I snuggle up next to Ryder, as the clock ticks 4:00am and we still lie awake in each other's arms.

We decided to binge the Harry Potter series, cause it has like 10 movies and apparently sleep wasn't on or agenda.

I don't even know where we are anymore.

Ryder plays with my hair and I yawn into his chest. Reaching over next to him, I try to grab a chicken wing. My finger tips pat the plate and find it empty.

I look up at Ryder, and he avoids my eyes with a smirk on his face. I told him to save me the last one, I'm too fat to not eat what I wanna eat. What the fuck? I'm the only allowed to be a fatass in this relationship.

I pout up at him.

Ryder scoffs at me.

"You couldnt find the last wing?" He asks, in a childish tone.

I shake my head, pouting still.

"Are you gonna to cry? Cry." He hugs me tight to his chest.

"I'll hold you all night so its okay to let it all out." He says, smothering me in his arms.

My mood darkens and his words remind me of today. It's today. The day I wish would back the fuck off forever.

I sigh and push him off me. Sitting up in the bed, I face Ryder.

"What is it? Are you seriously mad I ate the last wing? It was my snack to begin with. I didn't touch your-" He stops, noticing my blank stare.

"I just wanted to say I'm going to school today, no matter what. That's all, let's go to sleep now. Turn off the TV." I say, sleepily, trying to make it seem like I'm completely calm, but inside, I feel like the pieces of my world are being taken off one by one, and I'm the one peeling them off, one painful piece by another.

I'll put the pieces back. Ryder and I will together.

I lay back next to him and turn so we're facing each other.

"Why do you want to go back to school all of a sudden? I thought you hated the place." He asks, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me closer into him.

"I need to make my own money someday, and I've been going to school for 8 years so that's the way I'm going to do it." I say sincerely, even though at the moment, that reason isn't exactly true.

"As long as you're with me, you can do whatever you want. You didn't need that last chicken wing when you have me, the wings willing to help you fly to no limits. You could eat me too, if you know what I'm feeling. I bet I taste better than that hot wing." He winks and we both burst into laughter.

I put my fingers to his lips and lean in even closer to him.

"You have no fucking idea what road you're trying to go down and I'm not sure you're ready. For. Me." I whisper in his ear, emphasizing the last words.

He stiffens and I feel a pressure start to build on my stomach.

His smirk appears again.

"I think I'm perfectly ready. For. You." I shiver as his breath travels down my neck.

I smirk.

"That's cute. I'm tired though so good night." I turn, bringing my back to his front and grinding into my spot for comfort.

He groans and my smirk widens.

I put my head down and close my eyes.

Nothing like being a good tease before bed.

I try not to think about tomorrow's events as I fall asleep.

***

"Ryder get in the car! You said wanted to come too, right? So hurry the fuck up!" I scream, through the open window at Ryder.

He drags his feet to the car and hops in glaring at me.

"We woke up with only like 2 hours of sleep. Where the fuck is this energy coming from?" He asks, starting the car so we can go.

It's probably the adrenaline my body is already releasing before this whole thing happens. By noon today, I don't know where I'll be.

"I'm always energized in the morning." I smile.

Ryder turns towards me and looks at me with a blank expression.

"That's a fucking lie and you know it." He says, putting his eyes back on the road.

I roll my eyes and grin, not saying anything in response.

I feel like if I talk too much today I'll spill the beans about everything. So I'll stay quiet.

I hold my backpack in my arms and squeeze it tight. The plan's already started.

When we came home this morning, I had the tissue box with the notes tucked deep under my clothes in my suitcase. I wrapped in the bathroom, naked really quick, with my towel and made it seem as if I was packing my bath essentials away, just so that both Ryder and Caleb wouldn't see anything.

This morning I went in the bathroom, naked of course, and packed it in my bag. I'm going to put the notes in Lucas and Ethan's lockers. They might not come to school much but they come to school. I already put Ryder's letter under his pillow right before we left. Everything is almost in place and all I can do is pray they don't find the letters before I leave, and also that they actually find the letters after I'm gone.

God, please help me.

I take a deep breath just as we pull up to the school building and park where we did before.

"I'm going to my classes today, ok?" I tell Ryder as we walk towards the entrance.

He stops.

"You don't want to be in my classes? I thought I had upgraded from that annoying guy who kidnapped you." He jokes, cracking a smile.

I chuckle.

"I-I don't even have anything to say to that. Just go." I wave him off and we enter the building together. My thoughts are so scrambled, I can't even think of a comeback. Damn.

Ryder grabs my arm, stopping us and hugs me.

"I'll miss you." He says.

This is probably out last hug for a while... The sorrow I've held back all these days threatens to consume now in this minute.

I drop my bag down to my feet and hug him back with both my arms and as tight as I can.

I take a deep breath in his arms and hope to remember his cologne.

"Bye." I whisper, tears fill my eyes but I blink them away quickly.

Ryder pulls back and stares at me.

"I'll see you at lunch." I say, picking my bag up.

He nods.

I smile at him for a second and then turn taking off for Lucas's locker.

I got his locker number from Ryder who has to know for protection situations.

I speed walk down the grey halls, my eyes scanning locker numbers, getting closer and closer and...

My eyes spot it. 472.

I clench my fist and look around to see if anyone's down the hallway. Anyone like Lucas.

I turn in the lock pin and pop it open slowly. Inside holds a couple books and small boxes of stuff. I'm guessing weapons. This school's security sucks, how'd he get these in here?

I shake my head. Focus.

Taking out the paper towel, I wipe around his locker with it and throw it in there like trash.

Caleb's always watching. I have to be careful.

I go find Ethan's locker and repeat my actions.

I put bright red on the paper towel notes after coming home to make them seem like warnings from other gangs. At least that's how warning letters came in with my father's group.

I take a deep breath, and go to a bathroom, locking myself up in a stall. Ryder. I'm going to miss him. He'll be hurt when he sees I'm gone but he'll understand. He's a dumbass but he's pretty smart.

I wrap my arms around my shoulders.

I'll miss his hugs, his laugh, his smile, his eyes, and most of all, him.

I feel like I'm leaving myself behind and going with Caleb, but it's for the better. I won't have blood on my hands, especially the blood of those who aren't ready to spill it.

I love you, Ryder, but I guess I'm not selfish enough to sacrifice your men lives for us.

Not until they're ready.

I want to be in Ryder's arms. Tears coat my eyes. Maybe I'm the real crybaby.

I'm so tir--

My thoughts are cut off by a chiming of my phone.

I pull it out my bag and open it seeing an incoming call. Unknown.

Caleb.

I feel hatred fill me but I pick up the call hesitantly and hold it up to my ear.

"We're leaving at 11:30. The flight's at 11:50. I'll come pick you up behind the school. If you're thinking about bringing Ryder or his guys or anyone for that matter, I'll just say we have snipers at buildings near here, ready to shoot at the flick of my finger, understand?" He states.

"Alright." I hiss, holding back my curses for later.

The phone call ends and I put my forehead against the cold metal of the stall door, hoping to cool my head.

This is it. Everything that could be done, has been done.

I leave everything to luck now. I hope I get to see Ryder again. With an army behind him.

I nod to myself.

I'll see him again, and I won't ever leave his side when I do.

The clock ticks by and 11:40 hits, everything remains the same and class still ends in 30 minutes.

I sigh.

Why'd I come here if I don't get to be with Rose?

What a waste of time.

My phone goes off and I look down in my lap to see 'Hacker Boi' on my screen.

I get up and walk outta class, the teacher barely baits an eye. I'm glad he knows I wouldn't listen anyway.

I pick up the call.

"What's up? You found anything?" I ask, leaning against a wall.

"Ryder, I need you to listen to me carefully." With his tone, I push off the wall and stand straight up.

"What?" I feel dread creep up my back.

"I found something strange. I searched for anything I could find and saw when I hacked the airport records, that Caleb booked Rose a plane ticket. It-"

"What...did you just say?" I freeze, the dread plunges into my gut and I feel all the air in me, get knocked out. Like a punch to the stomach.

"From what I'm seeing here, Rose has a flight somewhere with Caleb, today at 11:50 am." He says slowly. My breathing picks up.

She's going with him... She is. She's going to. She's leaving. That's why...

I feel myself snap.

"Where? Where?!" I ask, trying to contain myself.

"It's blocked off information. It has some firewall that even I can't break through. But the airport is Helen's. The one we went to for that international gang meeting."

My heart starts to beat quickly in my chest. No...

I hang up the phone and take off down the hallways, sprinting for Rose's class. Chemistry.

My minds races as I run.

That call at the park, the hotel trip, her spacing out all the time, this morning's hug, the random urge to come to school. It was all because of this! There were so many signs. How could I have missed it?! Fuck.

I stop at the classroom and swing it open, storming inside. My eyes scan the room up and down. No Rose.

I feel a current of fear shoot through me.

"Shit!" I yell, turning and running to the main door.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck..." I mutter under my breath.

Rose is mine. Mine! She needs me, just how I need her. Without her... I don't even know what life is without her.

Caleb can't have her. He can't take her back to her fucking Dad! Why wouldn't she tell me? Why is she always trying to protect people who don't ask for her fucking protection?!

My body trembles and my hands shake. I can't hardly open the door to my car.

That airport. I have to hurry. I have to get there. I have to.

I pull out the parking lot and at full speed, race off the school campus towards the airport.

My eyes flicker to the radio clock. 11:48 am.

He said 11:50 am. I still have time. I can make it. I need to make it.

I weave through traffic as my fingers type in Luke's number.

I press call and hold the phone to my ear, barely able to hold it still.

"He-"

"Get all the boys you can and get to Helen's airport, pronto. Stop doing whatever you're doing and get there immediately. Surround the place. Shut it down. Stop the planes! Just make sure when I get there, Rose is waiting for me. Don't let her leave me." I let a little emotion slip at the end. I feel suffocated. Like I'm underwater.

"Yes sir!" Luke hangs up. I throw the phone down.

Please still be there. Please. I need you, Rose, you know that.

If she leaves, so does my light, my soul, and my heart. My everything. I'll be a empty shell.

I'm nothing without our love.

"Rose, just wait a little longer. I'm almost there." I whisper.

We said we'd face her father together, what is she thinking?

"I need you there. Just be there."

She doesn't need to do this alone.

"I'm with you, I'll always be with you."

______________________________________

802k

1/31/19

(2345 words longest chapter^^^)

We hit 800k and 1000 followers omg guys I'm shaking, kinda looking at my profile page expecting to refresh the page and see 999 again. I'm so happy RN and yes as promised for the next week I'll be udpating everyday. Dont worry about rushing me I already have these chapters written as drafts. +anything for you all. I feel like youve all really given me a home on wattpad and im so grateful.

Like ive said before i will be creating a blog and an insta for my books and me as an author I hope you all check me out there as well. I love you guys even if you don't.

Thats all for today but I just wanna thank you guys again. Lord knows ive been dreaming about 1k followers for like the last 2 yrs.

I love yall comment vote pm me, anything is welcome.

Ciao.