Taylor

My phone beeps several times and I reach out; hitting the space next to me to stop the irritating noise. Instead of my phone, my hand slaps something fleshy and Miles grunts loudly.

Shit, I forgot I was staying at his. I rub my eyes, reach over him and grab my phone from his bedside table. There are several messages from Jay saying he wants to speak to me, which means he wants to meet.

Me: Why are you up at this time? Xx

J: At a party. Haven't gone to bed yet. Wish you were here to keep me company rather than these idiots. I'm about to head home. When you free to speak? xx

I smile.

Me: Early this morning, after I've left Miles? Xx

J: Cool. Call me when you're on your way xx

"Who are you messaging at this time?" Miles croaks from beside me.

I put my phone back on the side table. "J, she wanted to arrange a time to talk."

"She messages at stupid times." Miles's arm wraps around my waist. "But seeing as we're awake..."

Miles pulls me against his hard dick which is poking through his boxers and grinds it against me while his lips kiss along my neck. Normally, I'd find it a turn on but recently it hasn't been having the same effect. Last night, after crawling into his room, I pretended I was too tired to do anything. I'm not sure what my excuse could be now.

"Why do you let Teresa drape herself over you?" I ask.

Miles halts his little humping session and rolls onto his back with a huff. "Are we really doing this now? At four in the morning?"

"If you expect me to make you cum at four in the morning, I think you can at least have the decency to first explain why you don't tell Teresa to back off."

"Seriously? This is Ariel putting things in your head, isn't it? She always has something to say-"

"No, it's you sitting with them every lunch and letting Teresa molest you."

"They're my teammates."

"The guys are, not Teresa. You've changed since you joined the team. When we started dating you were low-key, now you go to a party every weekend and you're constantly taking stuff to keep you buzzing until you crash on a Sunday."

"Tay, don't. You know I only take it to help keep me awake when studying-"

"I didn't see you do any studying at the party last weekend and you had definitely taken something."

Miles exhales loudly and closes his eyes. He's pissed off but right now so am I. The only problem is, I can't work out if I'm annoyed at myself for not saying anything sooner or for finally acknowledging, to myself, I'm not actually that happy with Miles anymore.

"Tay, let's go to sleep and talk about this-"

"Miles, who are you talking to?" Miles's mum's voice calls through the door.

"Shit," Miles hisses.

I jump out of bed and search for my clothes. My bag and shoes are easy to spot but my clothes are lost within all the clutter spread across his room. He may be ridiculously clever but he's also ridiculously messy. I grab one of his t-shirts and pull it on. Miles opens the window and gestures outside.

"Miles, I'm coming in."

"One minute, mum. Give me one minute."

"I can't find my clothes," I hiss.

"Just sit on the ledge. Once I get rid of her, I'll let you back in."

I roll my eyes and climb out the window. Sitting on the ledge, Miles pulls the blind down to hide me. He lives on the first floor so it's not particularly high or scary. The neighbour upstairs has put in some weird steps for their cat to get in and out of their apartment which I use to sneak into Miles's bedroom at night.

This arrangement is the reason we've done most things apart from actual sex. The thought of breaking my virginity while his mum and dad are in the room next door doesn't exactly set the scene for a romantic setting for my first time. Then again, the first time isn't meant to be great so maybe it doesn't really matter.

"Miles, I heard a female voice in here," Miles's mum says.

"There's no one in here."

I shiver. It's cold outside this morning and wearing a thin baggy t-shirt wasn't a great choice. I should have picked up one of the jumpers laying on his floor.

"Were you watching porn? Oh, Miles, it's so degrading to women. I know at your age you have urges but-"

"Mum," Miles whines.

I stifle a laugh. I've never really understood why Miles's parents are so strict. I know they're very focused on education and ensuring he succeeds in the traditional sense however they are aware I'm his girlfriend, and I'm allowed in the apartment after school as long as we stay in the living room. I've never been allowed near his bedroom. They'd probably get him homeschooled and he'd never be allowed to leave the house again if they found out I was sneaking into his room and staying there for the night.

The first time I met Miles was at my house. He was my sister's partner for a science project. She was so nervous when he came over, my mum asked me to sit in the same room and do my homework. It's kind of crazy when I think about it. My sister used to eat boys at our old school, literally and figuratively. Now, she was nervous of one who was more harmless than a fly.

After a week of Miles coming over, and me mainly speaking to him, he asked me out. It was kind of a surprise, both him asking me out and me saying yes. He isn't my usual type or I should say, he wasn't the old me's usual type. But I was trying to change, and the new me thought he might be a good option; intelligent, good looking and a nobody.

"We need to discuss this with your father. Porn damages the brain and skews your perception of normal sex. All that violence and slapping and penetration of every orifice isn't how real sex should be between loving partners," his mum says.

Ewww, I really don't want to be listening to this.

"Mum, can we do this in a few hours at a reasonable time," Miles pleads.

"What's going on?" Miles's dad says. And, it's a whole family gathering now.

"We need to discuss porn with our son. He's watching it at four in the morning, he has a problem."

"Ok." Miles's father sounds as awkward as I imagine Miles feels right now.

"Miles, why is your window open?"

Shit. Dropping my shoes to the ground, I step out onto the cat steps and press my body against the wall. Stepping down, I try not to lose my balance as the bag in my hand swings from side to side.

"I didn't realise you were the Saunders family's pet cat," a voice says from below me.

Startled, I jump and slip. Luckily, two arms catch me, saving me from a bruised butt.

Looking up, I groan, "Please, don't tell me you live here?"

Ryder grins. "No."

"Let me guess, you just fucked someone and you're doing the walk of shame."

"If anyone is doing the walk of shame, it's you." Ryder laughs. His eyes travel over my exposed bare legs and my pants which are on show due to the t-shirt which has ridden up.

"You can stop staring now. I think you've seen enough for today," I say sarcastically.

"I'm not sure I have. Why don't you take off your top and show me what's underneath?" Ryder grins.

It's s joke except my whole body heats up and my nipples harden in response. Ryder clearly notices through the stupid thin t-shirt I'm wearing because his eyes focus on them. My own body is betraying me right now. I hate hot guys and their ability to turn me on.

I smack his arm. "Put me down."

Ryder lowers me to the floor where I tug the t-shirt as far as it will go. I slip on my shoes which I'd dropped then start to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Ryder asks.

"Away from here."

"You can't walk around like that, by yourself," Ryder says in disbelief as he grabs my arm.

As much I want to say I absolutely can, looking down at myself, I agree with him. Miles's t-shirt barely covers me.

"Let me take you home," Ryder says.

"I can't go home now, my parents think I'm sleeping over at Kayla's. It will look strange if I turn up at four in the morning."

"I know a twenty-four-hour cafe we can go to for a bit." Ryder gestures to the side of the building and starts walking.

Exhaling slowly, I follow. As much as I should stay away from Ryder, I also don't want to be the next rape or murder victim featured on the local news. Ryder guides us around the building and stops in front of a motorcycle.

He really is a walking cliche. I laugh loudly causing Ryder to frown.

"Please tell me you've got a leather jacket, you smoke, you say fuck all the time because you're full of pent up aggression and you're also emotionally unavailable but deep down you're really just an amazing guy looking for the one."

Ryder pulls out a leather looking jacket and looks at the label. "Polyester actually, but it will keep your skin on if for some reason we did have an accident. I kissed a girl once who smoked heavily and it put me off smoking for life. I use the word fuck when it's needed and I'm not an amazing guy or looking for the one." Ryder smirks.

"You didn't deny the pent up aggression or emotionally unavailable bit. You're still a walking cliche, Ryder." I grin.

Ryder rolls his eyes, helps me put the jacket on then pushes a helmet down onto my head and clips it around my chin. Securing his own helmet, he climbs onto the bike and indicates for me sit behind him.

"This is the bit when I say hold on tight and you realise how sculpted I am under these clothes," he says flatly.

"Or I squeeze too hard and make you fart," I retort, climbing on and wrapping my arms around his waist.

Ryder laughs as we drive off way to fast which makes me cling to him tightly. And when I realise he is very muscular under his clothes, I stick my tongue out and make the loudest fart sound I can with my mouth.

***

Ryder parks outside a small building with a flashing green and pink twenty-four sign. This place looks like it's seen better days but the smell of fatty food and freshly brewed coffee draws me in.

Ryder grabs my hand, spins me around and takes off my helmet. His eyes travel over me slowly.

"You look good in my jacket," he says in a low voice and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

The comment is meant to be a joke however that doesn't stop my insides from tingling. I shake away the stupid crush and arch an eyebrow. "You then have to say 'but it would look even better on my bedroom floor'."

"Fuck. That's where I've been going wrong all this time, I knew there was more I had to say. No wonder all those girls didn't come home with me after that line." Ryder shakes his head in mock dismay while his lips twitch with amusement. "Let's go inside, your legs must be freezing."

Sitting at in a booth, a silence hangs over the table. Ryder's gaze travels over me as I look at the menu the waiter placed on the table.

I look up and narrow my eyes. "I can hear your brain thinking."

"Really? What am I thinking then?"

"You're wondering why I'm climbing out a window at four in the morning."

"That wasn't what I was thinking." Ryder smirks.

I roll my eyes. "My boyfriend lives in that block. His mum came in and I wasn't meant to be there."

"Couldn't you hide under the bed?"

"There's no space."

"Cupboard? Wardrobe?"

"Nope. Window was my only option." I sigh. "What about you? What were you doing outside at four in the morning?"

"Ariel lives in that block and I was helping her out with something. I would have suggested we go up to her place but when I left she'd already fallen asleep and she needs it."

I nod, wondering what's the deal between them. Ariel told us she likes girls but she's also mentioned several times how amazing Ryder is. They seem close yet Ryder is known for being involved in dealing drugs whereas Ariel may act like she's on drugs but I don't think she's ever actually taken one.

"I'm pretty sure Ariel is the founder of your Fanclub," I say. "She talks about you a lot."

Ryder frowns. "What about me?"

"How amazing you are. How much you help her out. The Ryder she describes isn't the same Ryder we see at school."

Ryder relaxes slightly in his chair and gives me a smile. "I guess we've got that in common then, because the Taylor you work so hard to be at school isn't the Taylor you are in real life either."

"How would you know?"

"From the few conversations we've had I know you're not quiet, you're not shy and you're not timid. However, that's what everyone thinks, or most people did before you headbutted Teresa in the face. Good excuse by the way, about it being an accident. Did Ms Healey believe you?"

"She had no reason not too. I have no record of violence or trouble at this school." At my other school, however, I did get into fights. Which is why Ms Healey said if it happened again she wouldn't believe it was an accident. Which is fair enough. The fact she believed me in the first place was a surprise.

"You moved here during the school year didn't you?" He asks.

"Yeah, roughly six months ago."

"Where did you move from?"

"Doubt you've heard of it. So what are you eating?" I look at the menu.

Ryder nods and seems to understand this is not a topic I want to talk about. "Pancakes with sausage are good."

"Nice, I'll get that then." I close the menu and look around at the empty booths. "How do you know about this place?"

"My older sister used to bring me here sometimes." Ryder shuffles in his seat.

"Do you have just the one sister?"

"Two older brothers as well. You?"

"One sister who's a year older. She's in your year."

"What's her name?"

"Mya."

"I don't know her."

I laugh humourlessly. "You wouldn't."

"So going unnoticed is a family trait?"

"For the last six months, yeah." I press my lips together and stand abruptly. "I'll be back in a minute. Order me pancakes and sausage, and an orange juice if the waiter comes over please."

In the bathroom, I lean against the door and inhale deeply. The overwhelming urge to talk to Ryder and tell him everything surprises me. Actually, it doesn't surprise me, it's freaking me out.

What is wrong with me? One bike ride and a grope of his abs, and I suddenly want to spill my deepest darkest secrets to him. Imagine how bad I would be if we kissed or worse had sex, I'd sign over my soul and become his slave.

I need to get a grip. Nothing is going to happen between us because anything more than talking with the school's official bad boy is not on my list of things to do. Getting through to the end of this school year without everyone turning on me is my goal. Getting through the next school year without anyone turning on me will be my next academic goal.

Closing my eyes, I think back to what I went through at my old school and I immediately regain my composure. I will keep my distance. And after breakfast, I will go back to pretending he didn't exist. It's for the best.

Author's note

Two slightly longer chapters because I'm not sure when I'll next be able to update.

Internet access is bad out here and the wild is seriously lacking in electricity points ;) so my phone is about to die... Hopefully, these upload and there aren't too many mistakes from me rushing.

Please comment and vote if you're enjoying the story xx