Hickey

Hickey || 09

HICKEY / chapter nine

During the weekend, I decided to stay home. Nikki invited me to hang out on Saturday, but I think I've sneaked out enough for this week. I haven't seen nor spoken to Ryder since Friday, but his words from that night are still clear in my mind. Honestly, they've been the only thing on my mind these past few days.

I hear my mom calling us down for breakfast. I get up from bed and head downstairs, almost falling down the stairs in the process.

Ugh, I hate Mondays.

After breakfast, I take a shower and then Elliot and I head off to school. When we get there, we immediately part ways; I head to my locker and my brother goes to wherever he goes off to before class.

My locker was near the main entrance so I could see students walking in. For some reason, my eyes kept moving away from my locker to see if Ryder had arrived yet. I'm still a little confused about his feelings for me and about my own feelings but I have to admit that I'm excited to see him again.

When he finally walks in, I quickly grab my books and close my locker. He looks up and spots me immediately, a bright smile appears on his face. I watch as he makes his way towards me.

"I like you, Eva."

My heart skips a beat. You known what? Maybe Mondays aren't so bad after all.

Once he's close enough, I smile. "Morning."

He stops a few feet from me, grinning back at me although I know that he's being cautious of the people around us. "Morning. How was your weekend?"

"Fine. How was yours?" 

"Fine."

"That's great." I can't help but think about him at another party, hooking up with another girl—giving them a hickey like the one he gave me. My mood suddenly turns sour. Okay, I'm back on the 'Monday sucks' team.

He clears his throat. "I didn't see you at Chris's party on Saturday."

"I decided that I needed a break so I stayed at home."

"I don't know if I was disappointed that you weren't there or happy," he says, chuckling.

"Why happy?" I narrow my eyes at him, not even taking enough notice of the first part of his sentence to have butterflies in my stomach. Was he happy that I wasn't around?

"Because you were resting at home. From the looks of it, you've been out a lot of times this week." He shrugs, biting his lip. "And because other guys couldn't ogle at you."

My cheeks heat up in embarrassment. I almost forgot that he saw me at the diner and at both parties. Did he think I was a party girl? I don't want him thinking that I was easy or careless!

"Oh." I look away from him.

Damn you, Finnick, and your sweet words! Honestly, he could make any girl fall so why was he bothering with me? Maybe this was his revenge on Elliot; play with the sister and break her heart. It's a classic, really. But as Ryder touches my arm to make me look at him, not even taking notice of some kids at their locker across from mine watching us discreetly, it makes me want to believe that this is more than just a game to him.

"Ryder..."

He smiles at me as a sort of gesture for me to continue, but I just can't seem to spit out the question that I've been meaning to ask so many times before. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear his answer.