~~R y v e r s P O V~~

I left Justins house, where I had gone after football practice, to try to get my mind off a certain someone. To say the past day was a bit intense would be understatement, I learned things about Ensleey that don't seem so black and white like I would have expected.

Her life seems to have a billion pieces and every time I think I have found the last piece of the puzzle named Ensleey Hendrix, I find a corner that needs a piece to be found, it's a never ending mystery.

I doubt I should keep trying, even if my liking towards Ensleey is far beyond repair, I will get over it eventually. It's clear that whatever happened between us is a mistake in her eyes, so I let her be, even if it breaks me apart inside.

I now lay on my bed shuffling through random YouTube videos, when the door bursts open, to reveal my brother. I'm about to speak when he beats me to it.

"Save it, I don't want to be here either." He says taking a seat at the chair next to my desk, examining my room thoroughly, he hasn't been here in years.

"So what do you want?" I asked sitting on my bed properly to face my brother.

"I know you like Ens." He says leaning back in the chair.

He calls her Ens, that unsettles me.

"Yes, she's a great friend." I say trying to act like i have no clue what he's hinting at.

"Cut the bullshit, I don't need a repeat of what she said." He says, I guess this shows how often they speak, and I have passed in one of those conversations, does she talk about me often?

"Okay and?"

He rolls his eyes like I'm the biggest idiot on planet earth. "She won't admit it, but I know she likes you and if you really like her and won't break her, ask her on a date."

I briefly wonder what he means by 'break her', there's a part that feels like there's a deeper meaning behind those two words.

"Why do you want me to ask her out, anyways?" I ask, sceptical of my brother, and why are you worried I'll break her, I want to add.

"Believe it or not you cracked something in her, and even if we aren't the best terms, she deserves to be happy, and you are the asshole who does it for some reason." He shrugs, like he can't figure out how I can possibly reflect happiness from Ensleey.

"She doesn't like me in that way." I try to reason with my brother.

"Yes, and I'm rich." He says and I shake my head he sighs. "Like I said, if you're serious about her, ask her out, she might not agree, but if she knows she can trust you, she'll come around."

I have a feeling that my brother knows something I don't, I don't comment on this knowledge knowing I wouldn't get an answer out of him.

"She just needs to know she can trust you." He pats my back hesitatingly, then proceeds to the door. "Think about it-Oh and on a side note, know I won't hesitate to tear you limb by limb if you hurt her. Good talk brother." He laughs, not leaving any room for protest.

I think through Jake's words, maybe I should ask her on a proper date, it can't hurt, but then again it can, if she rejects me.

After overthinking this I decide I'll do it, and hope I will come out of it alive.

*~*~*~*~*

The next day I'm standing next to Justin, my best friend, who's encouraging me to just go for it. He doesn't know about the time I saw her drunk at a party kissing her 'friend', or about the time she had friend zoned me.

How would I explain that to him without telling him something Ensleey clearly doesn't want people here to know about.

"Dude, if you don't take your ass over there this second I'll ask her for you." Justin says from beside me, leaning against his locker which isn't far from Ensleey's, so we have a clear view of her from here.

He sighs. "I take your silence as a 'yes Justin please I am pussy whipped and too scared to go there myself.'" He proceeds to begin marching towards Ensleey's locker, I pull at his shirt. "Dude."

"Dude I'll do it myself." I say and Justin stares at me expectantly then makes a few movements with his hands indicating for me to hurry up.

I'm starting to regret talking to my best friend about this.

"Good luck." Justin grins, waving me away. I hate him, I take every ounce of courage I can muster and begin the short few second walk to her locker, she's looking at her phone, she's also wearing an oversized tee shirt with some band printed on it, with jeans and her normal white checkered Vans, her hair falling down in curly waves, she looks gorgeous as always.

I go up to her, when she notices me, she cranes her neck to see me, I feel my breath hitch at the sight of her chocolate eyes that scan me with curiosity, I see her blush a bit, why am I doing this?

Well it's too late now idiot.

I only have a few minutes to do this, before the bell rings. So I try to go for it.

"Hi." I say, what happened to going for it?

"Hi?" She laughs lightly, even her laugh is beautiful, for once Justin is right, I am whipped.

"Um do you uh." I sigh trying to form a sentence, how do you speak again?

"Ryver are you okay?" Ensleey asks.

"Yes." I say. "I mean, you want to go on a date- I mean do you want to go out with me."

Wow, smooth.

"Ryver-" She begins. I felt disappointment settle in the pit of my stomach so I cut her off before she can say anything.

"We'll take it slow, if you don't want anything to do with me after the date I will leave you alone, promise."

"That's not it." She fidgets with her fingers.

"Then what?" I say feeling frustrated.

"Trust me, I have too much baggage this-this won't work." I don't respond so she continues. "You will get bored before the second date."

Who the hell made her think these thoughts?

"Ensleey I am never going to get bored of you." Which is the truth I have never wanted a chance with a girl as much as I want with her. "Give this a chance, I swear you can trust me."

She doesn't answer me right away, instead i feel her eyes analyze me, when i think she won't give me a response, she does and I exhale the breath I didn't know I was holding, at her response.

"Fine, but Ryver I have one condition, don't ask me a single question about my past." She says, I nod immediately just glad that she agreed.

"Okay I'll text you." I can't help the smile that has settled on my face, I see her smile back, it worked, and I'm alive. We stare at each a few seconds until the bell rings, removing us out of our trance.

I walk back to Justin, and we begin to walk to class.

"One word, whipped." Justin says, hitting my back.

I don't deny him, why should I?

I am most definitely whipped for Ensleey Hendrix, and there is no more denying the obvious.

~~~~~~~~~~

A u t h o r s N o t e

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