"You really have a College degree?" She asked him, trying not to sound like she was in complete disbelief. She was resting her arm on the side of the window. She looked at the scenary as they were driving, waiting for him to respond.

"You don't believe me?" He said, she could tell by the look on his face he wasn't offended.

"Of course I do, it's just..." she stopped herself, hoping he would finish that sentence, and he did.

"I'm not the type, right?" He smiled.

Silence.

"Charlie and I, we go way back. He always haunted me about getting a degree, not that I'll ever use it. I got a scholarship, everything was paid for, and he convinced me to go with him, not that he needed a scholarship. Charlie's parents are rich, you know?But you would never know, he is not like those rich kids...the stereotype. He's a good guy! My closest friend, I guess" Ryder said, and seemed to silence himself willingly.

"He doesn't race?" She wanted to know.

"No man...he is not into stuff like that...he thinks I am an ass for doing what I do" he was laughing silently.

"What did you study?" She was trying to guess, but she just had no idea!

"Engineering" he said, and turned to look at her, both hands on the steering wheel.

She was in awe...she hadn't seen that one coming. Ryder had a degree in Engineering?? Maybe she hadn't figured him all out yet?? Suddenly she was sure his book hadn't even started yet!

"Apparently I have a nack for it. I just love picking things apart, putting it back together - making it work better than before - not much else I could do, when I was locked up in my room as a kid" he said in a monotone voice.

Skylar felt sorry for him. He had developped a skill out of necessity? Or maybe this talent had always been harboured inside him, but evil made it come to life. Nevertheless, it became apparent...although not to Ryder? He did not see it as a gift, because of the circumstances, that gave it to him, and that made her sad.

You are so much more than your past, if it's good - you can always look back. If it's bad - you can always turn your back on it, and keep moving forward...sometimes people forget they actually have choices...Skylar was scared, Ryder had forgotten about his choices. He hated his past, but felt like it was the only path he could continue to walk, but it wasn't. She wanted to make him aware of that.

"I think that's amazing Ryder...I really do...you should build on that!" She was excited all of a sudden.

"I have nothing to build...it has fallen apart, everything in my life has no structure...it's pretty much shambles...you can't create anything from shambles" he said in a discouraging tone.

"You couldn't be further from the truth! The most beautiful things in life come from shambles...shards...making a road; pavement; beautiful patterns, that shimmer when the sunlights hits the greyish surface...mosaics...impressionistic paintings, that looks like blobs of paint up close, but make perfect sense once you distance yourself. The picture suddenly stands out. Maybe you ought to do that? Take a step back, try to watch your life from afar? Maybe then it will make sense?" She said.

Silence...again.

As she looked at his facial expression it struck her, he seemed almost closed. Like he hadn't heard a single word she just said, or maybe it wasn't sinking in?

No reaction.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked him...wanting him to be honest.

Still silence...only...silence.

No words.

Silence can be friend or foe...right now it was the latter.

Skylar usually felt comfortable being around silent people. Being quiet together is a rare quality. It's like some people are scared of silence. They have to speak, they have to express themselves constantly, afraid people misunderstand their silence, but to Skylar silence could convey more than any stream of words, and she had offended Ryder, as he did not answer her.

His silence was clear as daylight to her, and so she was silent too.

Knowing that sometimes words just aren't enough. And sometimes...like now, words are too much, saying one more word would be a mistake - so she didn't.

He dropped her off.

No goodbyes.

He just closed the door to her room with every intention of bailing, just leaving...getting the hell out of there.

That's what he would normally do.

But this time he didn't.

For some reason Skylar's words made him stop...not think, just stop. He felt annoyed, but not to the point of hating her. Not to the point of finishing an entire bottle of Vodka. Not to the point of racing his car into oblivion.

Not like that.

He just felt like stopping.

Ryder was used to moving, constantly being on the move...moving in the fast lane. But suddenly he hit the brakes...not knowing where to go from here.

The only thing he knew, was Skylar made him stop.

Right there in the middle of the street, a line of cars were honking behind him, and he didn't even hear.

But Skylar heard him loud and clear...as she lay there on her bed, she felt alone, unexpectedly. She felt lonely. She had allowed herself to get used to Ryder's company, and seeing his reaction just now, she was pretty sure he'd bail on her, for some reason that made her sad? She felt her stomach tighten up into a hard ball of knots, there was no way to untie that on her own. She needed Ryder's help to do that, and he was gone.

She felt exhausted. Closing her eyes, she strained to keep them closed...she was so tired, but she also felt restless. She wondered, if this was anything close to what was boiling inside of Ryder?

But she dozed off, giving her mind a break, and when she woke up, the first thing she noticed were all the candles. Real candles...all lit.

Then she realized, there was music...not too loud, but it was there...coming from a phone on the table next to her bed, that's when she saw him...Ryder...He was standing by her bedside: Wearing a beautiful black suit and a white cuffed shirt, she let out a small shriek, which made him laugh.

He reached out his hand.

As she hesitated, he moved closer to her, he simply took her hand, and pulled her gently upright. Standing so close, she felt her heart beat. She could almost feel his heart beat too...he seemed taller all of a sudden. Her face reached his neck, and the tip of her nose almost touched his tanned skin, but she pulled back a bit. He still held her hand.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked her, and without waiting for her reply, he pulled her further away from the bed, they started swaying gently...she rested her head against his chest, and slowly felt the knot untying itself...Ryder didn't need words to do that...apparently his presence was all she needed to untie the knot.

Minutes later the door opened, and she saw Charlie's face...he peeped inside.

I heard there's a party here...we decided to crash!" He said, and opened the door up wide, letting in a smaller crowd of band members...Skylar recognized them from earlier that day, and a couple of girls.

"Dude!...this is a private gig!" Ryder said, but went to greet his friend.

Charlie came over and hugged her gently.

"Ryder told me all about your bucket list when he came to borrow my suit...it's a pretty sorry prom with only two guests!" Charlie said, and made them all laugh. He was, no doubt, the mellow carefree guy, Ryder had referred to as his best friend, she could easily see why.

One of the girls approached her as Ryder and Charlie went outside - after debating whether or not - to get some drinks.

"Hi...you must be Skylar?" The girl said, and smiled. She quickly looked straight ahead, as to disregard the slight awkwardness.

"Yes...and you are?" Skylar wondered.

"I'm Charlie's girlfriend Hannah. It's nice to meet you. Charlie told me a bit about you...just what he knows from Ryder, which isn't much" She laughed lightly.

She was pretty...pale white skin, which almost looked fragile, and she had lavish, wavy red hair.

"How well do you know Ryder?" Skylar asked her, facing her now - and the awkwardness was gone - just like that.

"Pretty well...I've been with Charlie for 2 years now. We met in College, and we hang out with Ryder once in a while. It used to be more, but since he started racing, and running with a different crowd, not so much" she said. It was clear to Skylar they did not like Ryder's new socalled friends.

"What's the deal with him anyway?" Skylar asked her - unable to hide her curiosity.

"Charlie told me he had a lousy childhood...lots of deadbeat stepdad's, you know. They became fast friends in school, they have been friends for years. Charlie is pretty protective of him. Ryder is really smart, but for some reason, he doesn't want people to know that...Charlie told me he was the best in his class, in High School, and College too...he is a real wizz with technical stuff, but he refuses to follow through, it's like he is almost embarrassed or something. He could really be someone...if he wanted to" Hannah said, and sighed.

The door opened, as Ryder and Charlie returned with a bag full of snacks and drinks.

They were all talking and laughing, it almost didn't feel like a hospital room anymore.

But as she dozed off, it became apparent that is was. Almost unconscious, she heard it through a haze...how Ryder stopped the party, and had them all leave...and she felt it as he picked her up from the chair she had been sitting in, and carried her over to the bed...she felt it as he pulled the covers over her body, and she felt it as he opened the window, and the cool dark soothing wind swept over her.

Then she disappeared.