Chapter Twenty-Six Ryan
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ryan
I’m bent forward on the living room couch, my head buried in my hands as I think about what happened at school today.
Brianne must have overheard Jason and me talking in the stairwell today and took a video as proof to Artemis.
Did she not see the part where we talked about my returning the money? Guess not.
I knew I should have told Artemis. But…after seeing her reaction today, would that have changed anything? No, she still would have been crushed.
Why, why did I take that money to begin with?
“Ryan?” Grandma says, stepping into the room. “Why are you sitting there like that?”
I drop my hands, leaning against the couch. Grandma lowers herself next to me. “I have a lot on my mind,” I tell her.
She studies me. “Can a girl have anything to do with this?”
How does she know that? Is it written on my forehead or something?
I puff out my cheeks. “I messed up, and I doubt she’ll ever talk to me again.”
She wraps her arm over my shoulder. “If you love her and she loves you, you guys can get through anything.”
I pull away. “I don’t think so. I really hurt her.”
“Then you need to apologize.”
“She wouldn’t let me.”
She looks into my eyes. “If she’s important to you, and it seems like she is, then you can’t let her go without a fight. Fight for her, for each other.”
I wish I could. But I hurt her, something I swore I would never do. I don’t think we can ever get past this.
Grandma pats my arm. “It’ll be okay, honey. Believe in yourself, in her, in the two of you and that special bond you have, and you’ll be able to overcome any obstacles thrown your way.” After giving me another pat, she gets up and leaves to the kitchen to start dinner.
I bend forward again, tearing my hands through my hair. I was a stupid jerk. All because I needed money to pay for that guitar. I didn’t know just how much that one dance would come to mean to me.
And now I messed everything up. The girl who changed my life forever is now gone. And she’ll probably never return.
There’s a knock on the door and Grandma goes to answer it. I’m slumped on the couch, my gaze on the carpet. I just can’t stop hating myself for what I’ve done.
“Ryan, you have a guest.”
My head springs up and I find Artemis standing there. Her hands are resting on her stomach, her head whipping around like she doesn’t know where to look.
Grandma gives me an encouraging nod and a small wink. “I’ll leave you two alone.” She scurries into the kitchen like a pot’s burning.
My eyes drift to Artemis, who’s still looking around like she can’t face me. I don’t take my gaze off her and when her eyes meet mine, they rest there.
I sit up. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
We continue looking at one another.
“Do you want to sit?” I offer.
She shakes her head, and my heart drops. If she doesn’t want to sit, that means she’s here to end things with me for good.
She shifts from one foot to the other. “Jason told me everything. That he paid you to take me to the dance, but that you didn’t feel right and returned the money to him. He said…he said you had a good time with me.”
I nod. “I did. I didn’t want that money anymore. I wish I never would have taken it. Artemis, my feelings for you are real and true. I never pretended to like you.”
She nods slowly. “I know. You’d never hurt me.”
Shaking my head, I get to my feet and trudge over to her.
“Never in a million years.” I’m standing right before her now.
“When we danced that first night, you opened something inside me. Something I shut for a long time. And the more time I spent with you, the more I let myself feel. I opened my heart to the possibility of happiness. And I am happy, all because of you.” I take her hands.
“It’s very hard for me to say this…” I shut my eyes.
“No, I want to say this. I love you, Artemis West.”
Her eyes widen. “W—what?”
I nod, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I smile. I don’t think it’s much of a smile anyway, but her eyes widen even more as they shoot to my mouth and take in that puny grin. But it’s enough to change her entire face.
“You heard me,” I tell her, my voice above a whisper.
“I love you.” I lower my mouth, letting it hover over hers before I slowly, so slowly, bring my lips to hers.
When they make contact, it’s like a dam opens inside me and I put everything I have into this kiss. All my fears, worries, hopes, dreams.
Artemis’s fingers tangle in my hair as she presses herself closer to me, as if she can’t get enough of me and this kiss.
Then we break apart and she rests her forehead on mine. “I love you, too, Ryan Rogers, more than you can ever imagine.”
“No, I definitely can imagine it.”
Her smile is sweet and shy. I trace her bottom lip with my thumb, giving her the widest grin I can before swallowing her lips with mine.