Chapter 1 #2
Ryder’s mom stood up and put a gentle hand on my shoulder, guiding me toward the door. Ryder stayed right beside me, still holding my hand, and I was grateful for it. I didn’t want him to let go. Not yet.
Inside, the building was even more amazing than the outside.
The main room was huge, with high ceilings and big wooden beams.
There was a massive fireplace on one wall with a fire crackling in it, and comfortable-looking couches and chairs scattered around.
People were everywhere—adults and kids, all talking and laughing.
Some of them looked up when we came in, their eyes curious.
“Come on,” Ryder said, tugging on my hand. “Let’s go to my room while Mom calls your parents.”
I followed him up a wide staircase and down a hallway lined with doors.
Ryder’s room was at the end, and when he opened the door, I saw it was exactly what a boy’s room should look like.
There were posters on the walls—superheroes and cars and one of a wolf howling at the moon.
His bed was unmade, and there were toys and books scattered around.
“Sorry it’s messy,” Ryder said, sounding embarrassed.
“It’s okay,” I said. “My room’s messy too.”
That made him smile. He led me over to his bed and we both sat down. My knee was still throbbing, and Ryder noticed me looking at it.
“Does it hurt a lot?” he asked.
“A little,” I admitted.
“Mom will clean it up when she’s done calling your parents,” he said. Then he jumped up and went to a shelf, pulling down a comic book. “Want to read this while we wait? It’s really good. It’s about a superhero who can turn into a wolf.”
I nodded, and Ryder sat back down next to me, close enough that our shoulders touched. He opened the comic book and started reading it out loud, doing different voices for the different characters. I found myself laughing, the fear and sadness from earlier fading away.
Ryder was nice. Really nice. And funny. And he made me feel safe in a way I couldn’t quite explain.
We were halfway through the comic when there was a knock on the door. Ryder’s mom poked her head in, smiling.
“Emily, your parents are here,” she said gently.
My heart jumped. Mommy and Daddy were here! They’d come to get me!
But at the same time, I felt a weird sinking feeling in my stomach. I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to stop reading comics with Ryder.
Ryder must have seen something on my face because he stood up and held out his hand again. “Come on. I’ll go down with you.”
I took his hand and let him lead me back downstairs. In the main room, I saw Mommy and Daddy standing near the door, talking to Ryder’s mom. When Mommy saw me, her face crumpled and she rushed over, dropping to her knees and pulling me into a tight hug.
“Emily! Oh, baby, we were so worried!” She pulled back, her hands on my shoulders, her eyes scanning me for injuries. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay,” I said, even though my knee hurt and my hands were scraped. “Ryder found me. He helped me.”
Daddy came over too, and he looked relieved but also a little angry. “Emily, you know you’re not supposed to go into the woods alone. Especially not without telling us.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling tears starting again. “I just...I was mad at Tyler, and I wanted to be alone, and I didn’t mean to get lost.”
Daddy’s expression softened, and he reached out to ruffle my hair. “We’ll talk about it at home. Right now, we’re just glad you’re safe.”
The whole time, Ryder stayed right next to me, his hand still in mine. I could feel Mommy and Daddy noticing, but they didn’t say anything about it.
Ryder’s mom brought out a first aid kit and cleaned up my knee while Mommy and Daddy thanked her over and over. I watched Ryder the whole time, and he watched me back, those blue eyes never leaving my face.
Finally, it was time to go. Daddy picked up my jacket that I’d apparently left on the couch, and Mommy took my hand—my other hand, the one Ryder wasn’t holding.
“Come on, sweetie,” she said gently. “Let’s go home.”
I looked at Ryder, and suddenly I felt like crying again. I didn’t want to leave him. What if I never saw him again?
But Ryder smiled at me, that same bright smile that made everything feel okay. “Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll see each other at school tomorrow.”
I blinked. “We go to the same school?”
“Yeah. I’m in fifth grade. What grade are you in?”
“Third,” I said.
“See? Same school. I’ll look for you at recess, okay?”
I nodded, feeling a little bit better. Then, without really thinking about it, I let go of his hand and threw my arms around him in a hug. Ryder hugged me back, and something inside me settled. Something that had been scared and anxious and lost suddenly felt calm and safe and found.
“Thank you for helping me,” I whispered.
“Anytime,” Ryder whispered back.
When I finally let go and followed Mommy and Daddy out to the car, I kept looking back. Ryder stood in the doorway with his mom, waving. I waved back until we turned a corner and I couldn’t see him anymore.
In the car, Mommy and Daddy asked me questions about what happened, but I barely heard them. I was thinking about Ryder. About his blue eyes and his laugh and the way his hand felt in mine. About how safe I’d felt with him, even though I’d just met him.
The further we drove from that big wooden building, the heavier I felt. Like something was pulling at my chest, trying to drag me back. I pressed my face against the window, watching the trees go by, and felt tears sliding down my cheeks again.
But these tears were different from the scared, lost tears from before. These tears were because I missed Ryder already, and we’d only just met.
I didn’t understand it. I was only eight years old. How could I miss someone I barely knew?
But I did. I missed him so much it hurt.
“Emily?” Mommy’s voice was soft. “Are you okay, baby?”
I nodded, even though it wasn’t quite true. “I’m just tired.”
“It’s been a long day,” Daddy said from the front seat. “When we get home, we’ll have dinner and you can go straight to bed. How does that sound?”
“Okay,” I whispered.
But I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep. I’d be thinking about Ryder. About his smile and his laugh and the way he’d held my hand and made me feel safe.
About how, even though I’d been lost and scared and alone, he’d found me.
And I couldn’t wait to see Ryder at school tomorrow.