Chapter Six
Ryder
Felix and I, along with most of the football players and basketball players, get into cars and head for the diner in town.
My roommate is on the basketball team and introduced me to all of his friends.
I fit right in with these guys, since I used to play football as well.
I also know some of the guys from camp and other sports events and functions.
I thought being around everyone talking about sports would sting, but it actually feels great to be with kids who are like me.
Many girls will be joining us at the diner. A few caught rides with some guys, but Felix’s car is girl-free, which sucks because girls always make everything more fun.
Speaking of girls, my thoughts travel to a certain red-headed beauty.
I’ve got no clue why I’m thinking about her.
Probably because even though I fit in with these guys, there’s still some unease.
Unfamiliarity. Carly being here would have made things much easier, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind those pretty green eyes filling with irritation as I push her buttons.
But it’s clear that she doesn’t hang out with these kids.
I heard she and her friends are considered “the losers” of the school because they’re scholarship kids.
Everyone knows I’m a scholarship kid as well, but I guess my being a former jock has shot me to the top of the popularity pyramid.
Which is great since Carly doesn’t want me anywhere near her.
And it’d be nice to hang out with kids who get me, even though I feel out of place. I’m sure I’ll get over it soon.
Two other basketball players are in the car with me and Felix and the conversation revolves around sports.
It’s my favorite thing in the world, something I could talk about forever.
Blake and I were obsessed when we were younger, and still are today.
He’s still on the football team, though, and there are no hard feelings between us.
I want all the best for him. He’ll embark on that path while I’ll be on a different one.
I guess life just isn’t turning out the way I imagined it.
We reach the diner and get out of the car. The place isn’t that full, which is great because the whole lot of us will probably take up all the tables.
I lower myself in a booth in the back, with a cheerleader on either side of me.
The two girls—brown-haired twins— give me bright smiles, one latching onto my arm.
They’re upset because Clarissa, who’s the most popular girl here, has been suspended for a few days.
I never met her and wonder what she did wrong.
The girls mention Carly’s friend Addie, but I have no idea what they’re talking about.
“So you used to play football?” one of the girls, April, asks. “Why’d you stop?”
I force a smile. “Injury to my leg.” It’s gotten better, thanks to all the physical therapy and hard work, and I can pretty much walk like normal except for a slight limp.
But the doctors said I can never play football again.
Something about getting a second injury and being unable to walk again.
It bites, but it’s not like I can do anything about it.
After all the pain I’ve been through with my home life, I’ve learned to pick myself up and move on.
April pouts while Avery continues to clutch my arm. She rests her head on it. “That sucks.”
“Yeah, but I’m all right. Don’t worry about me.”
The girls beam and bat their lashes. “You’re so strong and brave,” Avery says.
True, but I wish I were stronger. I wish it didn’t bother me that my parents still haven’t returned my calls or texts.
Everyone at the table talks while we eat. Many complain about homework or teachers, some are looking forward to the football game next Friday. I’m really looking forward to it. As hard as it might be, it’ll be nice to watch the game without stressing about making sure my team wins.
My thoughts wander to my friends and I wonder if they miss me.
I know Blake does because he’s like a brother to me, but what about my other friends?
I’ve texted them here and there, but they seem busy.
Football championships are coming up and I know they need to focus on that.
I remember how much I used to stress out, but hanging out at Blake’s house—away from mine—always helped.
His parents have always been so open and loving. Like the mom and dad I never had.
“So, Ryder,” April says, pulling me away from the past, “what do you like to do for fun?”
Shrugging, I slice a fry in half with my teeth. “Watch football.”
“And?”
“Movies.”
“Do you like going to the mall?” Avery wants to know.
“Not really.”
They pout. “Too bad,” April says. “We love going to the mall.”
“Maybe you can come with us on Saturday,” Avery adds, squishing herself closer to me. “We can have so much fun.”
Hanging out with girls and distracting myself from my troubles definitely seems appealing. But considering I have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on or I’ll fall behind, I have to decline. “Maybe another time.”
They pout again. It only lasts for a second before they start talking about cheerleading, telling me they can’t wait for me to see them in their uniform. Normally, I’d be into it, but I’m not feeling so great lately. Probably because of my parents.
It’s been like this all my life, so I’m not sure why I’m taking it so hard. Because I’m away from Blake and my second home? Am I homesick?
“Wow. Why did you get all serious all of a sudden?” Avery asks as she clutches my arm tighter. “Are you okay?”
Both girls stare at me with identical worried faces.
I force a wide smile. “I’m okay. It was nothing.”
They relax and talk about other things.
It’s getting late and we need to return to school.
There’s a curfew, and if we break it, we’ll risk detention or suspension.
Considering I’m new and am on scholarship, I can’t get in trouble.
Luckily, Felix wants to leave as well. He’s also worried about detention.
We, along with the twins, get into his car and make our way back to campus.
Back in our room, Felix plops down on his bed. “Dude, the Parker twins? Nice!” He holds out his fist for a bump.
Laughing lightly, I tap it with mine. “I take it they’re popular?”
“After Clarissa, Jemma, and Luna? Heck yeah. You scored big, my man.”
I shrug. “We were just hanging out.”
He scoffs. “You don’t ‘just hang out’ with the Parker twins. They want you, dude.”
“Both of them?”
His brows lift. “You complaining?”
“No. Not at all. But do they expect like…commitment? That’s not my thing.”
“Commitment? At our age?” He snorts. “Yeah, right.”
I think about Carly. She’s the type of person who would want commitment, even at our age. But why am I thinking about the girl who hates me when there are twins who were all over me tonight?
Still, as I take a shower and climb into bed, Carly is the girl on my mind, not April or Avery.
***
As I walk through the hallway after breakfast the next day, I stop in my place when I spot the red-headed beauty hanging something on the bulletin board.
Placing my hands in my school uniform pants pockets, I make my way over to her. She’s placing posters on the board and on the walls and some lockers as well.
Bending closer as she tapes a paper to a locker, I read, “Feel the dance bug? Want to be part of something wonderful and fulfilling? Join the new dance club! Tryouts are this afternoon in the gym. Hope to see you there!”
She smells good, like shampoo or something. It’s a smell I remember from when we were kids, except it smells better now.
Why in the world am I thinking about her smell?
Carly glances up, and as soon as she realizes it’s me, she yanks away from me. “What the heck are you doing?”
“Wanted to see what you were hanging up. Hmm. Dance club tryouts? So you still dance, huh?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Yeah, I still dance. Why do you look so shocked?”
“Not shocked. Impressed. That you stuck with it.”
“Well, I’m not a quitter.”
“No, you definitely aren’t.”
She looks at me, then away, then at me again. “Did you want something?”
I study the words on the poster. The letters are all glittery and it looks like she spent a lot of time on it. “Seems corny.”
“What?”
I shrug. “This whole dance club thing.”
Her eyes flame. “It’s not corny. Don’t you know there are dance competitions where you win trophies? And we perform at school sports events.”
I tilt my head to the side, letting my hair fall over my eyes. “Yeah, I know that. Corniest part of halftime.”
Her eyes flame even more. I don’t agree with anything I’m saying. I love that she’s passionate about something. But ruffling her feathers is just too much fun.
“Get away from me, jerk.”
I stay exactly where I am. “Calling me a jerk isn’t nice.”
“Calling dance club corny isn’t nice.”
I bend close to her ear and whisper, “Since when do you care what I think?”
A tremor goes through her, but she pretends like she’s not affected by my close proximity. “I don’t.”
“Looks like you do or you wouldn’t be so irritated.”
“Your existence irritates me,” she nearly barks.
Chuckling, I hold up my hands. “Okay, okay. Will you accept my apology?”
“Do you still think dance is corny?”
“Not dance,” I clarify. “Dance club.”
Now it looks like steam is shooting from her ears. She seems to be too mad to respond, just continues to glare at me like she wants a gorilla to leap at me and tear me to shreds.
Smiling, I rest my hand on her shoulder. “But good luck with it. Honestly, kid, I wish you all the best.” After patting her shoulder, I make my way down the hallway to my locker. I can still feel Carly burning a hole in the back of my head.
I could turn around and tell her I didn’t mean what I said. That I genuinely do wish her well. But where is the fun in that?
Laughing again, I take my books from my locker and head for my first class.