"Do I have to?"
"Yes."
"No."
Cody and Ethan answered simultaneously and I let out a sigh reaching for my water bottle.
"It's okay if you don't want to come. There is always next time, " Cody said and I gave him a small smile.
"But she's our friend. I know you already never take my side but can't you this once," he said turning Cody and I shake my head amused finally getting the gist of their friendship.
Ethan is the clown of the group. Not the brightest tool in the shed but that's just how he acts just to annoy Ryder. He might also be the playboy of the group given the number of girls you see on his arm but it's one theory I'm yet to prove wrong. Despite the evidence, his character is missing something. Then there is Cody. Mama bear of the group. Nice, quiet boy next door and protects his friends like he would family. He's the glue that holds the friends together, though one might question his love interest. Then is Ryder. Despite my conscending thoughts of much a douche his alter ego is, he's the leader of this little group and I do mean it. I doubt Cody and Ethan can say no to him since he's a tough nut to crack when he makes up his mind unless they beg to differ and I realize that's just my opinion. No one gets away with hurting any of his friends and it hits me they are like brothers, in some weird twisted dysfunctional family way. But maybe it's true if I piece whatever stories Kaylee gives while she's in a good mood.
"You still there," Cody's voice interrupts my trail of thought and I nod before I remember he can't see me. "I know I said it's okay if you don't come but it would be nice to see you."
"Sure. No pressure," I said mumbling the last part to myself before hanging up after promising to think about it and in all honesty, I didn't want to have anything to do with them today or at least for a couple of days.
After yesterday, rather this morning, all I wanted to do was lock myself up where no one would find me for at least some years because I doubted I could live this down but just from that call I knew I'd have to face him sooner or later. Let's just be honest, they are never far from where he is and vice versa. It doesn't help that his face still haunts me. How shock filled his expression as he froze in place staring blatantly at the tell tale wet patch on his white shirt till he broke off trailing his gaze up to me and it didn't help that his gaze stopped at the darker patch of my grey shorts like he couldn't believe it. Honestly I could believe it either and my stomach churned once more as I thought about it. That friendship was obviously wrecked and I had no idea what to think or do.
I hadn't seen him again since that embarrassing ordeal or when he camped outside my room for what must have felt like hours because at some point I was aware Kate and Tony were calling me too. When asked all he had said was that he'd messed up and needed to fix things between us. Weird and I wasn't exactly sure why he'd made that excuse but until he was gone I wasn't planning on leaving my room and the stubborn male didn't either. Though at some point he left giving me enough time to sneak out to come to the gym but even that's only because I asked for a favor from Kaylee to make up an excuse. Well, we tried.
'God Diana, what kind of hole did you dig yourself into now?' I thought with a groan dragging myself to the showers for a quick shower before heading out outside.
"Beauty. Done already?" Alejandro, the male at the desk and the one who ran this gym asked before pecking my cheek and I smiled.
"Yeah. I'm sorry though. You must have lost money in the last couple of hours," I said watching warily as a couple of boys walked heading for the room I was in.
"No worries beauty. I'm having fun taking advantage of your private hours," he teased winking at me and I laughed, even though it was true but I didn't mind.
He'd already proved himself to be a good friend, so I had no complains. And besides he looked almost as equally freaked as I was when he found me waiting outside before opening hours. Honestly he was still freaked with the number of times he came up to check on me since I never showed up in the mornings and I could tell he was still tempted to ask what was going on.
"Still, sorry. And one of the punching bags might be slightly faulty," I said and he shook his head trying to show his disappointment at me and failing miserably.
"Uh-huh?" He said and I smiled cheekily and he broke out in a smile. "It's alright. This one is on the house. Seriously, I'm getting tired of taking your money every time."
Technically it was my father's attempt to make me feel better for the last couple of years but I wasn't going to tell him that. And so with a final peck to my cheek, I made for home deciding to go out and meet them realizing I had to face him sooner or later and I'm not really one to say no to free food.
"Hey, girlie. You really know how to cause chaos don't ya?" Logan asked me as soon as he saw me and I looked at him surprised. This was the first time I saw him oddly sober.
"Did something happen?" I asked watching him cautiously.
"Just you driving Ryder crazy. You should do it more often. His crazy ass needs someone to keep him on his toes," he said winking at me and my eyes widened in shock as I eyed the staircase warily and I heard him chuckle. "Don't worry he's gone but you might want to call the guy. He might not be my favorite person but no one wants to see him bald."
He said before turning to his game signalling the end of conversation and I started up the stairs wondering what he meant by that but the questions immediately disappeared when I found Alice in my room.
"That was fast. Tell me bohemian chic or classy chic," she said holding out two dresses and I looked at her confused. "Come on, we're going to the mall. Didn't you get my text? Ethan said he'd tell you to meet them at the mall when I found Ryder alone."
So it wasn't his idea, I thought but I didn't dwell on it much but who knows. They could be all in it together.
"Bohemian is nice and all but a classy look for a classy girl," I said and she smiled before hugging me.
"Remind me why we only met just a few weeks ago."
"Uh...We lived in different cities."
"I'm glad you're here with me."
"Me too, Alice." If only she knew how much.
"Come on let's get you dolled up too."
"Uh, why?" I asked and she gave me a look as if I'd asked the stupidest question. "Alice?"
"This once. And you know I'm not the only one who would appreciate the effort," she pleaded and any hope I had of not going through with this vanished. And yes, she could be that persuasive.
"Fine," I let out resigned and she squealed once more pulling me towards my closet and I tried to share my excitement a little relieved as she shoved some jeans and a rather decent top my way to match my silver hair in a messy updo and my ankle boots before we headed out.
It seemed just like a normal hangout when we arrived and honestly I tried and failed miserably to hide my anxiety and sort of relieved that he wasn't around even though it didn't last long. As it turned out fate had long decided to leave me the space next to him in the booth after Alice had called me to the bathroom for some emergency that had us, or rather me make an emergency stop at the nearest clothes store and I gave her a nasty glare. I knew well enough that dress didn't have a ripped seam barely fifteen minutes ago. But that wasn't the only thing bothering me and I knew everyone could really feel the odd tension between us. And enough that I couldn't even pretend that everything was fine as I ignored the wary glances he sent my way consistent with the not-so-subtle nudges he gave me with his knee.
"Hey Ryder twelve o'clock," I heard Ethan say before a very small foot, a heeled one at that, kicked my shin and I snapped my eyes up to glare at Alice who was signalling for me to look where most of us we were subtly looking towards and my eyes narrowed a slight fraction and yet not entirely surprised.
Blonde, blue eyes, tall and not a doubt she surfs or that she probably does some modelling for the sport. I hadn't entirely been in my own mind space so I was aware her eyes had been fastened on him the moment he got in and kept on checking him out. And I know because I almost bumped into her and her friends when they had been about to leave when he came in. It must have been after some pep talk and fangirling she was prepped enough to approach and I wasn't sure why exactly Alice wanted me to care even though she spoke with her eyes.
'Stake your claim now,' they demanded but honestly it wasn't any of my business if he decided to entertain her as I twirled the straw in my drink before shifting in my seat when he suddenly tucked his fingers under my chin and pressed his lips against mine and I could hear everyone's breath at our table hitch as I stiffened.
"I'm sorry about last night, babe. I wasn't intending to hurt your feelings or embarrass you last night," he said his gaze boring into mine as his thumb trailed over my lips and a shiver went down my spine as my gaze caught the the blonde's glowering at me through the glass and I suddenly remembered where we were as she turned on her heel.
"Uhh, excuse me," I said, more like croaked out as I made distance between us and got up from the booth before I heard him curse following behind me.
"Diana, wait," he called out making some people turn to us but I wasn't going to stop. At this point, this scenario where I was walking away after he did something I thought stupid was beginning to feel a little like deja vu.
"Diana, come on, stop just a moment," he said grabbing hold of my arm but I shook him off.
"Leave me alone," I said not exactly sure why I thought that would work as he wrapped his arms around me trapping my own to my body.
"No."
"Ryder, please."
"No. Not when you're this mad."
"Ryder!?"
"I'm sorry okay. You were right about me being selfish and I know it isn't fair to you. Sometimes... sometimes I forget you're not like everyone else and for that I'm sorry," he said loosening his grip on me and I froze.
Ever since that day, this was the first time he had actually apologized and for some reason it made me embarrassed as he spoke his next words.
"You're important to me, babydoll. I don't want us to lose what we have because of a stupid mistake on my part," he said before resting his chin at the top of my head and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. "And for whatever it is worth, about what happened, I don't think differently of you. You just got turned on. There's nothing weird about that. You know I did too."
Though completely and utterly embarrassing, his words brought me great relief to me and he must have felt it too because he kissed my hair allowing me to turn around and fall into his warm embrace and he hummed almost delighted before he let go.
"Are we good now, babydoll?" He asked and I punched his arm.
"Don't call me that," I said my cheeks aflame and he laughed pulling me with him as we walked back into the mall and I swear there was no way to stop his teasing.
There was no using the creep-in-the-bar excuse again, I thought with a sigh before a small body barricaded into me knocking the wind out of me.
"Diana!? It's so good to see you again."
"Uhh, can't breathe," I let out resigned to pat Emma's head before she let me go with a sheepish look to her.
"You know, you might as well tryout for rugby," Ethan said and the sheepish Emma quickly changed skin.
"Shut up asshat," she said slipping into the booth and another dilemma arose as we stood awkwardly.
"Sorry, I guess we've never been this many before," Ethan said not really quite helping the situation.
"You know babydoll, you could always take the floor," Ryder said and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Me!? Why can't you take the floor?" I asked with a huff glaring at him.
"Because, babydoll it's your fault we have only one seat left to share," he said teasingly and I rolled my eyes turning to him.
"Do you really want to go there Stone?" I said and his grin didn't waver making me irritated.
"You do know that you could both share the seat right?" Alice asked and I tried to ignore the mischevious grin on her face as I watched Ryder warily before turning to them.
"I don't really think that a good idea."
"It's okay, babydoll," Ethan called teasingly and I could feel Ryder beside me tense. "My lap is nice and all warmed up for you."
"No fucking way," Ryder scowled before grabbing my wrist as he sat down and pulled me into his lap and all at once I was a flustered mess as I tried hard to fight it off, when I heard him curse behind me.
"Are you okay?" I asked turning to him a little wary of his expression as he nodded.
"I'm fine babydoll," he said through gritted teeth and I nodded unconvinced turning back to see Alice who was watching with a smile.
I bet she was enjoying this way too much. More than I was.