It all started with a game

Chapter 22

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
~Dr. Seuss

A/N
Okay so I figured out what to do for the little pictures at the top, I've decided I'm going to start doing ships for future books, starting with Maria and Mateo. Let me know what you think :)

Chapter 22
Ryder's POV
I collapsed onto the couch, rolling my head to face Mateo, who had been in an exceptionally pissy mood all day and wouldn't say why.

"How'd things going with your girlfriend?" He teased, clearly trying to make me all flustered and mushy.

And it was working. I suppress the urge to smile. My girlfriend, I really like the sound of that.

I cleared my head immediately, pushing the thought of Beatrice to the back of my head. That is not the issue at the hand. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." He took a slash out someone's head, hitting the controller with far more force than necessary.

Sure...

Mateo took an aggressive swig of his water, practically slamming the cup back onto the coffee table. "Will you just tell me how things went with Beatrice?"

"It went well." I paused. "Well, it went well with Beatrice, her mother hates me but I think Beatrice has about as good of a relationship with her mother as I do mine."

"Still planning on sleeping with her?" He asks me that every time I go over, to see if the answer has ever changed. Usually, I just avoid the question and get him to start talking about Maria. That will distract him from everything.

I didn't feel the need to change the subject this time. I shook my head. "No." If I slept with her, I'm afraid I'd never be able to look at her the same. I'm afraid it would be like every other girl I've slept with whose face had slowly morphed into Zinny's. That's all I see in them anymore, Zinny in all of her matte glory. I don't think I could handle that, losing Beatrice like that. I don't think I could handle looking at Beatrice and seeing Zinny. It would be enough to make me sick.

Mateo's response was not at all what I expected it to be, but he'd been in a bad mood all day so I shouldn't have expected much. If he'd been in a good mood I'm sure he'd tease me nonstop, tell me I'm clearly whipped, and then tease me some more. But instead what he responded was, "Good."

"Did something happen with Maria?" It was the only explanation for this.

The sound of her name was enough to set his jaw to stone. Well, that figures. Who else would it be about?

"I'm fine," he spat, taking his anger out on a player that I'm 99% sure is on his team, but oh well.

"Of course, you're just peachy." I scrunched my nose. "What did she do?" Let me guess, she finally told him to get lost. He can do way better than Maria. All she ever does is make fun of him.

Mateo inhaled a sharp breath, tossing his controller across the room. It hit the ground, part of the plastic cracking off and skidding to the other end of the room. "She's pregnant."

My face fell. Sugar honey iced tea.

My eyes widened, whether it be at Mateo's news or my initial response to said news, I had no idea. Since when do I say sugar honey iced tea? Man, Beatrice is rubbing off on me. She says that all the time. Not the issue at hand right now. Have to focus on Mateo, not Beatrice. Mateo. And Mateo's potential child.