on that offer." I smiled causing him to laugh.
We stayed in our positions in his living room for what felt like hours, we watch cartoons well anything that was on and we talked about random stuff.
It was pretty good having someone to talk to that wasn't Maze, Will, Alex and Ryder. I felt relieved that I was at Jays house, I don't know what it was but I also felt safe here.
"Well I don't know about you but I've had fun tonight but I think it's time I went to sleep." Jay yawned as he stretched his arms over his head.
"Yeah, same here." I said with a yawn.
"Goodnight Flo." He said pulling me into a friendly hug as I wrapped my arms around him loosely.
"Goodnight Jay, thanks you again." I said as we let go.
"Honestly Flo, stay as long as you need to, your more then welcome here." He said giving me a smile.
I returned it as we both walked into our separate rooms and went to sleep for the night.
But I seemed to toss and turn in my sleep, I felt like something was missing, like I needed something but I didn't have it, it wasn't here.
It was then that I remembered something. I grabbed it out of my bag pulled it over my head and let it dangle down to my knees.
It smelt like him, it was woodsy yet it was like cinnamon, it was a weird blend but it was his scent it seemed to soothe me, it was what I was missing, it was what I needed to sleep.
"Goodnight Ryder." I whispered as I hugged the hoodie to me and breathed in his scent that was laced all over it as I closed my eyes and fell straight to sleep.
Hey Hi Hello💛
I'm back with another good long chapter I hope this makes up for the last one, again I'm sorry about that ahah.
I hope you guys are enjoying the story I'm so excited for what's to come and I know you guys will love it too.
What did you think of this chapter?
Please don't forget to vote and leave a comment💗
-GemmaGrace🌻