𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧, 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧

20 | Confessions.

I can't believe Ryder said that to me! What on earth was he thinking? That boy could rot in hell for all I care.

The next few days were a drag to say the least. I kept to myself or with Lexie throughout school. Avoided the cafeteria knowing that if I saw him he would get a nice bruise to sport the redness on his cheek.

Soon enough it had been two weeks since the incident in the classroom. Besides the first day, I refused to acknowledge Ryder. Refused to be around him anymore. I even switched seats with Lexie in classes so I wouldn't have to interact with him.

Currently it was Friday night and I was in my bedroom rewatching Harry Potter when the doorbell rang. Assuming it was my foster mother I went downstairs to answer it only to be met with Ryder.

As quickly as I had opened the door I shut it again.

'Raven! Wait!' he shouted. 'I'm not here to bother you, I'm just here for my father.'

Sighing, I unlocked the door and let him in avoiding talking to him. He grabbed his father's briefcase from the kitchen counter and was making his way out when he turned around and said 'Raven, look can we talk? I really am sorry about what I said. I let my anger take over and wasn't thinking properly!'

'Yeah you weren't.' I replied venom lacing my words.

'I'm truly sorry. I let my emotions control me and I guess I owe you an explanation,' he began. 'You hurt me ok? You hurt me when you told me you were just playing me and I was furious with you. It's why I've been constantly making out with different girls whenever you're around. I was trying to make you jealous and hoping that maybe that would make you talk to me,' he said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

'On what insane earth would I be jealous of you Ryder Stirling?' I questioned, lifting up one eyebrow.

'Oh come on darling, don't act like you're not in love with me,' he said his cockiness seemingly restored. To say I didn't feel butterflies in my stomach would have been a lie.

Just the sight of him was enough to make me want to kiss him but I didn't instead I decided to go with the reasonable option, 'Ryder, I know we can never be what we were but, eventually we can forget everything and start over...as friends' I said.

As soon as I said the word friends his face dropped. Instead of replying to me immediately, he closed the distance between us and was now quite literally hovering over me as he started 'Raven...'

His face was clouded with emotions that I couldn't quite place and his voice was low. His hands were nervously running through his head when he said, 'Fuck it,' this time with determination and said 'Raven I can't be friends with you.'

Now it was my face that dropped. I thought we could have forgiven each other and started over. I still wanted to be friends with him. Noticing that I was overthinking he said 'Raven,' in the same low voice drawing my attention back to him. 'I can't just be friends with you...I'm in love with you.'