Loving the Bad Boy's name

Chapter 17: Loving the bad boys name: Ryder thumped me

Bree's POV

"I'm prepared to dual for this fair maidens affection."

It was Wednesday morning and Ryder and I were at Chanel's before school started. I knew with Chanel's driving it wouldn't be long before she damaged her car. In the last couple days she had managed to run into the back of a parked car. Since hers was in the shop getting fixed, I had suggested she get a ride with us, since she only lived next door.

"Fine." Ryder states before turning to face the nine year old and pushing him backwards.

Byron tumbles back but saves quickly himself from falling into a heap on the floor by doing a back roll. He shoots up from the ground smugly and raises his hands up as if finishing a gymnastics flip. "Come on Ryder, you've got to try a bit harder then that, I'm a freaking ninja."

I watch from the couch in amusement as Ryder smirks, a challenging look on his face. "Are you sure you really want me to do this?"

Byron gestures with his small hand. "Bring it, sausage weenie."

Ryder reaches out and flicks Byron against the forehead, at first I thought it hadn't fazed him but then tears started to roll down his flushed cheeks, loud sobs coming from his mouth. "Chanel, Chanel, Ryder thumbed me!"

Chanel comes running quickly down the stairs after hearing her brothers loud cries for help. "Awe poor baby." She weeps, pulling her brother in for a hug.

"I don't need a silly hug!" Byron calls, swerving Chanel's open arms. "I need you to seek your revenge on Ryder in my honour."

"Hey man, you asked for it." Ryder calls, raising his hands in defence.

A car horn, beeps from outside the house. "That'll be Benny and his mom picking you up for school." Chanel tells Byron, handing him his school bag.

"Have fun." I call as Byron runs to the door.

"Alright..." Ryder clasps his hands together as Byron leaves. "Can we head to school now?"

I frown. "Hold on, since when are you excited to get to school?"

Ryder shrugs. "I'm just happy Chanel is off the roads." He admits cheekily.

"Hey!" Chanel yells objectively, throwing a pillow at Ryder but he confidently dodges it. "I'm not that bad of a driver."

I laugh. "Yeah right honey, tell that to your totalled car."

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"Excuse me, are you Bree Tomas?"

Turning around from putting books in my locker, I see a guy just a little taller than me, with gelled spiky hair and glasses framing his face.

I nod. "Um, yeah that's me. What's up?"

He outreaches a book from behind his back. "You left your textbook in class."

I take the book from him, smiling at him appreciatively. "Oh, thanks."

He grins, rocking on the balls of his feet. "No problem. I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yeah, sure." I say, waving to him as he walks down the corridor.

"Hey, who was that?" I smile, instantly recognising the voice as Ryder's, as he walks up to me.

I think about it for awhile but draw blank when I realise I didn't even ask for the boys name. "I'm not actually sure." I tell him with a shrug.

A frown falls on Ryder's face as he folds his arms. "Well what did he want?"

I eye him skeptically, a laugh escaping my lips. "To profess his undying love for me." I quip sarcastically.

He pulls a face at me, leaning against my locker. "You're so lucky you met me. Nobody else would be able to put up with your painful sense of humor."

I raise my eyebrow, laughing slightly. "Do you really wanna get into how we met?"

"Hey!" He snaps. "I was just making sure we had an awesome 'how we met' story to tell our kids!"

I nod, patting his shoulder sardonically, trying to ignore the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach at the mention of Ryder and I someday having kids. "Sure you were, babe."

"Hey guys." Mason says as he stalks over to us.

"Hey man, what's up?" Ryder asks nodding at him.

He groans. "Well I just had gym class and someone pushed me into the freezing swimming pool."

I laugh at his damp hair. "I can tell."

"Hi Tan." I greet Tanner as I see her walk towards us.

"Hey." She smiles at me but it doesn't quite reach her eyes as she turns to Mason. "Um Mason have you spoken to Hunter?"

Mason sends her a confused look. "Uhm no, not since yesterday morning, why?"

Tanner sighs, stressfully pushing strands of stray hair out of her face. "He had another fight with his dad."

"Shit no way, is he okay?" Ryder asks worriedly.

Tanner frowns, rubbing her forearms nervously. "He tells me he is. He came over last night and crashed at mine but obviously he can't stay there. My brothers would freak, let alone my parents."

"Well he's staying at mine tonight then." Mason decides. "Where is he now?"

She points a thumb over her shoulder in the direction she came from. "Mr Brown said he wanted to speak to him after class. So he might still be in there."

"Okay thanks." Mason nods at Tanner before tapping Ryder on the arm. "Come on Ryder, let's go find him."

"See ya." Ryder calls to Tanner and I before quickly pecking my cheek and running to catch up to a determined Mason striding down the hall.

As they leave, I turn to Tanner. "So you and Hunter, are like....?"

She tries to hide the grin forming on her face. "I don't know. We're definitely not just friends anymore but I wouldn't exactly call him my boyfriend or anything."

I fake gasp, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "Oh my God, Tanner Elliott just said the word boyfriend without gagging."

"Shut up, Bree." She laughs, swatting my arm away.

"Finally! We've been looking everywhere for you guys." Chanel yells, as her and Mei rush down the corridor towards us.

"Well, you've found us." I poke fun at them, laughing at their out-of-breath state.

"Do you guys, wanna come shopping with Chanel and I after school?" Mei asks, finally getting her breath back.

I look over at Tanner as we both exchange the same grimace. "Pass." We both say simultaneously.

Shopping? Not today Satan.