*Two weeks later*

I place my phone down on my bed, with a sigh after an hour of convincing Dylan that he's going to be fine and that he won't actually crap his pants.

It was half past eight at night, and almost time for his date with Mia.

Yes, that happened. Mia decided to finally take the chance and ask Dylan out and that's probably the first time in my life that I've seen Dylan, speechless.

He was so flustered that we had to shake him back to his senses.

They are literally the cutest couple ever. I've seen them sneaking kisses here and there, in the school hallway and I couldn't help but gush over it.

I let out another groan of frustration, as I plopped on my study table.

I frowned at the textbooks in front of me, mentally asking them to fuck off.

I was extra grumpy today.

Yeah, a lot more than usual, because:

One, mother nature decided to come visit me today and the cramps pain is a real bitch.

Two, we have exams coming up and due to the whole on and off with Ryder and the gang fiesta, I had no time to prepare for it beforehand. So, here I am studying my ass off because I, at least need to pass.

Now, you must be wondering, why don't I just ask Ryder for help, who so generously offered to tutor me?

Well, that brings me to point three.

Ryder has been getting on my nerve and I'm very very close to punching him in the face.

He still hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend and it's been more than a week since he got discharged from the hospital.

Now, that Mia and Dylan have also officially been on a date, that only leaves Ryder and I in the whole group who are single.

I've stayed true to my word by keeping him at an arms length till he asks me to be his girlfriend but it's Ryder we're talking about.

Everytime he invades my personal bubble, my body reacts on its own and refuses any signals from my brain. It takes me a moment to actually come back to reality and push him away.

He's an ass.

'A hot ass.'

Oh shut up.

"'Anything for you' my ass." I grumbled, picking up my pen and bringing my attention back to maths.

"It's not like I'm asking for the stars or something." I grumbled a little more. "Him and his empty promises." And a little more.

I was in the middle of scribbling over a stick figure that I named 'Ryder', when I heard a tapping sound.

I frowned before getting up and walking towards my door, only to see an empty hallway.

I shut the door and heard the tapping continue.

In sudden realisation, I turned towards the window.

I grabbed the first thing that I could reach and that happened to be my maths textbook.

Yeah, that'll work.

I tiptoed towards the window and slowly pulled it open, only for a bunch of pebbles to fall from the little ledge.

My eyes then shifted to the only person, standing down there with a goofy smile on his face and several pebbles in his hand.

His smile almost brought one on my face as well but I remembered how mad I am at him, just in time.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Ryder?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

His smile didn't falter. "I needed to talk to you." He said.

"And you couldn't use your phone?" I rolled my eyes, leaning on the window frame.

His expression changed to one of realisation, and he fished out his phone from his pocket, while I sighed.

Suddenly, I felt something fly past me and into my room.

My eyes widened as I looked back to see Ryder's phone lying on my room's carpeted floor.

Did he just-

'Yes he did.'

I looked down at him in disbelief. "I meant, to text me and not- oh god..."

I stopped myself before I pulled my own hair out in frustration and took a deep breath. He, on the other hand, stood down there with a proud smile on his face.

I turned back in, picked up his phone and stomped downstairs.

"This ass is going to get it today." I grumbled.

I walked out of the main door to find his standing in my driveway.

"I'm going to shove this down your throat." I glowered, as I reached him.

He simply chuckled, shaking his head.

Rather than grabbing his phone out of my hands he proceeded to take off his black leather jacket.

He didn't waste a second before bringing it around me and placing it over my shoulder. "Can't have you catching a cold, now can we?"

I hadn't noticed that I walked out in the cold in my pajamas which was just a pair of shorts and a spaghetti.

I pulled the jacket close to me as the cold air hit my cheeks and his intoxicating scent enveloped me.

"It's 9pm Ryder." I said, a lot calmer than what I was a few seconds ago. "What do you want to talk about?"

He just smiled, his endearing smile at me, before extending his hand. "Come with me?"

I looked at his hand and almost pouted because of how tempting his offer is. Then I looked up into his eyes and my doubts suddenly disappeared.

I sighed, before placing my hand into his. "This better be good. I'm freezing my ass off for this." I narrowed my eyes at him.

He chuckled, kissing my knuckles one by one. "I'm all prepared."

He then pulled out a thick but small blanket, from a little bag that I hadn't noticed until now.

I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my mouth as he handed it to me.

I chuckled in disbelief as I grabbed it.

"You know you could've just given this to me, instead of your jacket? It's cold for you too, idiot." I said, taking off his jacket and handing it back to him.

He pouted, taking it back. "I wanted you to wear my clothes."

After bickering for a while, he finally put on his jacket and we started making our way to, wherever he's taking me.

There was a comfortable silence between us as we walked side by side in the crisp night.

I moved little to the side to avoid stepping in a puddle and my hand brushed against Ryder's. That was enough to make sparks shoot up my arm and I immediately pulled away.

Before I could cross my arms over my chest. I felt his hand grab mine and intertwine our fingers.

Heat crept up my neck and my cheeks as I tried to pull away.

How does he still have this effect on me?

I turned to glare at him and he looked at me with a challenging look in return.

Screw him.

I sighed, giving in and walking beside him, hand in hand.

After about a minute of walking in silence, I began to notice the familiar surroundings. I frowned as I just couldn't put a finger on it.

I was about to voice my thoughts and ask Ryder when the gate of a very familiar park came into view.

Ryder must've caught the look on my face as he tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me closer to him. "Remember this place?"

I nodded, biting my lip.

"Of course I do. It used to be our spot." I smiled.

We had reached the entrance of the park when he quickly made me turn to face him and his lips landed on mine, for a short kiss. "It still is."

His kiss left me in shock and when he made me face the park again, I was left breathless.

I covered my mouth with my hand as I looked at the place in disbelief.

There was a path made with candles that ended in the middle of the park.

There were rose petals on the path, making it look like a red carpet for fairies.

Now, the place where the path ended was what left me speechless. The blossom tree.

The blossom tree was beautiful as ever but what made it look like a dream was that, it was decorated with fairy lights.

Ryder came to stand in front of me, and my misty eyes, shifted to his. "Aw this wasn't supposed to make you cry."

He bent a little because of our height difference, to look at me by cupping my face.

He placed a feather-like kiss on my forehead before taking my hand and turning to lead me towards the centre, under the blossom tree.

"Am I in a fucking fairy tail?" I asked as my eyes took in the pure magic around me.

He stopped just under the tree, and faced me.

"Do you, not like it?" He asked, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

I looked at him wide eyed to make sure that my feelings are expressed well. "Are you kidding? I love this!"

His face visibly relaxed as he sighed in relief. "Well, that's a start."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

He suddenly held both my hands in his and pulled me slightly closer, making my eyes widen.

"Emily-" He started and stopped immediately. "Wow, I'm not used to saying your real name. Anyway, Miles, you are amazing."

I scoffed at that.

"You are. You inspire me, everyday, in so many ways that you just don't realise." He said, with no hint of humor in his voice or his face. "You're beautiful, you're strong and you have a good heart."

He scanned my face, while I blushed. "I've known you since we were kids and it didn't take much time for me to fall in love with you. But my dumb self made mistakes, terrible ones and I lost you..."

I placed a hand on his cheek as I heard the sheer sorrow in his voice.

"And just when I was about to lose all hope, you came back." He ducked his head before looking back up. "I don't think I've told you this before. I was going to quit playing football and turn into a complete loser when the reality of your chances of never coming back, set in."

My eyes widened in surprise and he nodded before kissing the palm of my hand.

"But you came back. And I just knew that I can't lose you again." He shook his head. "I've beaten myself up for years for letting you go, back then and I refuse to let go of you ever again, because I love you, so so much."

A small smile grew on my lips as I felt my eyes slowly brimming with tears.

He let out a breath before speaking again. "I think I've made my point here."

I frowned at him, sniffing. "What?"

"That even if you say no, you're stuck with me." He said, in all seriousness.

"So... will you be mine?" He said, and his voice cracked a little.

I controlled the laughter by pursing my lips.

"Hey! You can't do that. I'm nervous." Ryder whined, while I swallowed my laughter.

"You're nervous?" I raised my eyebrows in amusement. "Why?"

"It's a hard question to ask." He whined. "And I really really want you to be my girlfriend. But you don't really have a choice, you know? As I said, I'm gonna be stuck to you even if you say no. And I'll keep asking you the same question again and again, until you say-"

"Yes."

"Exactly. And- wait what?" He shook his head and looked down at me wide-eyed.

I almost laughed at his reaction. "Yes. You idiot."

A smile slowly grew on his face and suddenly I felt myself being picked up and spun around.

His arms around me left warm, safe. They felt like home.

"I can't believe, you're finally my girlfriend." He breathed out, once he stopped spinning but he didn't put me down.

I wrapped my legs around his waist. "Yup. After being in love with me for like, 5 years, you've finally made me yours."

He scanned my face. "I can't believe I wasted so much time."

"We wasted so much time." I sighed.

"Yeah let's not do that anymore." He said, before leaning in and quickly placing his lips on mine.

I could feel sparks igniting through my body as a euphoric feeling took over.

I kissed him, without holding back as my hands went into his soft hair and his arms latched around my waist.

The kiss was soft at first, but our mutual need for each other, quickly took over and the kiss grew heated.

He bit my bottom lip for entrance that I immediately granted.

When his tongue touched mine, I let out a moan of pleasure and his arms tightened around my waist.

In the heat of the moment, I didn't realise that I was slipping because of the material of his t-shirt.

Just as I was about to slide down, I felt Ryder's hands grasp my ass and haul me up to my previous position,

without breaking the kiss.

Oh my god.

I moaned into the kiss as I felt his hands knead my ass.

I've never been this close or this intimate with anyone and my first being with Ryder just made this experience ten folds better.

He suddenly broke the kiss and I let out a whine of protest.

He chuckled, slightly. "Don't worry beautiful, I'm all yours. We can always continue this, somewhere private."

He pecked my lips that were set in a pout, making it turn into a small smile. Heat crept up my cheek when I realised what he just said.

The fact that his hands were still on my butt, holding me up, didn't help my case.

I patted his chest. "Uh can you...?" I motioned for him to put me down.

"Nah, I'm comfortable just like this." He said, with an innocent smile.

I looked at him in disbelief but sighed and looked around. "You did all of this, just to ask me to be your girlfriend?"

"I wouldn't say I did this alone. I had help but yeah, I uh... I wanted this to be perfect." He said, smiling.

"It was." I smiled back at him before my smile fell. "But it took you two weeks to finally ask me even though you had help?"

His eyes widened. "I- I didn't know how to do it. I thought of singing for you but since I already did that I had to think of something else."

I narrowed my eyes at him and he continued.

"I couldn't ask Dylan for help because he was busy shitting his pants for his own date."

I narrowed my eyes further.

"Lexi is on that road trip with Alec. So, I had to ask Diana for help. And surprisingly she agreed. I'm still very scared of her." He said, lowering his voice.

I sighed, looking away from him. "Put me down. Let's go get some food. I can't be mad at you."

His eyebrows raised in confusion. "Why do yo- oh."

I turned to glare at him, while he looked at me with concern.

"I'm sorry, beautiful. Are you in pain?" He asked, quickly setting me on my feet.

I was beyond astonished. "You're making it harder for me to be mad at you."

He let out an amused chuckle.

"You don't need to be mad at me baby. I promise, I'll take care of you. Come on, let's get you some food." He turned around and squatted in front of me.

"What?" I asked, clearly confused.

"Hop on."

"Ryder, I can walk." I said, patting his back.

"I don't care. Hop on." He said, making me sigh but feel giddy on the inside.

I obliged and got on his back.

Once his arms were hooked to my thighs, he stood up and I suddenly was more conscious about our height difference.

"It's a long way back. Are you sure about this?" I asked, placing my chin on his shoulder, having no plans of getting off of him anytime soon.

"Of course, beautiful." He laughed. "I'm a lot stronger now, in case you didn't notice."

"Oh I noticed." I whispered in his ear, making him groan.

I chuckled at his reaction.

"Women are evil." He groaned.

"You love me."

"I do." He said, tightening his grip on me.

I placed a kiss right below his ear. "I love you too."

And just like that, we had our very first and very spontaneous date, at a drive through in the middle of the night.

But what mattered was that we were happy. We laughed, talked and poured out our hearts in front of each other.

I felt like all the hardships that we had to face were all worth it, for this.

Ryder felt like home. The home that made me feel safe, secure, wanted and loved.

We rose from our ashes like two broken phoenixes and found support in each other.

We still have a long way to go and a lot more hardships to face but this time we'll be ready for them, together.