"If you tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep

I'll sing a song

Beside you

And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me

Everyday I will

Remind you."

Sunlight streamed in through my unclosed window and fell on my face, disturbing my peaceful slumber.

"Mhmmm," I grumbled, turning to the side, to stop the light from falling from my face. I had expected to feel the cool, fluffy surface of my pillow, but what my face touched was warm and firm.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I buried my face in the warm surface and the grip on my waist tightened.

Wait, grip on my waist?

My eyes shot open as I realized that I wasn't the only one on my bed anymore and a scream left my throat.

Instinctively, my hands moved forward to push the person away from me. The sunlight was too bright for my morning eyes to see the person clearly.

The stranger fell on the floor with an "oof" and started producing colourful swear words.

"What the hell, Livy?" He said.

Livy? My eyes widened as I realized it was no one but Ryder. Blinking furiously, my eyes adjusted to the light and I saw Ryder sitting on the floor with a crumpled shirt and frown on his face. He kept rubbing his head and glaring at me.

"Ryder?" I asked, exasperated. "What were you doing?"

"I don't know? What people do at night?" He said, sarcastically. "I was sleeping, duh! I was sleeping till I was rudely shoved off the bed."

"Hey!" I said defensively, raising my hand in surrender. "I didn't realize it was you. I didn't know someone was in bed with me and I panicked. You can blame me if you develop a stealthy habit of sneaking in people's beds at night."

He sighed and rubbed his face with his face, to get rid of the remnants of the sleep.

"It's okay," he muttered.

"What?"

"I said, it's okay. I forgive you."

"When did I say sorry?" I grinned mischievously making Ryder glare at me once again.

"Little bitch," he murmured.

"I might be a bitch but I am not your bitch," I proudly slapped some cheesy line I read on the internet on his face and he laughed despite himself.

"So? May I ask what you were thinking when you decided to sneak into my bed last night?" I asked Ryder as we sat on the dining table, chewing on our Fruit Loops.

"You are my best friend. It's not called sneaking. It's called therapy." He replied and I tried not to let my heart melt.

I gave him an impressed look and he chuckled but I could tell he wasn't really happy. The gave off sad vibes and his forehead was creased in worry.

His eyes didn't shine the slightest bit and his mouth was set in a frown when he wasn't 'pretending to be happy'.

"Ray," I said softly, placing my hand over his. "Tell me. What happened?"

He looked at me and his eyes turned watery as I watched his entire face fall like a house of cards.

His shoulder slumped and he gripped the table so hard that I worried it will break off from the edge.

"S-she, I...Livy...she," he started stuttering which is something he does when he's very stressed and emotional.

"Ray, calm down." I whispered, rubbing comforting circles in his back as he relaxed slowly.

He shot me a thankful look and I smiled reassuringly.

He remained silent for a while and I didn't say anything because I knew he needed time. He needed time to collect his thoughts and present them. He needed time to get ready.

"She rejected me." He concluded in a rushed sentence and I blinked as soon as the information sank in.

My hand flew to my mouth and I felt my body freeze over in shock.

Oh my god!

Ryder didn't sit there for long as he dashed towards the top floor to his room and slammed the door behind him.

I know why he left. He didn't want anyone to see him.

Because he was about to cry.

I kept my head in my hands as my body shook in silent tears. Yes, I was crying. I was crying for my best friend. Because he was hurting. And he didn't deserve this.

I know Ryder and I know how much he had always wanted a mate. That was another reason why I tried to get rid of my young silly crush on him.

He is a virgin. He saved himself for his mate. Since elementary school, when his parents told him about mates, he had dreamt of meeting her. I remember how he used to brag as a kid that his mate would be the best, most beautiful girl in the world.

Since when he was in 9th grade, he visited the city church, every Sunday to pray for the well being of his mate and prayed to find her soon.

That was till he had to go to Alaska, but I am sure he never stopped caring for her.

We were all so sure that Ryder will have the best mate ever.

But we were wrong. We were all so wrong.

Whoever she is, must be such a fucking idiot.

I will kill her if I see her.

<><><>

"Ryder..." I whispered as I opened the door of his room. After wiping off my tears and washing my face with water, I decided to visit him. He needed me rightnow.

No reply came. But I saw his silhouette lurking in the every corner of his room, right by the window.

I walked upto him. He didn't even notice me as I stood by him. He was probably too lost in his thoughts.

His eyes were red and swollen and his lips were turned into a frown as he looked out of the window.

I, too, looked out of the window at the woods, just offering him my presence.

I was disgusted in myself. I was so pathetic. Because he was hurting and all I could offer him was my presence.

We stood in silence for a while. So much so, that I was surprised when he suddenly said.

"Am I that bad, Livy?" He whispered, making me turn at him.

"Am I so bad that I deserved to get rejected right in spot? Did I not deserve a shot?" His voice sounded so broken, so pained that I ached my heart to see him like that.

I wanted to just throw my hands around him and cry with him and tell him that deserves everything good in this world.

But I couldn't do that.

"No." I told him defiantly. "You are not bad, Ryder. If anything, you are too good. You are too good for someone who couldn't understand your worth. You are too good because you are crying over someone who never deserved you. And you are too good to blame yourself over this."

I squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Don't blame yourself, Ray."

"She said I wasn't good enough," he whispered. "She said that she wanted a powerful. Someone who could protect her and give her power. She wasn't happy with just a gamma. She wanted an alpha or a beta mate. And I wasn't that. So..so she...s-she..."

He still couldn't say that she rejected him without stuttering and this time I couldn't stop myself from throwing my arms around him and hugging him like my life depended on it.

"Shhh..." I whispered as his body shook in tears. He wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my neck as he cried in pain. I felt the wetness of his tears on my shoulder and I am sure he too felt it as my tears soaked his T-shirt.

I rubbed his back reassuringly as his sobs died down and now we were just holding each other, making sure of each other's presence.

"Ryde—" I said but he cut me off.

"She was perfect, Livy." He started. "You know how I met her? Yesterday, at night I wanted to grab my coffee from nearby cafeteria when I bumped into the most beautiful lady on earth. She mumbled a sorry and I swear to God, it was the softest voice I've ever heard. She helped me pick my stuff up when my hand touched hers and I felt the sparks I have dreamt of feeling for last ten years. In that moment, I knew I found my forever. I found her. I couldn't stop myself, Livy, I... I pulled his in my arms and held her like my life depended on it. She was so happy too. When we hugged, I felt things I had never felt before and I don't think I ever will. We talked. We talked for so long and she told me that she had runaway from her pack to become a lone wolf. I offered her to show my pack. That's when she asked me what rank I was and then everything... e-everything went down..."

His body had gone rigid till he completed his story and my eyes were Niagara falls again as I sobbed uncontrollably.

All I could think was he didn't deserve it.

"I needed more time," he said. "I needed more time with her so that even if she rejected me, I'd know I can at least live with her memories. But I don't have them, Livy. I hardly have any memories. I didn't even deserve them."

"Shut up, Ryder!" I said in a scolding tone. "Don't you dare think like that. You deserve anything. And I told you this before and I am telling you this now. You deserve the best. And you will get it."

"But that's the point Livy," he whispered. "I don't want the best. I...I just want her."

"And I don't care if she's perfect or not. Because she's mine and I'm hers and it in itself is so perfect..."

I eyes shut close in agony and I placed my head on his shoulder as he spoke his heart out.

He needed to talk rightnow. And I would gladly lend an ear.

<><><>

After tucking Ryder securely in bed, I left his room. He had cried himself to sleep. I started walking towards my room as all the stress has made me tired and now I just wanted to rest. Though I doubted I'd be able to sleep.

I closed the door of the room behind me. Turning around, I expected to be greeted by my empty room but imagine my shock when I saw a familiar figure standing on my bed side with a frown on his face.

"Where were you?" He asked. And I gulped.

Why can't drama leave me?

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