Chapter 14

I walked into school on Monday with eyes on me from everywhere. I wondered why and thought about my fight. Maybe they went and saw.

While I was walking to first period, a group of guys checked me out shamelessly and I frowned.

I walked over to a group of girls and they all stopped their talking to stare at me like I was famous.

"Can one of you tell me why everyone's staring?" I asked impatiently.

One girl pulled out her phone in the speed of lightning and started to tap away quickly. The other's just stared in... awe?

The girl with the phone suddenly pushed the phone into my face and I stared at it.

Shit.

Those. Motherfucking. Reporters.

On the website that the girl was showing me, I saw a picture of me with my hands raised in victory. The caption read:

I looked at the website and saw that it was on one of the most famous newspaper and magazine article in the state.

"Shiiiiiit." I yelled and started to half fast walk, half jog around the school to find Ryder.

I saw him at the end of the hall with a short blonde wrapped around him, practically sucking the life out of his mouth.

"Ryder." I went over and before he could protest, I grabbed his arm and dragged him into a nearby janitor's closet.

"Whoa, slow down. I know that you want me, but in here? I was hoping somewhere more comfortable..."

I ignored his comment and started talking really fast. "One of the reporters posted a picture of me in the Pennsylvania Journal, Ryder. That's the most read article in the state. The fucking state Ryder!"

I started to shake so I grabbed a broomstick and broke it in half over my knee. I looked up to see a shocked expression on Ryder's face. I was breathing heavily.

I slumped to the ground with my head in my hands and my back to the wall. I felt my body shaking.

"Hey, hey," I heard Ryder's body slump to the ground beside mine. The next moment I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I could smell Ryder's woodsy, fresh smell. Like comfort.

"Don't worry. We're all the way here and they're all the way across the country in Cali. I won't let them get to you, okay?" he said.

I nodded softly with my head on my knees. I let out shaky breaths and a tear fell onto my cheek.

"Hey," Ryder lifted my head up with a finger and held it in place, "look at me."

I slowly lifted my eyes to his and I breath caught in my throat, he was so close. So stinking close that if I moved my head up an inch, our lips would connect.

"I promise you I won't let them hurt you, okay? You're safe with me." Then he pulled me into an embrace and squeezed tight. I gave in and tucked my head into his shoulder, letting the tears fall slowly.

"No more competing, yeah?" he asked.

I nodded.

•••

The next couple of days were pure torture. I couldn't sleep, and could barely eat. Every noise I heard would make me paranoid. I didn't bother going to the gym, and Ryder has been forcing me to call him every time I go out somewhere, which isn't often.

How did he even get my number again?

I saw the lights flicker twice from the window across from mine. Ryder had told me that when he flickered twice, to open the window.

I went over to pull up the window. Ryder's gorgeous face popped out from his.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." I replied.

"Want me to drive you to school today?"

"I'm not a baby, Ryder. I'll be fine."

He rolled his eyes and I shut my window so I could get ready for school.

It had been a hellhole for a couple of days. Mostly because of the stares I got from the rest of the student body. Some girls the other days walked over on their ten inch heels and asked when I wanted to go shopping with them and that being friends with them is an honorable thing.

I'm pretty sure I broke one of their heels.

During lunch break, I was getting ready to go get something to eat when I noticed a long line of girls near the back of the school.

I walked over to see the commotion and I laughed.

Ryder was having a kissing booth.

I walked up to his booth and got a lot of dirty looks from the girls who were waiting in line.

"Hey, Ruby. Want to kiss? It's only a dollar." He made smooch faces at me and I frowned.

"No thanks, I'm not planning on getting herpes anytime soon."

Ryder ignored my comment and took another dollar from one of the girls willing to kiss The Ryder Daniels. That's what it said on the sign. Ugh.

I almost puked when Ryder's lips were sucked in by the girl.

Ryder winked at me when he kissed the next girl. What the fuck?

"Why do you need money?" I asked when the girl left, but not before giving him her number.

"It's to help out the gym. It's not run by any one person, we all pitch in about fifty bucks a month. And by the way this lines looking, I'll have more than plenty." He winked before kissing the next girl.

I think I puked a little in my mouth.

The next girl walked up. She had brown hair and a pretty face. I feel like I've seen her around the school.

"Hey Monica." Ryder greeted and she smiled. She then looked at me and back at Ryder. "This must be Ruby?"

I looked at Ryder in confusion and his face turned bright red. What was it with him telling people about me?

"Yes, Monica." He said through gritted teeth. "Ruby, meet Monica. Monica, Ruby." He said and she slapped a dollar down on the table.

"Why are you paying, you know you can just kiss me anytime, right?" Ryder said.

Monica laughed and pulled Ryder down by his shirt and planted a big kiss on his lips. "I know."

Then she walked off with her hips swaying back and forth.

I guess Ryder was tired of getting germs for the day, so he flipped his 'open' sign to 'closed'. Yes, he actually had one.

I heard the long line of girls sigh. They all sadly walked off and I frowned. This school is so weird.

"Here," I pulled out a twenty from my pocket and handed it to Ryder. He smirked.

"Twenty kisses? Damn Ruby, you've gotten real desperate...but alright." he then leaned forward with a smirk.

I took a step back and shook my head, smiling. "No way, Jose. It's just for the gym."

Ryder came out from behind his booth and came to look at me. "Wanna get some lunch?"

"Sure." We went out to our bikes and hopped on.

Ryder grabbed us both lunch from a taco truck and we headed to the meadow. I missed it, surprisingly, I wasn't much for flowers or nature walks, but being here made me feel calm and peaceful, especially with Ryder.

Damn it.

We sat at the edge of the pond, and since it was daytime, I could see clearly into the water.

Tiny little fish swam in circles, and whenever I would toss a tiny pebble in, they would all scatter, then return.

"So, what's with you and Monica." I realized that I sounded a little bit pushy.

"What, you jealous?" he teased with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and bit into the taco. "No, but what'd you mean that she can kiss you anytime?"

Ryder paused and played with his fingers. "Uh, well, we're kinda like friends with benefits. The whole, sleep together part."

I choked on my taco and had to take deep breaths. I started to laugh and Ryder looked at me weirdly. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just I thought that you could get any girl you wanted. I didn't think you needed the same girl to sleep with. No offense, Monica's beautiful."

"I can't get every girl I want..." I heard him mumble.

"What?"

"Nothing." He said quickly. "I don't know, she's great in bed, that's all I can say."

God, there goes that pang again. Stop it.

I need to get a hold of myself.