It had been four days since I had dropped her home that night, the night that we had agreed to stay away from each other. Four days of absolute misery. Every day since then I watched her at school like a creepy stalker always making sure she didn't see me looking at her. I see her hanging out with Dylan and his friends and with Amelie and a new friend called Jane and she seemed absolutely happy and content with life.

I knew this was exactly what I told her I wanted, but it was annoying me that she seemed ok. She barely looked at me and even on the rare occasion when we made eye contact she would shoot me a blank stare and look away. Not a smile, not a nod, not an acknowledgment...nothing. I didn't think I would be this miserable but I was. It was fucking killing me on the inside and I just wanted to punch someone or something. I hadn't picked up any fights yet because of that stupid promise I made her and I didn't want to break it, even though I was starting to wonder if she would even care or notice anymore.

Right now I was sitting in the school cafeteria glaring at Annabeth who was laughing about something with Amelie and Jane. Colton was right with me while Bryan had been ditching us every other day at lunch to hang out with Amelie now that they were dating. Apparently, Annabeth had baked him cupcakes which made him forgive her, so they were back on talking terms.

I don't know what I was more pissed about, the fact that he was on talking terms with her and I was not, or that she fucking baked him cupcakes. Bryan and Amelie were officially dating now and since he was with us throughout the day he spent every other day at lunch with her. Usually, they would disappear and go somewhere outside school but today he was sitting with Amelie, Jane, and Annabeth at their table which was annoying me. Amelie, on the other hand, kept giving me the evils every time she saw me and I knew it was because Annabeth would have told her about what happened between us, and as a true best friend she wanted me dead.

I look at Annabeth laugh at something Amelie says again and I drop my head in my arms and groan while Colton munches away on an apple. I hear a huge crunch sound and I look up at him annoyed at his loud munching. Colton opens his mouth to take another big bite but he sees my face and he stops putting the half-eaten apple down and facing me

"Ryder, you really need to do something about your pent-up anger and frustration. I mean your getting mad about everything" he stares at me impassively. I just continue to glare at him. Colton sighs and looks at his half-eaten apple and then back at me "Look your not fighting because of her, which is kinda pissing James off as well, and you're just moping around, I mean you haven't been to see James yet even after you told him you would swing by and you're avoiding his calls since the day we got jumped. He keeps calling me asking about why you haven't been to see him and I can't keep making excuses. You know we can't piss him off majorly and we also need to find out if he was behind those guys jumping us, and if yes why. Also, you've stopped going to training for the last two days and I know its because Johnny keeps asking about Annabeth, and finally your not even getting laid, so all of that frustration is just making you a jerk" Colton picks his apple up again and examines it while he continues "Look I was against this idea initially and I agreed with you but seeing you now, you might as well just get with Annabeth..."

"No" I glare at him "You know it's too risky to get her involved, I can't be with her and that's final"

Colton just shakes his head in disapproval "Maybe she's good for you man, I mean she takes you down a notch which you really need at times and she looks after you and she cares about you, and you look like shit without her...plus you know she actually seems nice, not like those other girls you usually hook up with "

I just look at him blankly "She is nice Colton I agree but I can't take that risk man"

Colton shakes his head " Fine, can you just pick the phone up and call James at least, we're already on strike one since that Lila episode, I don't think we can afford to pick any more battles with him''.

I look at him and nod my head " Yea I will, over this weekend we'll go and pay him a visit ok'

Colton nodded his head in agreement and starts chomping down on his apple again when Bryan walks up to us and sits down "What's up my homies?'' he smiles cheerfully. Colton just shrugs his shoulders and I glare at Bryan "How was lunch with your girlfriend ?" I spit out. Bryan just raises his eyebrow " Woah...angry much ..it was good Amelie is quite nice I like her...I really like her"

I just stare at him waiting for him to say something about Annabeth considering she was there for lunch as well but Bryan just takes his phone out and starts going through it. I glare at him for five seconds and then I lean forward and snatch his phone out of his hand

"Whaaa" he looks at me.

"Did she say anything ?" I clench his phone while trying to act cool.

Bryan looks innocently at me "Who".

"Her" I nod my head in the direction of where Amelie, Annabeth, and Jane were still sitting and Bryan looks at them and then back at me and he smiles sneakily "Who? Jane" he drawls.

I stand up ready to punch Bryan in the face when he screams covering his head with his arms " Ok, ok, I was joking man, if it's about Annabeth, she misses you and she's miserable"

I stare at him unconvinced " No she's not, look at her she doesn't even care"

Bryan nods his head "Na she's torn up about it man, she's just pretending to be ok. Plus she even rejected some dude from art class yesterday when he asked her out on a date, even though he was cute apparently''

I clench my fists and narrow my eyes at Bryan "Someone asked her out...who the fuck asked her out... Wait" I pinch the bridge of my nose, " You just said that she thinks he's cute"

Bryan rolls his eyes at me "Ryder, she is a pretty girl, of course, someone's going to ask her out, and it's only a matter of time before she says yes, you should hear the way the guys in my gym class talk about her, a lot of those guys are waiting for a chance to get with that" he points in Annabeth's direction

"What the fuck" I spit out and glare at both Bryan and Colton "Noone's going out with her...you tell her that " Bryan just raises his eyebrows and grabs his phone back.

"What was that song again Colton, yea...If you like it you should put a ring on it" Bryan starts humming which annoys me more.

"You know what, fuck it " I spit out "I'm going to go and find a girl to get laid with, I don't think she gives two fucks anyway" I lift my legs and put it on the table. Bryan shakes his head "I just told you she's pretending, she still cares" I just glare at him "Bullshit"

Bryan sits up and looks around the cafeteria like he was looking for someone and spotting one of the cheerleaders sitting at another table he screams out loud enough for the entire cafeteria to hear" Hey Betsy, Ryder wants to take you out tonight you free?"

Betsy looks up and smiles and quickly stands up and starts walking up to me "What the fuck Bryan ...I don't want to go out with her, she's crazy" Bryan just continues to look at his phone "Look at Annabeth now".

I look across to see Annabeth glaring at Betsy, if looks could kill, Betsy would be fairy dust now. She looks at me and makes eye contact and she looks pissed. She gets up and walks out of the cafeteria with Amelie hot on her heels glaring at Bryan and me the whole way out.

I look up to see Betsy near me now pushing her breasts out and batting her eyelashes " Betsy, not now go away ill call you when I need you" I flash her my best grin and she gets dazzled by it "Ok Ryder sure...whenever" she turns and walks off. I look at Bryan and Colton each and put my arms behind my head and smile slowly "She still cares .."

Bryan just shook his head " You are a sick fuck Ryder, just man up and make her yours, stop putting both her and you through this drama"

The smile slowly slips off my face and I sigh " Na man I can't be with her". I stand up and stretch "Anyway I'm going to go train today you guys coming?" Colton nods his head "Yea ill come, I'm assuming you're going to be on a date right ?" Colton looks at Bryan questioningly

Bryan smiles tightly "Yea if Amelie will still come with me after the stunt I just pulled'' he grimaces

I shake my head at them and look at the door through which Anna went out. She still cared, I knew it was sick as fuck to put her through this, but I felt so much better knowing that she still cared.