Chapter 3
The morning sun shinned through my bedroom window awakening me to a new day. It was silent, as I lay there for a moment with my eyes open, though this time the silence seemed eerie. Maybe it was due to the nightmare I had last night that left my nerves on end and fear in my chest, the worst part being that I couldn't remember a thing about it. Deciding it was time to get off seeing as my head didn't hurt as bad this morning, I threw off the covers and stood up. Reaching my arms above my head I heard the solid sound of a crack as I lifted them up and arched my back. Once done I made my way into the bathroom to get ready this morning, with the flip of the switch I looked at my face in the now lit mirror. I wasn't as pale as I had been yesterday, color was returning to my cheeks leaving them a sweet peach color; my eyes lost the bags from under them and my hair wasn't in a twisted mess. Running a brush through my hair I left it down in cascading waves as I began to brush my teeth. Once I was done with my bathroom routine I walked towards my closet to get ready for the day. I had a meeting today as student body president; a smile was on my lips as I thought of what we were having the meeting for. A carnival was going to be held in honor of many charities so we could raise money for them.
I grabbed a pair of black shorts that puffed out slightly and looked baggy as they fell mid thigh. I paired it with a white tank top and covered it with a black cardigan where I only buttoned the bottom three buttons. Bending down I grabbed a pair of 3 inch black high heels and slipped them on my feet. Even though it is still cold outside I decided I would be cute and comfy for my meeting. Walking back into the bathroom I applied a light brush of black eye shadow, swiping my lashes with mascara. I keep it simple and natural.
With one final look I caught the stitches that arched across my forehead, right above my eyebrow it was 2 inches long and still felt tender. With a shake of my head, I was out the door and heading toward the kitchen to grab a granola bar and an apple to eat.
Once I had eaten my breakfast I headed toward my Volvo sitting pretty in the drive way, it was my 16th birthday gift they told me I could pick any car but me being me I picked the Volvo. My parents weren't overly happy since they both drive corvettes and have two other expensive cars that sit covered in the garage. Backing up I headed toward the college, my phone was silent as I expected it would be. My family was off having fun, why would they worry about me. Most people saw us as the prefect family, simple, rich, polished, loving, and so much more. But behind closed doors that is not what we were. My mother babied Ben, she was more focused on making him happy than me, but I guess that's because he is her son and I'm only the stepdaughter. Yes, a secret my family has hidden from the public, my mother passed away when I was 8 from breast cancer. I was the only one beside her when she died, her last words to me were "you are stronger than you realize, I love you baby girl", I even kept it from Ryder.
Pulling into the parking lot I had barely parked the car, gotten out and locked it before I heard Chrissie screech my name from across the quad.
"What Chris?" I asked a little annoyed by her sudden outburst.
"Ryder is here today, he shouldn't be here!" She yelled, as she got closer while glaring at those who stopped to wonder what was going on.
I raised my eyebrow at my best friend.
"Huh?"
"He shouldn't be allowed on school grounds Emma he made you trip and fall, this should have been the last straw." I looked at her like she was crazy; Ryder didn't trip me or do anything.
"Um okay" I said still shocked by her outburst, her green eyes glared at me with hidden emotions lingering. She threw her hands in the air and grabbed my arm as she stormed to the main building on campus. "Paging Ms. McCain to the main office please" A voice said over the intercom, Chrissie came to a screeching stop and looked at me with narrowed eyes. Dropping my arm, she looked at me with a look that I could not place.
"You better tell them that he did this, he shouldn't be here Emma." Her voice took on a deadly tone; I was terrified of the woman who stood before me.
"Well I'll let you know what happens" My voice strong. I walked away from her and into the main room, a confused look crossed my face as Mike and Bryan walked out of the headmaster's office.
"Guys, all okay?"
They both nodded with a small smile on their face as they moved their head in the direction of the headmaster's office. Clutching my books to my chest I walked into the office and closed the door behind me, a gasp left my lips as I saw Ryder seated there.
"Hello, Ms. McCain. Please have a seat." I nodded and sat beside Ryder.
"Would you care to explain what happened yesterday?"
I looked at Ryder who wouldn't turn to face me his sunglasses hiding his eyes from me once again and looked at the headmaster.
"Class was normal, until the end. I saw the guys laughing and then I turned and saw Ryder walking down the aisle, he still can't see really and so I didn't want him to get hurt. So I saw Mike reach out his leg the same moment Ryder made his way down the aisle. My heart raced and as I got closer to the guys I took the fall instead, they all tried to grab me but it was no use I was already on my way down." I told him simply.
The headmaster looked at me with assessing eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose.
"That is funny Ms. McCain because Ms. James came in and told me it was Mr. Jameston who pushed you and you fell." A gasp left my lips my eyes were open wide.
My first thoughts were what the hell? Why would Chrissie say it was his fault when it wasn't, I mean she wasn't there. Ryder wasn't even walking my way we were actually headed towards each other when it happened not walking the same way. Something didn't feel right about what was going on at this moment, my thoughts were a mess that I hadn't heard what the headmaster said until I felt someone nudge me.
"Ms. McCain were you listening to me? I said why would she tell me it was Ryder's fault if it wasn't."
"I don't know why she would say that, I mean she wasn't even there and how can he do something if he can't fully see yet." I said with a raise of my eyebrow. Ryder snorted next to me in a manner very unmanly of him, I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and saw a smirk on his lips.
"Hmm... Well seeing as she wasn't there and her story is a little different, I will not suspend Mr. Jameston as Ms. James wants so badly to happen for some odd reason." The moment the words left his lips the office door flew open in blind fury, a red head marched in a glare directed at the three of us who turned around at her intrusion.
"What!" She screeched like a banshee, I know she's my best friend but I swear her voice hits notes that shouldn't even be possible.
"Ms. James, what are you doing barging into my office in this manner?" The headmaster spoke from behind us his tone no longer friendly but cold as stone. I turned back to face him then back around, then a deep chuckle was heard next to me. Turning once more I faced Ry, a smile on his lips as I looked at him and began to wonder could he see more than yesterday.
"He needs to be suspended, he did this and this should be the last time he gets in trouble with the school. You have heard what he has done headmaster, he isn't a good person, and he is trouble." She yelled her eyes holding a glare and if looks could kill Ry would be six feet under covered in lovely flowers and a big headstone.
"Ms. James..." "Chrissie you shouldn't be here" Mikes voice spoke up cutting off the headmaster, as he appeared with Bryan right behind him.
"Chris we already came and gave our side of the story. It wasn't Ryder's fault, I have no idea where you got the notion to come here and say it was him who caused the incident that went on yesterday. You weren't there at all. Plus I would never purposely trip him; we are cool and get along. And it was an accident I pulled my foot back at the same time Emma rushed to stop him, she hit the top of my shoe and fell, we all tried to grab her in time but we were to slow and missed her by a few inches. It wasn't Ryder's fault." Mike said. His voice was calm but you could catch some of the edges to his words. Chrissie still continued to glare at the man before her, which was until she heard the end of what Mike said and turned those deadly green eyes on him.
"Enough you five" turning back around at the headmaster's words he sat there with his fingers once again pinching the bridge of his nose and a shake of his head.
"But he...." her words were cut short as the headmaster spoke."Mr. Jameston will not be suspended and it would be best if you hear the full story before bringing information to my attention Ms. James. Now you five better get to class before it is to late." We all mumbled a quick yes. Ryder and I both stood up at the same time, our eyes locking for a moment well my eyes and his black shades. I moved first and walked between the chairs my shoulder brushing his upper arm shocks sprang across my skin. I glanced up at him then back down at the floor as I made my way to the door way, my best friend standing there seething mad.
"Come on let's go." She snarled as she dragged me away, turning around I caught the black shades looking at me before he made his way to Jace and they proceeded to their class. Mike and Bryan were on their way toward the field where they had gym; Chrissie's grip was still tight on my wrist. Coming to a stop I turned toward my best friend a weird look on my face, her gaze still full of hatred.
"That asshole should have gotten suspended!" She screeched. A look of disbelief crawled onto my face; a glare soon overtook my weird look.
"No he shouldn't of Chrissie," I snapped.
"Yes, he should of Emma. This was the final straw; he is a murdering good for nothing asshole, cheat, fighter and a bad ass. He deserves to be kicked out!" She screamed at me with a red face.
I looked at the girl before me, who was she? This was not my best friend who stood before me; in that moment I realized she had become a totally different person.
"Those are rumors, he is none of those. Those stupid's things were made up by someone in this school who then spread it around to everyone!" I screamed my voice rising above hers; I ripped my wrist from her clutches.
"No they aren't because I heard them from the source, and my source is accurate. You need to stay away from him, I told you this four years ago and it took me that long to convince Ryder that you hated him." She yelled louder. Before I could reply I realized what she had said at the end, why would she make Ryder think I hated him?
"What did you do?" I hissed my voice deadly. She looked at me with wide eyes then a look of jealousy flashed across her face before she put on an innocent look.
"Nothing Em, we better go to class." She said before she strutted off in her high heels a look of disbelief on my face, who the hell was this woman before me? That was not my best friend; she was totally a different person. Someone I didn't know. The moment she walked off I headed toward my class and glanced back at her. The way she walked was so unlike her, her white 4-inch heels and her tight fit black knee length strapless dress that was low cut clung to here leaving her exposed to the cold. My door came into view and I stepped into class, the history teacher glanced up me then went back to writing on the board behind her. I was a few minutes late but the professor said nothing.
Making my way to my seat I heard the mumbles of "teacher's pet" thrown my way. I just rolled my eyes at their childish behavior ad I sat down and took out my notebook and my favorite blue pen. Whispers were going on around me, their voices barely reaching my ears as I began to write about the roaring twenties.
"The roaring twenties was a year that changed it all, the nation's total wealth all but doubled during this time. This was also the year that the 18th amendment was created which prohibited alcohol in the United States. Taverns and bars were closed down. Woman began to have more rights during this time." Were the words that the professor wrote on the board behind her, I began to doodle on the corners of my notebook. Creating smiley faces, flowers and random lines.
"Woman were most flamboyant at this time, earning the name flapper, during the twenties the 19th amendment was also established which gave woman voting rights."
She droned on and on as I just wrote more and more down in my notebook.
Soon a loud RING sounded throughout the room, causing everyone to jump up from their seats and run out of the room. Placing my things nicely away I stood up, feeling the rush of blood to my head where I placed a hand to steady myself from standing up to fast. With a wince I moved down the stairs and walked out of the classroom, I glanced up when I saw a familiar messy mop of brown hair moving away from me.
"Jace!" I yelled as I made my way toward him, once he heard my voice he turned around and stopped so I could catch up to him.
Once I was close to him he smiled at me "hello darling" he said with a goofy grin on his face. Jace was adorable but also looked deadly, he was tall an inch shorter than Ry. He had muscles and worked out nonstop, his messy brown hair hung in different angles sometimes covering his molting brown eyes. To everyone Ryder and Jace were untouchable, unlovable and were always in trouble. But what everyone believed was also incorrect, they weren't bullies, truth be told they were giant teddy bears.
I smiled at him.
"I need Ryder's number please" I said with a smile on my lips, he looked at me with an amused look in his eyes as he lifted his eyebrow to an angle.
"Hmm do you now?" He said with laughter in his voice, I looked at him with wide eyes before I narrowed my eyes into a playful glare.
"Yes, you nimrod I want his number please"
"Hmm I guess that will be fine seeing as I am his best friend in the whole world" a smile on his lips. I narrowed my eyes more at him, as he grabbed my hand and took the pen from his front pocket and wrote Ryder's number on my palm.
A smile lit up my face as I gazed at him, my eyes no longer narrowed into playful slits.
"Thank you kind sir, now I must be off" I said in a cheerful manner as I skipped, yes skipped, away from a chuckling Jace.
He was not going to ruin my mood, though that was short lived when I heard the unforgettable words of "Fight, fight" from a group of students who crowded around two bodies. The moment I reached the edge, the outer circle went silent, their eyes wide as they looked at me. I felt a presence behind me and knew it was Jace, but he wasn't the reason they became silent I was, and they parted like the red sea as I made my way forward.
My eyes went wide as I saw the mess before me, Bobby Miller stood above a bloody looking Ryder, wait! Ryder, oh hell no I thought. Eyes blazing I pushed past the last few dumb students who still thought it would okay to stand in my way and not let me through.
"Bobby!" I screamed his fist stopping before it connected with the jaw of the man who lay on the ground, not even fighting back. I quirked an eyebrow at that, why wasn't he fighting back? He could kick Bobby's ass and everyone knew this. With his chest heaving up and down, he turned to look at me with cold eyes, I just raised my eyebrow higher in a taunting manner, as in I dare you type of way. Bobby was on the football team he was wide receiver, at Ryder's height he towered over a lot of people, the blonde haired blue-eyed man captivated everyone, but I wasn't one of them. But I heard he has a major crush on me. Shaking my head
"How dare you attack him, he can't see!" I screeched as I stepped toward him pointing a sharp finger into his chest. The crowd around us ooohed as I stood almost toe to toe with the big footballer.
"He deserved it Emma, don't defend his ass"
"I will defend him you moron." I said with another jab to his chest, anger in my eyes. I barely registered that
Jace bent down to help Ryder into a sitting position against the lockers. Bobby looked down at me from his height; I barely caught the look of affection in his eyes before they were once again in a glare.
"Bobby, you could have hurt him and truthfully I wouldn't have been surprised if he got tired of your shit and attacked you." People still crowded around us.
"Emma come on babe, you shouldn't be around him." My heated look turned in a dangerous glare.
"I am not your babe," I said in a deadly calm voice. A gasp left everyone's lips.
"But you will be mine Emma, Chrissie even said she will help me get you," Bobby said with a puffed out chest as if he won the noble prize of the century and was granted the greatest gift in the world.
"Bobby I don't like you that way, you know this. Why would she help you if she knows I don't see you that way at all?" I asked calmly, I glanced at Ryder on the floor, his glasses were back on his face but in that instant I felt like he was looking right at me. His lip was busted, a bruise covered his cheek, and that was all I could see. Glancing at Bobby I saw that he had a busted lip and that was that, narrowing my eyes I realized something. Ryder didn't hit back he just took the hit now why was that?
"Emma come on you know that's not true, we have something special going on. Don't make me out like a fool in front of everyone; he isn't that defenseless he hit me back." He glanced back at Ryder a deadly look in his eyes, a look that could kill. I feared in that moment for Ryder's life.
"Fine Bobby, I'll go on a date with you"
Three different voices rang out in that moment, "Emma no" "what the hell Bell" "sounds great thank you, I'll let you know more" one was Ryder, Jace and of course Bobby. I didn't spare the two men on the ground a glance I was to busy paying attention to the way Bobby reacted to the news, he smiled like he won the lottery and then in a flash a menacing gleam could be seen before a smug smile stretched across his face. Then turning softly he smiled wider at Ryder with an "I told you so" look, I glared at the blonde haired man before me, god I hated his ignorance.
"Well then my work here is done, I must get to class," he said and walked off down the hall, everyone who still lingered noticed the fight was over and walked away.
I looked at the guy, who walked away in a curious way, something was not right here. When I heard a groan from behind me I turned to see Jace helping Ryder up to his feet, you could see Ryder wince with each small movement. Had he been punched in more places than his face?
I walked toward them with a soft look on my face.
"I got him Jace; you need to get to class. I can miss my meeting and take care of him." I spoke softly reaching my hand out to lightly grab Ryder's upper arm. I saw the two men share a look before slowly Ryder leaned into me for support and let go of Jace.
"Yeah, sounds good Em. Take care of him" was his reply before he walked off as well. I could feel Ryder's body heat seep through the soft material of my cardigan, with slow steps we moved down the hallway. The hallway was silent, our footsteps the only sound that could be heard. Groans left his lips every so often as we moved toward the bathroom so I could clean him up.
Suddenly there was anger footsteps and yells coming our way, without thinking of the pain he was in I shoved Ryder and myself into the nearest closet just before the voices came near.