Everything Changes

Chapter 24: Just leave me alone, Zack!

                                                                Aria's P.O. V

        I wouldn't say that it was weird having Ryder staying at my house, but it was definitely different. What was weird, actually more awkward than weird, was having him hold me while I cried last night, plus I'm not even sure how I made it back to my room last night? What I know is that I woke up this morning with a giant headache. All I needed was some food and maybe some Tylenol. Although my headache was making it impossible to even want to move. Plus, I knew Ryder was probably already awake.

        I wasn't looking forward to seeing him so soon. I was so embarrassed, but I was more worried about Ryder than my pride. This was the only reason I got out of bed and made my way down the stairs. As soon as I made it towards the bottom of the stairs. The smell of French toast hit me. My stomach followed the smell all the way to the kitchen table. The first thing I noticed was Ryder sitting at our kitchen table. Right in the spot where my dad sat. This stunned me and it froze me where I stood. Everything around me drowned out. The popping sounds I assumed to be bacon cooking in the background turned into a low buzz.

        No one has sat in my dad's spot since he had died. The site was heartbreaking. I wasn't sure if this phased my mom or not, but she was too busy cooking. Was I overreacting? I felt like I couldn't breathe. Flashes of memories edging their way to the surface. The sounds of laughter rang from the distance, feeling as if it was haunting me, and for a split second it wasn't Ryder sitting there, it was my dad. "Sweetheart? Would you like some orange juice?" Mom's voice jolts me out of my thoughts. How long had I been standing there staring at Ryder? I took a long-needed breath. My chest burned. "Aria? Hun, are you okay?" I realized I was still staring intensely at Ryder. At that spot... "Sorry, mom. Orange juice sounds great. Do we have any Tylenol?"

        "You feeling okay? Come here, let me feel your forehead." I walked over to the fridge for the orange juice only to notice it was sitting next to Ryder. "Mom. I don't need you to check my temperature. It's just a simple little headache." Plus, I don't need to be embarrassed in front of Ryder. She had a habit of over-mothering.

         It took everything I had to walk over towards him. I never thought something so simple as someone sitting in his spot could throw me off so much. Ryder kept trying to catch my eye, but I looked down. It was hard to look at him. "I smell something good." Emma came barging into the kitchen and instantly paused. She noticed it as well.

        Feeling better that I wasn't the only one, it stunned me. I quickly grabbed the orange juice, pouring myself a glass, and sitting down in the same seat I always sat. Emma sat next to me. She put her hand on mine for a second and squeezed.

       Mom came around and handed me the Tylenol I asked for. Without giving it a second thought, I gulped it down. My head was pounding. It was becoming too hard to concentrate on anything. "Here, eat this, you shouldn't take that on an empty stomach." Mom placed a plate in front of me and she had filled it with French Toast, Bacon, Eggs, and sausage.

         I went for the eggs first. The one thing I loved was my mom's cooking, too bad she's not always around to do so. I couldn't help it, I peeked over at Ryder. Though to my surprise, he wasn't sitting there anymore. Ryder had moved two seats down. Also, to my surprise, he was watching me shove food in my mouth, laughing to himself.

        The jerk. The thought of him moving seats gave me a warm feeling. Had he realized what was upsetting me? He never ceases to surprise me. He actually pays attention to the world around him. "Wait, is your brother still going to be taking us to school?" Crap! I didn't even think about that last night. "Be right back."