Chapter Ten
Ryder
“Since when do you dance?” Felix asks as we get ready for the party.
Because parties aren’t allowed on campus, kids take turns hosting them in their houses. Tonight, it’s at Leo Ramirez’s. I never met the guy because he graduated last year, but he’s friends with the jocks and lets them use his house whenever he’s not around.
I shrug as I glance at myself in the mirror. My hair is getting a little longer than what I’m used to. When I played football, I liked to keep it short, but I’m kind of digging the new look. I also heard that some girls like when guys have enough hair for them to brush their hands through.
“It’s just something I did when I was younger,” I tell my roommate. “Now that I don’t have football, I need to keep busy with something else. Figured the dance club could use my help.”
He chuckles. “Right. Like you’ll make them win their competitions.”
“Of course.”
His smile drops. “But can you even dance competitively? I mean, your leg…”
“Yeah, my doctors cleared me for dance, but I still need to be careful and not overdo it. For the most part, I can do anything I want without worrying about my leg. It’s just contact sports that are an issue.”
He nods slowly. “I’m sorry you can’t play.”
I wave my hand. “I’m over it and am in a good place now.” Or at least I’m trying to be. I don’t think about football all the time, but it creeps in here and there. Truth is, there’s no point wallowing over something I can’t control. I need to move on and look to the future.
He nods again. “Cool. Ready to leave?”
We meet up with the other guys in the dorm and make our way to the parking lot, which is lined with expensive cars. We get into Felix’s and drive to the party. Leo doesn’t live too far from school and we get there within fifteen minutes.
As soon as I climb out of the car, I gape at the mansion before me. I knew many kids here were swimming in money and that they all have beautiful houses and expensive cars. But I never imagined they looked like this.
One of the popular kids, Warner, slaps me on the back. “You’re drooling, man.”
Ignoring him, I continue to stare at the house. If I plan my future right, could I have that one day? If I associate myself with these people, network, have friends in all the right places…
I could move my parents into a nice house and make sure they have everything they need. Would they finally appreciate me if I did?
But would I be using these kids for my benefit? They are my friends, so it’s not like I’m taking advantage of them or anything.
“Ryder?” Felix asks. “You good?
Snapping out of my dreams for the future, I catch all of the guys and some girls staring at me. They’re lucky they have the luxury to just have fun and party. I need to think of my future. But I’m only a kid. I should be having fun, too, instead of worrying all the time.
Smiling, I say, “I’m good.”
Warner claps me on the back, then all of us head to the entrance to the mansion. My eyes flit around the driveway, as if I’m looking for someone.
Someone with red hair and eyes so beautiful they drive me insane when they’re searing holes in my head.
But Carly isn’t here. I’m not sure she even got an invite.
Why am I thinking about her all the time?
“Anyone seen the Parker twins?” Felix asks the other guys. “My man here can’t get enough of them.” He slaps me in the chest.
The other guys whoop and cheer. I just smile, though my eyes continue to search to no avail. She’s not coming.
Felix must think I’m searching for the twins because he reassures me that they’ll be here soon. As much as I want to have fun and pretend my problems don’t exist, I’m kind of not feeling it tonight.
Maybe because it’s my first party without my best buddy. I don’t know most of the people here. I’m just out of my element. Without me being on a football team, I don’t exactly know my place.
My friends and I grab drinks—I choose Coke—hang out with girls, play games, and dance. The Parker twins dance with me as well and I feel like I’m back to my old self. Not worrying about my injury, my parents, college, or the future. I’m just a regular kid having a good time with my friends.
As I’m dancing with a twin on either side of me, my phone beeps with a notification from the school app. I stop dancing and check it out. The results of dance tryouts have been posted.
April wraps her hands around my arm, tugging me toward her. “Why’d you stop?”
Avery clutches my other side. “Your focus should be on us.”
I’m not listening to them as my eyes scan the names of the people who made the team. There are ten names on here, and at the bottom of the list is Ryder Bennett.
My eyes pop open. Even though I suspected I made the team, it’s different seeing my name officially on the list.
“What’s that?” April wines as she yanks my arm.
“I made the dance team,” I inform them.
Avery frowns as she peers at my phone. “We have a dance team?”
“It was just formed.”
April grins in this flirty way. “Well, of course you made the team. You’re the sexiest dancer at this school.”
I’d argue and claim that Carly is…
“Does that mean you won’t have as much time to spend with us?” Avery pouts. “We’ll miss you!”
“But we’ll come to all your competitions!” April adds.
“Thanks.”
As we continue to dance, I can’t stop smiling. It’ll be amazing to be part of a team again. Sure, it’s not like the football team back home, but we’ll work hard and be a family and support each other. Those are some of the things I loved most about being on the football team.
As I’m shaking my body to the fast-paced song, the only thing that fills my brain is Carly. I wonder if she tried to get me off the team, but the coach refused? Nah, Carly wouldn’t risk having a bad team just because she can’t stand me.
Or maybe…does she secretly want me on the team, but won’t admit it?
The twins complain that I’m distracted and not fun to be around. I don’t really know what’s wrong with me, but they’re right. I don’t want to be here right now, even though this is a lot of fun.
I manage to get a ride back to school with some other kids and find myself heading to somewhere a guy shouldn’t be heading to at this hour. But I can’t help it. I need to talk to her.
The guard outside the girls’ dorm scans me from top to bottom, lifting an eyebrow.
“Uh…” I clear my throat. “Permission to enter?”
He lifts his head and stares at the space before him. “Boys are not allowed in the girls’ dorm after 9 PM.”
“I know, but I really need to talk to Carly Simmons.”
“It can wait until morning.”
Maybe it can, but I feel like it won’t be the same in the morning.
Besides, what if she changes her mind and kicks me off the team?
If I talk to her and she sees how excited I am, maybe she’ll feel bad and won’t kick me off.
As much as she hates me, she’s got to have some sort of sympathy for me in that heart of hers.
And anyway, I just have this need to talk to her. To see her, I guess. And I don’t know why. Maybe because a small part of me thinks I’m dreaming and I didn’t make the team? Like maybe I need confirmation from her or something.
“No entrance for boys after hours,” the guard says.
“Please?”
“I’m afraid not.”
I puff some air from my cheeks. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind? What if I promise not to do anything inappropriate?”
His eyes turn hard as his lips press together. I think I just made things worse.
“Please. I’ll do anything. I just really need to talk to her.”
“No.”
I sigh heavily. “So there’s nothing I can do?”
He shakes his head. “Rules are rules.”
“But what if there’s an emergency? What if I need to tell her something private? Are you going to deny that from her?”
He gives me a hard glare.
I’m about to say something, but the door opens and Carly peeks out. She takes one look at me and her eyes bulge.
“So you really are out here,” she says. “A girl told me she heard a commotion outside and that a guy’s looking for me. I didn’t know it was you.”
I bow. “Sorry to bother you at this hour, m’lady, but I really need to talk to you. But your royal guard wouldn’t let me.”
The guard glares at me again. I just smile.
Carly lifts a brow. “What are you doing here, Ryder? Aren’t you supposed to be at a party?”
I motion for her to follow me to the side, away from the glaring guard. “Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. She’s wearing a robe over her pajamas. “About what?”
“Dance team. Thanks for giving me a spot. I really appreciate it.” I shrug. “I wasn’t surprised because I knew I made it, but it was still nice to officially see it.”
She watches me for a second or two. “So you came here to tell me you knew you got in?”
“No, Carly. I came here to thank you. Seriously, I just said that.”
She glances away. “Wasn’t my idea. Was Coach Moreno’s.”
I step closer to her, and reaching for her hand, I wrap my fingers around her wrist. “Come on, kid, we both know that’s not true.”
“How would you know that?”
I grin as I trace my finger along the inside of her wrist. Her skin is so warm, almost like her entire body is reacting to my touch. “Because we both know how competitive you are, and you’d be crazy not to have one of the best on your team.”
She rolls her eyes. “Aren’t we full of ourselves?”
“We are, and we should be. Because we’re going to demolish the competition.”
She lifts a brow. “Will we now?”
I nod, grinning. “With us on the team? We’re a force to be reckoned with.”
Her eyes get lost like she’s picturing us dominating the competition and she’s got a small smile on her face. But then she takes in my fingers that are closed around her wrist and she yanks her hand away. “Yeah, maybe.”
I’m a little bummed that she keeps pulling away from me and insists she must be sulky around me. I am trying to make amends with her and start over.
“Look, Carly, about this feud between us—”
She holds up her hands. “We’re just teammates, Ryder, okay? We don’t have to be best friends.”
“But—”
“And we don’t have to talk about the past.”
“Clearly you’re not over the whole Lego thing.”
She crosses her arms over her chest again. “It’s not just about the Lego!”
“Then what’s it about?”
She shakes her head. “Just forget it. Look, I was happier when you weren’t in my school, so can we keep our contact to a minimum?”
“No. We’re teammates and we need to work together. You can’t push me away.”
She doesn’t say anything, just whirls around and marches into the dorm building. The guard lifts a brow at me, as if he’s laughing at me.
I don’t get it. I thought she wasn’t as ticked off at me as she used to be. And now she’s mad at me again? Why?
“You should leave or I’ll report you to Principal Harrington,” the guard tells me.
“Got it,” I mutter before making my way to my dorm. Felix hasn’t returned from the party yet. I grab my pajamas and enter the bathroom, trying not to think about Carly.