Eight.

"Are you not happy that I'm here?" Chase asks wiggling his eyebrows. 

I am happy if not excited but I cannot have both my brother and my mom in the same house. It's like letting hell loose!

"Do I look like it?" I deadpan, but deep inside I just want to squeeze him with all the sisterly love I can muster. 

Chase is everything I have literally, with mom always out of town during fashion weeks or when she has to get to our father's company now that she's the Owner and CEO, I have nobody I can call family except Chase.

But he really is a major ass. 

He was there when Dad died and when Jake left, everything came crashing down. But he was always there when I needed him, but boy he is so annoying. 

"I know you miss me." He says giving me a toothy grin. 

"Whatever floats your boat." I shrug smiling a bit. "Why are you home?" I take a huge bite out of my apple flopping on the couch opposite the two of them.

"I just had my last exam yesterday so I thought I could stop by." He shrugs shoving his hands in his pocket.

"Mhm." I hum swallowing the contents of my mouth. "So you're going back tomorrow then?" I ask taking another bite, eyeing him slowly.

He looks at me with a huge smile plastered on his face making me narrow my eyes, daring him to say he's staying longer. Crest University is a two hour drive from here so he'll be fine at the apartment given to him off campus.

"Yup, I'll be leaving." He says momentarily, placing his chin in his palms.

I let out a breathe of relief before rushing over to him, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you dummy!" I say with my mouth full of mushed apple.

"But I'll be leaving." He says again whilst soothing my hair.

"I heard you the first time." I roll my eyes although he cannot see my face that is buried in his jacket.

I pull out of the hug and ruffle his sandy blonde hair. I suddenly notice mom's absence.

"Where is mom?" I ask glancing around.

"Oh, she's at the counter with the camera videotaping your reaction." he says pointing at mom who is now giving us a thumbs up, engrossed in what she's doing.

"You guys are weird," I chuckle walking towards the journey of stairs awaiting me. "By the way you already have my reaction." I add without turning back. 

"Not that reaction. Your reaction when I tell you that I'll be leaving after I've spent the rest of the year...with you!" He says with an amused expression. 

I snapped my head so fast I thought I heard my neck crack, the action making my foot slip over the fifth step and I come tumbling all over to the living room breaking the rest of my bones along with my neck for sure this time.

"Now that was the reaction we were looking forward to!" He snickers walking past me giving my Mom a high five while I just lie down groaning in pain. 

This is nothing like a normal family.

I'm not really in the mood to fight with already broken bones.

Because I literally broke my ankle. 

I limp to the nearest guest room downstairs because I can't climb the flight of stairs leading to my room, leaving my Mother and brother dying with laughter. I hope they choke on their own mirth.

The difference between Ryder's house and mine is that he has a fountain and Chase smashed ours last Christmas with the baseball bat Philip (our uncle) gave him, yeah the one I almost crushed my mom's skull with. 

Apart from that our house is what you'd describe as enormous. 

I flop on the bed, wincing as pain shoots through my ankle. I look around the room that nobody ever uses, but Alisha and David clean this house everyday with the rest of the maids, from the white walls and perfectly arranged towels by the bed. I missed being alone in this gigantic house without any source of annoyance or disturbance, but I love having my mentally unstable family around for a while. I smile at the thought.

I look up the ceiling and the first person that crosses my mind is Ariana.

"I really hope everything is okay." I yawn before dosing off. 

~*~

"That's a pretty bad bruise." April states looking at my swollen ankle.

I called the twins to pick me up today because obviously I can't drive myself thanks to my amazing brother.

"Do you have cookies?" May chimes walking past me to the kitchen.

"I'm happy to see you too! And yeah, my ankle only hurts a bit but thanks for asking! " I yell after her retreating figure.

"You should go to the clinic for this and maybe we'll sue your family afterwards." April reasons still looking at my purplish ankle.

"Let's get going." I sigh looping my arm around April's shoulder for support.

"I found peanut butter cookies!" May chirps happily showing me the Tupperware she stashed it in.

"You're taking all of that to school?" I ask not at all fazed by her actions. It is May we're talking about.

"No." she answers edgily and I know she's taking it anyway. I laugh and so does April while May just rolls her eyes playfully before opening the passenger seat for me.

"So you and Ryder yesterday huh? Wanna spill?" April asks as she starts the engine.

"Nothing personal," I shrug running my hand through my blonde locks. "I helped him with his sister?" I added but it sounded more like a question, hoping she'll drop it since I'm very sure he told me not to let anyone know. 

"What about his sister?" April asks. 

"Promise me you guys will not tell anyone." I sigh and April smirks, I know she's not letting me live if it don't tell her. By the time we reach the school parking lot they've been filled with the details about yesterday. 

"So he cannot bake cookies?" May wonders. I resist the urge to flick her forehead. 

I smile at the memory of me doing the same to Ryder yesterday.

"You look stupid." April queries stepping out of the car. I unbuckle my seat belt and take a careful step outside.

"We really need to sue your family." She says again.

"I wish I could." I chuckle taking a tight grip on her forearm limping towards the entrance.

"Or we could just switch you with duffus over there." She whispers gesturing to May who is battling with a pack of gummy bears and I stifle a laugh.

"That'd be fun." I smile stopping by my locker punching the combination, taking my pencil case out ready for Mrs. Portholl's tiring English lessons. April excuses herself and hurries to her locker while May open hers because it's next to mine.

I'm about to move but the pain that sizzles right into the vein of my ankle, reminding me that I'm fragile and it also reminds me that April and May are having AP History together which means there's no body to help me get to class. There's nobody to save me from the sea of students!

To my remorse, the tardy bell rang which made me groan in annoyance.

"Are you okay? I can walk you to class." May offers but I wave her off.

"It's okay, you'll probably get detention if you run late." I chuckle patting her back because Mr. Grimpson is worse than Mrs. Portholl and that's saying a lot.

"Thanks a lot Alex, I owe you one!" she says hugging me tightly before disappearing into the crowd of scurrying students trying to get to class.

The hall way is almost empty now and I am still by my locker wondering how I could take thirty good steps to the class around the corner which is my first class today.

"You can do this Alex." I breathed out. 

I balance my weight on the foot that isn't hurt and hop forward without falling. 

"That was easy." I mutter.

I did it again and it was successful making me smile widely. I balance my weight on the unhurt foot again ready to hop but someone's hard body nudges me forward making me fall flat on my nose. 

Tears spring from my eyes clutching my hurt foot rocking back and forth on the floor.

"Fuck!" The person exclaims rushing to help me up. 

I would've rained curses on whoever pushed me but I will not, because it's James Thompson.

"Alex, your ankle looks...ugly." he blurts taking my hand pulling me up.

"Gee, I couldn't see that." I roll my eyes looping my arm around his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry." he chuckles.

"Yay, that makes it better." I muttered sarcastically, wiping the tears away from my cheeks making him chuckle more. "Can you help walk me to Mrs. Portholl's class? I'm having English first and most of this accident is your fault." I mutter.

"Yeah sure, that's were I'm headed actually. And I'm sorry, again." He smiled apologetically.

One word for him.

Gorgeous.

"You're not in my English class, I mean I've never seen you there before." I frown trying to remember if I've seen him even once, but no, he's never been there and trust me I would've known.

"I transferred to her class recently and I'm joining you guys today." He shrugs, his green eyes focusing on my steps. 

"Oh!" is all I manage to say before we step right into the classroom. Mrs. Portholl gives us the why-the-hell-are-you-late-to-class look.

"She's got a sprained ankle," James shrugs shoving his free hand in his jacket and pulls out what I think are his transfer papers.

I glance around the class and like half the class, Ryder has his eyes trained on me flickering from me to James. I just roll my eyes and make my way to sit using desks as my source of stability.

I take my seat next to Ryder. Blake pokes his head from the other side mouthing 'ride or die' to me and I mimicked him before settling in.

James takes an empty seat in front of me and Mrs. Portholl resumes teaching. 

Throughout the lesson I was uncomfortable mainly because my ankle kept stinging making me wish I just stayed at home and Ryder who kept staring at me.

As soon as the bell rings the teacher exits, followed by students who were definitely eager for the lesson to end. James stands up sticking out his hand. Before I could even do anything Ryder speaks up.

"Its okay man, I'll help her get to class we're having AP Calc. together, besides I want to have a word with Alex." He said sounding a bit irritated. 

"Sure." James nods at Ryder suspiciously before patting his back. 

"Bad bruise bud, bad bruise." Blake commented earning a punch in the arm from me.

After he had his fits of laughter, he left with James leaving Ryder and I alone.

He doesn't say anything, just keeps staring at me with his stupidly handsome emotionless face.

30 seconds

Silence 

40 seconds

Silence

60 seconds

Fuck this.

I start packing my stuff shoving them in my bag, pissed off because he just declined my transport to Math class (James of course) and he wasted a whole minute I could use to hop to the class.

Now you sound like a rabbit. My subconscious mocks me.

"He doesn't date blonde's." Ryder blurted out taking me by surprise. 

I frowned in confusion until I realized what he was insinuating.

"You little bitch! You made me stop so we can have this conversation?" I sputtered, beyond flabbergasted. 

"James doesn't even know what love is. He's just going to screw you." He said blankly.

I scoffed.

"I can screw with whoever the fuck I want too. Fuck love and fuck you too! I don't have time for this." I practically growled, shrugging my backpack on.

"I was just saying." He sounded like he forced out those words. His jaw ticked.

I stared at him for a solid minute.

"We aren't a thing Ryder, stop being a Dad about it." I sighed massaging my temple.

His lips twitched a bit and I rolled my eyes. 

"How did it get that swollen?" He asks

"How did what get swollen? Your ego?" I knew he was talking about my ankle. 

He lightly kicks my swollen foot making me yelp clutching his hand and surpringly he holds back tightly.

"Why did you do that!" I half shout spanking his head repeatedly.

He chuckles standing up, pulling me up with him.

"Jerk." I mumble under my breath.

"I've been called worse." He shrugs and I stick out my tongue at him.

"What happened?" He asks, sounding serious.

"My brother happened." I sighed running my hand through my hair. "It doesn't really matter, we'll be late to Calculus." I add holding tight to his jacket.

"We're not going to Calculus, Alex." He says in a 'duh' tone.

"What?" I look at him as if he's grown two heads. 

I may be good with problems and equations but trust me, I hate Calculus more than pickles and that's saying a lot. But that doesn't mean I don't want good grades.

"What?" He shrugs as if its no big deal.

"I may not like Calc. but I do want good grades." I huff. 

"I know." He deadpanned. "That's why I'm making you skip and go to the hospital right now."

"I refuse to abide by your words." I said, planting my butt back on a random seat.

"You're pretty stubborn." he gives out a short laugh before scooping me in his arms bridal style.

"Ryder freaking Anderson put me down!" I shriek slapping his iron like chest.

"My middle name is definitely not 'freaking'." He laughs, his chest vibrated as he does.

"I don't care, and I don't wanna know." I sigh giving up. "What if we get caught?" 

"We won't?" He says more like a question.

I snort making Ryder laugh again and I join him this time.

I rest my head on his chest, I can hear how slow his heart beat is, very calm. 

Why do I want to remain like this forever.

He plops me down on the passenger seat of his black BMW. He drives carefully out of the parking lot probably not to attract attention before speeding up down the streets. 

"I've never done this." I mutter, breaking the silence.

"Driving down the streets?" He smirked raising an eyebrow while I throw a napkin at him.

"You know I meant skipping school!" I scowl fiddling with my locks.

"We're just gonna get your ankle fixed and if you're able to get through it without passing out we'll be back before school ends." 

"Its gonna hurt isn't it." I asked biting my lip nervously.

"It's gonna hurt like bitch, just try not to pass out." He mumbles but I heard him and I glance at my very swollen foot before leaning back against the comfy chair.

"Screw you Chase Summers." I curse leaning back on the head rest.

*****

••••

Maryam M.B ❣