The Orphan

Chapter Twenty- Four.

Autumn-

I spent the weekend with Tori writing the guest list and deciding what food she wanted, nothing huge but not completely tiny either, she had been saving for her big day ever since she meet Dylan and she saved a lot!

However we still had a lot more to do before Saturday and it was already Monday.

"It's going to be beautiful however small and Dylan's going to look so hot in his tux!" Tori babbled about her wedding as we walked down the schools halls.

She had been like this since Saturday.

I tuned out and saw Ryder was waiting for me at my locker, he was leaning against it impatiently.

His presence made me smile.

"Good luck." Tori gave me a reassuring smile and nudged me before taking a right turn down another hallway.

I'll be fine, It's Mason I'm worried about.

"Hey." I smiled merrily.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "hey?"

"How's it going?" I asked.

"Are you feeling ok Autumn?" he asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because you're being happy." he stated.

"Can I not be happy?" I asked him.

"Well, it's just, considering the situation I expected you to be avoiding me or bunking." he explained.

I stopped stacking my locker full of books and turned to look at him.

I sighed realizing I couldn't keep up this overly happy attitude for long.

"Ryder do you like me?" I asked him.

No point sugar coating the question.

"Of course." he answered scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

This doesn't have to be awkward!

"Then ask me." I told him.

"What?" He seemed confused.

"Ask me."

"Ask you what?"

I took a step forward and planted a pec on his lips before stepping back.

"Ask me." I whispered to him blocking out the staring passers by

He was stunned at the action.

"Autumn McKay, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

I sighed with relief, "yes." I reassured him.

He ginned uncontrollably.

"Are you prepared to go from the populist guy in school to the most rejected?" I asked him.

He threw his arm over my shoulders, "Bring it on."

I laughed and we walked down the hallway taking in every last one of the shocked and disgusted faces...

And we couldn't care less.

****

Ryder sat with his back against a tree trunk while I lay with my head in his lap and he was looking down at me with those sparkling blue eyes.

"So, who won the fight between you and Mason?" I asked truly interested.

"Well, he definitely has some issues, but being a jock gives me an advantage." He grinned cockily.