What Matters Most (H.S Fan Fiction)

Chapter 5- Pizza Night

Ryder's Point of View:

It was around 8:30 p.m when I finally decided to walk downstairs, dressed in a pair of gray sweats and a croptop, my hair in a messy bun. My Ray Ban glasses sitting on my nose. Carter was sitting on the rug playing with her dolls as my mom was on the phone ordering pizza.

"Honey what pizza do you want tonight?"

"The usual." I said before collapsing on the couch lazily. Carter looked at me.

"Peese Chizza?"

"What?"

"Peese Chizza?" She repeated. I finally understood what she was trying to say. I smiled.

"Yes Carter cheese pizza."

She grinned widely, she was always super excited on pizza night. After around thirty minutes the door bell rang.

"Pizza's here I'll get it." I called throughout the house, and all I could hear was someone's small feet padding against the wood quickly down the hallway, then Carter appeared. I opened the door expecting to see the pizza guy, only to be met by Harry. Why do I always forget when he's supposed to come?

"Oh hey." I lead him inside while Carter situated herself at the dining room table, preparing herself for a pizza over load. My mother promptly walked downstairs taking a double take at Harry.

"And who is this?" She questioned. He walked up to her sticking his hand out for her to shake," I'm Harry, I go to school with your daughter."

"Hello Harry, I'm Ms. Neal but you can call me Riley." Harry was probably weirded out by all the guy names in this family. He smiled, the door bell ringing again.

"Pizzaaaaaaa!" Carter yelled childishly.

* * * * * *

We all sat at the table chewing our pizza in silence, until my phone went off. My mom looked at me smiling.

"Ohhh... noooo." Carter giggles. My mom put her hand out.

"I almost forgot no phones tonight." She took out her phone and took mine in her grasps greedily,"Harry?" She gestured for his phone, I frowned at her.

"Mom..."

"Ryder he'll get it back after dinner." She turned to Harry,"You'll get it back after dinner." I put my face in my hands in pure embarassment by my mother's childish actions. Harry suprisingly took out his phone handing it over to my mom with a smirk. After a minute or two my mother started up a conversation.

"So Harry any plans after senior year?" I groaned at my mother's nosiness.

"Yeah actually planning to move back to Cheshire, go to college there."

My mother smiled sweetly,"How lovely." Harry turned to me.

"What about you Ryder?" I looked down at my pizza suddenly it didn't look too appetizing. Carter spoke up, hopefully saving me from answering the question that I didn't have an answer for.

"Ryder are you going where daddy went? Are you not coming back? Just like him." My mother and I looked at Carter wondering what posessed her to ask such a question,"Ryder you can't leave too." I threw my pizza back on my plate putting my face in my hands. My mother spoke sternly.

"Carter that's enough."

"But mommy, Ryder says she wont leave like daddy but..."

My mother rose her voice,"Carter! Enough!" She stood up from the table, swiftly walking away leaving a four year old close to tears, an unstable teenager and a confused looking Harry. I looked over at him.

"Look I'm really sorry, uh... I'll walk you out." I stood up from the table grabbing his phone from the kitchen counter and making our way over to the front door. We walked outside, I rubbed my face stressed out. I guess Harry could tell something was up.

"Hey are you ok?" He questioned geniunly.

I nodded choosing not to speak, afraid that I would choke up. We stood there for a couple minutes until he spoke up,"Can I ask you a question?" I nodded slowly giving him permission to proceed speaking,"Where's your father?" I sucked in a sharp breath trying to act as normal as possible.

"He shot himself last April." I stated casually.

Harry looked at me, really looked at me. His deep green irises staring into the windows of my soul. A glimmer encrypted into them like a foreign language. Instead of saying anything he just quickly pulled me into a hug resting his chin on the top of my head.

I didn't want him to hug me, I didn't want him to touch me or look at me in any special way. I didn't want to be some charity case. Oh look a troubled girl who's father commited suicide and her little sister might die because cancer is eating her alive, I should pity her by becoming friends with her. I didn't want his pity, and most importantly.

I didn't want his friendship.