"You're really spending Valentine's Day with the hockey player?"

"Luna, you know he has a name right? Also it is an anti Valentines day, we are in protest of the stupid holiday not celebrating it."

"I know and I choose not to use it. You know not too long ago you were also a hockey player anti with me, now you've joined the dark side."

"I haven't joined the dark side Lun, you're being dramatic. Besides he is the only person around tonight, you all have dates except me."

"By choice Fran, you could pull a guy or girl easily but you're choosing to spend the night with Ryder."

"And the rats," I remind her as if that helps my case. In my mind it does but in my friends eyes we are basically married with kids. I think they are overanalyzing this Ryder situation. We spend a lot of time together, but there is no law that says guys and girls can't be platonic friends. Besides, no one else really gets us like we get each other. I can bitch to Ryder about things like a new skill taking longer than I hoped and it is like I am talking to my clone, he can relate perfectly to what I am saying.

"Whatever Fran just, be careful ok?"

"I feel absolutely nothing for Ryder, Luna, I swear." She doesn't look convinced but lets it go to finish her makeup before Tristian picks her up. I hug her while grabbing my backpack full of movies and snacks to head to Ryders. "You look gorgeous as always Lun, love you."

"Love you, Fran."

I decide to walk to Ryders even though he offered me a ride because I feel bad constantly bumming rides from him. The weather is still shitty but I spent 2 and a half years always walking so I don't mind this. Besides I rarely get alone time so the walking gives me time to sort my life out a little.

I mostly think about my brothers coming at the end of the week. I have a lot to do to prepare for their visit. I would like to grade all the quizzes before they show up and I also wanted to clean the apartment. Also, I usually skate at open skate Saturday morning at the rink but I can't so I need to text Barb and see if maybe I can get in a little bit of time Friday morning. I also want to show my brothers a good time so I need to find plans we can all do since I am underage and can't go to bars. On top of them coming, competition is in two weeks and I still need to make costume decisions so Maya can do the alterations for me. Plus my test on Wednesday and my two next week. I have a paper coming up. Can't forget the class I TA for has another exam coming up so I have to be extra available for them for extra help.

By the time I reach Ryders my head is throbbing trying to sort out my busy schedule. I know by now the door is always open so I let myself in and walk straight to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. I didn't think Ryder heard me walk in so when he opens the bathroom door I jump in surprise. Does anyone in this house knock?

"You ok, Beck?" As always Ryder is in a backwards hat but instead of his usual joggers or jeans he is in plaid pajama pants with no shirt.

"Fine, just got a lot going on."

"Well leave your worries in this bathroom because I have a bunch of movies lined up, the ladies are in their playhouse in the living room and I was hoping you'd help me break into everyone's rooms and steal their candy."

"Ok," I say, letting out a shaky breath as I collect myself. I take my jacket off and Ryder hangs it on the coat hanger while I change from my snow boots to my slippers, also wearing plaid pajama pants that I had from my family Christmas eve two years ago and a solid black tank top.

I adjust my moon necklace and then walk over to the array of movies. I am seeing now that Ryder and I have very different movie tastes, almost as different as our brownie taste. More reasons to give to Luna why we are nothing more than friends. "Want to hear something tragic?"

"Always", I reply as I plop down on the couch and tuck my legs under me.

"You know Air bud? Like the dog?"

"The movies? Yeah everyone knows them."

"Ok so they were supposed to make a hockey movie and it got cancelled. Isn't that so sad? I shed a tear when I read that."

"You're such a loser Carson," I laugh as he falls onto the couch dramatically. "And your movie choices suck."

"Mine? What is wrong with horror movies?"

"It isn't Halloween, it is Valentine's day." Oh and I hate horror movies but that is ammunition about me he doesn't need.

"Yeah but this is an anti Valentine's day thing, horror is the opposite of love. What did you bring?"

"Valentines day, what else would you watch today?"

"That sounds like the opposite of what we should watch at an anti party. What is it even about?"

"Party? It is us dateless loners and three rats. This is the most pathetic party ever. And it is a bunch of interconnecting stories all on Valentines day. It is just a funny stupid movie its like a rom com but not a lot of rom."

"I am choosing to ignore your insult about this absolute rager we are having and I am vetoing your movie choice."

"Well I am vetoing yours too."

"Fine, let's raid everyone's room for candy and then we can pick a movie we both like, deal?"

"Deal," I say while reaching for his hand. Ryder tugs me off the couch and we both walk up the stairs. We carefully go through each room on the second floor and the third collecting candy and other treats as we go. Our best find is a heart shaped skillet with cookie mix tied to it so we head right to the kitchen to make it.

"What do I preheat the oven to," Ryder asks as I set down all the other junk and put the skillet on the counter.

"325. Where are bowls?"

"Top shelf, you're too small to reach them I got it."

Stubbornly I lift myself up onto the counter and stand up so I can reach the top shelf where the bowls are. I take out one and set it down before sitting down and hopping off the counter. "Or do that," Ryder laughs as I give myself a high five.

I learn a lot about Ryder while we are baking, mostly that he loves raw cookie dough and that he sucks at cracking eggs. As I am about to put the cookie dough in the skillet I turn around to grab the skillet then turn back to find the bowl and Ryder gone. "Carson," I scream, running frantically through the house trying to find him.

I can hear him laughing but in the huge house I can't find him. "Carson whatever your middle name is Ryder, stop eating it I want some asshole!"

The laughing continues to move around the first floor, every time I get close it moves again. This is like the worst game of hide and seek I have ever played as Ryder moves around the house knowing every hiding place while I explore most of the first floor for the first time ever. "Carson, you are cheating."

Popping out from behind a bookshelf Ryder launches a small ball at me. "I don't cheat, don't be a sour loser butt." Calling him a cheater clearly struck a nerve.

"Give me." I rip the bowl from his hands and shove him back behind the bookshelf. By the time I get the skillet in the oven it looks pathetic since Ryder ate almost half of the doubt while I tried to track him down.

"Your seeking skills need work butt," Ryder tells me as he walks into the kitchen. I just flip him off then grab some of the good chocolate before moving back into the living room. Ryder follows me with more of the stolen sweets and we both settled down on the couch with the rats on the coffee table in front of us. "Ok besides that lame rom com what else did you bring?"

"Have you seen bridesmaids?"

"No? I don't usually watch chick flicks."

"Settled, we are watching it, you have to see it! I swear you'll find it so funny."

"I don't want to trust you but after the brownie I will give you a chance. But only one and if the movie sucks I am revoking your movie picking privileges forever."

I put the movie in and hit play. Ryder is instantly hooked so when the cookie timer goes off I go to get it myself and come back to find him laying across the entire couch. Being the asshole I am, I sit directly on his stomach trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible but he seems completely unfazed.

When the movie ends it is already 9pm so we decide not to start another movie and instead turn on whatever random hockey game is still going on. It looks like the Flyers are up a point in the second period but neither teams are teams I care about so I don't pay attention too closely.

"So, you never answered me earlier, what is your middle name?"

"Don't have one," Ryder says while shoving a chocolate in his mouth before passing me the velvet heart shaped box.

"You don't? That is so weird."

"Parents hate me so they didn't give me one."

"I'm sure they don't hate you," I laugh but the pointed look he gives me has me suddenly swallowing uneasily. What parent could hate their child? Especially someone like Ryder who is smart and athletic with such a bright future ahead of him.

"Well miss judgy what is your middle name since I am so weird."

"Emilia."

"Francesca Emilia Beckett," he says to himself, trying the name out a few times. "I like it, sounds pretty."

"Thanks," I blush, still sitting on his stomach while he lays with one arm tucked behind his crooked baseball hat.

"What was wrong earlier, when you first walked in?"

"Oh, I am just busy the next couple weeks, nothing major."

"Anything I can help with?" He looks so sincere I have to swallow to remove the lump in my throat. I am not sure when in the last month Ryder became this support system I now rely on but I am damn grateful for it.

"Actually, maybe you can. My brothers are in town for the weekend. Their graduation gift from my parents was a roundtrip flight and tickets to see a Michigan hockey game at Yost and I want to make it special for them."

"Now you're talking my language Beck, you leave the hockey stuff and weekend plans to me I will make sure your brothers have an unforgettable weekend, ok?"

"Ok," I smile and Ryder shoots me his stupid wink. "Ew, no with the winking."

"Hater," he mumbles as the third period of the hockey game begins and we turn our attention from talking to watching the game while eating all his roommates candy. As far as Valentine's days goes, this may be the best one I've ever had.