Ariel

Ryder leans on his motorbike with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Something is wrong, I can tell. He's never been super cheerful or chatty but I've never seen him this moody and quiet. Actually, that's a lie, I have. There was the time he found out his mum had started dealing drugs, days after getting out of jail. Then when his dad fucked off and left the family. Also, when his oldest brother got arrested, and the multiple times his other brother relapsed. Ryder has had a lot of fucked up family shit to deal with.

However, things had been looking better for him the past year. The last time his mum was sent to jail, Ryder finally decided to stop hoping she'd turn into the mum you're told you should have and realised his mum will never put him or his family first. His older brother who was a bad influence is in jail and out of his life and the other has been clean for over a year.

"What's going on, Ryder?" I ask.

"Nothing," he says flatly.

"Don't lie to me, I know you too well. Did something happen with Taylor?"

"No, she got picked up from my place yesterday morning. Didn't you speak to her yesterday?" He straightens up and stares at me.

"She messaged me last night and apologised for her behaviour." Unlike Kayla who hasn't messaged me to say anything about yesterday's kiss. I shake my head. "Taylor needs to relax, she got drunk and had fun, it's really not a big deal."

Ryder settles back against his bike. "Tell her that and be a friend, she's going to get a lot of attention after Saturday night. The basketball team have already started to place bets on who can take her virginity."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me?"

Ryder frowns and shakes his head. "She's going to need someone to look out for her."

"You can also look out for her."

"I'm not sure I'm the best person to do that, it'd be an unfair advantage seeing as I also put down a bet I could take her virginity."

"You're lucky I know you're joking, otherwise, I'd throat punch you then rip off your balls," I say as I spot Taylor in the distance. Waving at her, she stops when she sees me then finally starts walking towards us.

"Am I joking though?" Ryder says quietly, watching Taylor.

"Yes, because you don't ever do anything which encourages the disrespecting of women." I kiss Ryder on the cheek. "It's part of the reason I love you so much."

A look passes across Taylor's face; desire, jealously, longing. Taylor likes Ryder and the way Ryder is looking at Taylor, I'm thinking the feeling is mutual. And I don't mean, Ryder is eye-fucking her or waggling his eyebrows suggestively or looking at her with big wide eyes full of adoration. No, I know he likes her because he actually takes notice of her. Usually, he ignores everyone.

"Hey," Taylor says quietly. "Sorry about my drunken behav-"

"Save your breath. You got drunk, had fun and acted like a fucking teenager, get over it already because we've got much bigger problems to deal with."

Taylor smiles and tilts her head to the side. "Such as?"

"Kayla who has just arrived in a miniskirt and a top which is two sizes too small. What the fuck is she wearing?" I frown at Kayla staggering like a newborn deer. She has turned into Bambi, except this version involves Bambi deciding to become a stripper which results in her being uncoordinated, unsure and hot in a very awkward I'm not sure if it's appropriate kind of way.

Kayla tugs the short skirt and looks down at the ground, probably so she doesn't trip in those heels.

"Was this your plan, Taylor? Get Kayla to dress like that to take all the attention from you?" I narrow my eyes at Taylor. She wouldn't do that, would she?

"No." Taylor shakes her head and looks as shocked as I do. "I have no idea why Kayla's dressed like that."

Several guys wolf whistle, quite a few look her up and down, while several girls whisper to each other and I'd love to pretend it's too say how amazing she looks but I doubt those are the sentiments being exchanged.

Kayla sees us and sprints towards us or rather stumbles, as though she's just discovered water after days of roaming the desert.

"Hey, Kayla," I say.

Kayla nods. She's still avoiding me or rather, she's pretending nothing happened. After our kiss, we made pancakes, she woke Sydney up and we all ate while she maintained a safe distance as though I would pounce on her which was slightly insulting. I'm a lesbian, not a girl ravisher. I'm not Caleb.

"You look nice, Kayla," Taylor says slowly.

"I thought I'd wear something different," Kayla mumbles.

"It's definitely different." Taylor smiles.

"It's too much, isn't it? I spent the entire walk here pulling my skirt down. Can we go inside? I want to sit down so I can stop flashing myself."

Taylor chuckles. "We can hide in the library until first lesson. I've already had two basketball players ask me out on dates. After Saturday night they obviously think I'm easy."

"No, they've got bets on who can take your V-reg!" I say, holding my index and middle finger in a V shape. "Your pussy is hot property."

Taylor looks mortified and Ryder frowns. Fuck, I probably shouldn't have said that out loud.

Taylor shakes her head. "I'm sure that's not true-"

"It is," Ryder says flatly. "You may want to break it off with your boyfriends first before saying yes to any offers." Ryder's eyes narrow. What the fuck was that about?

"Fuck you," Taylor hisses.

"You sure you don't want to check out the queue of eager basketball players before making your final decision?" Ryder asks flatly. Why is Ryder being a massive dickhead?

"Maybe, I should. If I'm really lucky, they'll let me fuck them all." Taylor spits. She grabs Kayla's arm and drags her off.

Ryder's frown deepens and his jaw does that weird throbbing thing because he's grinding his teeth. There is so much hostility I could drown in it. I have no fucking clue what happened yesterday but something did. Shit, maybe Ryder got rejected by Taylor or she got rejected by him or they fucked. No, he wouldn't do that when she was drunk. Maybe, they did it when they woke up and it was horrendous.

"What the fuck is going on between you two?"

Ryder shrugs then straightens up. "Taylor," he calls out.

Taylor halts and turns around slowly to focus on him as does the rest of the school who are walking towards the school entrance.

"You left your bra at mine." He smirks. "I couldn't find your thong but you can help me look after our date tomorrow."

Taylor glares at Ryder before swivelling around and stomping off, dragging Kayla with her, who is still holding the back of her skirt down so as not to expose her butt.

"You did that on purpose." I shake my head and arch an eyebrow at him.

"It will stop some of the guys from bothering her if they think she's with me, and it will stop this stupid bet."

"Yep, because that's the only reason you just claimed her in front of the school." I walk backwards and focus on him. "I know you, I also know you have morals. Think about what you're doing, don't get attached if you're going to do what you normally do."

Ryder's frown deepens to an epic level of pissed off contemplation.

"By the way, we never discussed yesterday what we're doing for my birthday," I say.

"It's a surprise."

"It better be a shit one."

"The shittest for you. I'll pick you up at six." Ryder flashes me a small smile.

"Perfect. See you later." Walking off my mind flits to what my birthday surprise could be to the surprise kiss yesterday with Kayla to that short skirt. She looked hot although I prefer her to dress how she usually does. Fuck, this is her going through denial. I'm going to have to watch her flirt with guys and make out with them to prove she's not into girls.

Ugh, why did I have to kiss a girl who is accepting her sexuality like the stages of grief? First denial, then it will be anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Seriously, people should just go straight to acceptance; you're not dying, it's not going to change you as a person. No matter who you're attracted to and fuck, you're the same person who likes the same things. You don't have to start acting like the stupid stereotypes we're constantly bombarded with.

I mean, if I have to watch another program with a bitchy but super happy gay male best friend who gives fashion advice in a high pitch voice while sipping a cocktail, I'm going to scream. And why are lesbians always hippie earthy people or political angry feminists or short-hairy gremlins? I want more lesbian airhead cheerleaders for fuck sake.

Worst part is, I can't stop thinking about that kiss with Kayla. It was amazing. Talking of amazing, yesterday afternoon spent with my mum and the twins was perfect. I'm really hoping this is the beginning of things getting better for us.

Author's notes
Please vote if you're enjoying the story xx