Lovers of Yesterday

Chapter 30 • Knock Knock

I relaxed back on one end of the couch while Lynch sat on the other. I was texting Dria since she got off work and wanted to catch up with the events of the past couple days. When she asked if she could come over, I immediately glanced up at Lynch. I wasn't sure if he would be ok with me letting her come over.

"Ryder?" I blinked and focused on Lynch who was now staring at me.

Heat flushed my cheeks when I was caught staring. "Um, would it be ok if Dria came over? She's kinda been kept in the dark of everything that's happened and I told her I'd talk to her in person."

My words rushed out in a waterfall and he grinned. "Yeah, that's good. I'll order out tonight since it's already close to six. Tell her she can eat with us."

In a rush of confusion, my head tilted to the side and I knit my eyebrows together. "Really?"

His lips twitched and his grin widened. Damnit, why was I looking at his lips? "Yeah, sweatheart. Why wouldn't I be ok with that? You need to tell her what's been goin' on. I shouldn't be the determining factor in that though I'm glad you asked before you just invited her over."

I nodded slowly and looked down at my phone to send a quick text telling her to come over along with his apartment number. When I looked up again, he was still staring at me. I sunk back into the cushion, wondering why he was staring. Without breaking eye contact, he grabbed my ankle and I gasped, kicking out as a knee-jerk reaction. His eyebrows raised but he didn't release my ankle. My leg was tense, waiting for what he was gonna do next.

"You wouldn't happen t' be ticklish, would ya?" His grip tightened on my ankle.

I bit my lip. "M- Maybe?"

A devilish look glinted in his eyes before he tickled the bottom of my foot. A surprised squeal escaped me as I kicked his thigh again and struggled to free myself from his grip. He was relentless and wouldn't let my go. My stomach hurt from how hard I was laughing. I struggled and rolled, trying to push at his wrist with my other foot.

"Lynch!" I screamed.

"What?" He returned.

He released my ankle only to lay parallel with me and grab hold of my waist. That prompted another onslaught of giggles and squeals. I rolled and pushed at his shoulders, trying to dislodge him. Only when tears were streaming from the corners of my eyes and my hair felt like a knotted mess did he relent. I gasped for air, pushin myself up to run my fingers through my hair. He sat up, grinning at me like an innocent little boy. I mock scowled at him before falling into another fit of giggles.

The doorbell rang I looked over my shoulder at the door. Hearing it brought me back to reality. I wonder if the person had been there for a while and we just didn't hear them. When I looked back at Lynch, he motioned for me to go and brush my hair before standing up to answer the door. I scurried down the hall to the guest room just as I heard him open the door.

Quickly, I ran a brush through my knotted hair as well as fixing my clothes so I didn't look like a mess. When I walked out, I paused to listen and make sure it wasn't Liam again. He made it clear that he knew which apartment Lynch lived in so I didn't want to risk it jusk because I knew I invited Alexandria over.

When I heard a feminine voice mix in with Lynch's voice, I stepped out and smiled at Dria. She smiled back until her eyes shifted down to my neck. Then, her smiled turned to a deep frown and she strode over to me, tilting my head back to see it better.

"When did he do this?" Her voice was dark and livid.

"A few days ago. But I'm fine. I promise. It's just a bruise and it'll start going away in a few days."

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me. She didn't look angry anymore, just worried. "Babe, tell me everything that happened since the last time we talked."

As if sensing the intimate moment, Lynch said, "I'll call in some food but I'm gonna go finish unpacking those boxes."

We both nodded and he disappeared down the hall. Once we heard the door shut, Dria sat me down on the couch and curled up next to me. I took a deep breath and went over everything in my head before reciting what happened.

• • •

"Fucking hell." Dria sat back against the pillowy cushions. "Have you been back to your place yet? Has Lynch seen it?"

"No. Well, I went with him to grab some stuff to bring over here and I'm pretty sure he noticed the missing cushions on the couch but we haven't talked about it."

She stared at me, then suddenly blurted out, "You to would be good together."

"Wh-What? Technically, I'm still with Liam. I can't be thinking about Lynch like that. That'd be cheating." I denied her statement, turning red.

"Really? Why not? I hate being blunt with you about this but Liam's probably cheating on you already. Actually, I have no doubt in my mind after that picture of him and his 'sister' surfaced. You need to start thinking for yourself and for your own happiness. What will make you happy? And it's looking like Lynch is doing that for you."

I let out a long sigh, not wanting to continue the conversation. She was right about everything but I didn't want to admit it out loud. I didn't want to admit that I was starting to like Lynch as more than a friend. If I did then that would mean I need to confront Liam and tell him that I want the end of our relationship. I can't imagine that going well with how he's acted recently.

Lynch walked out, clicking on something on his phone screen. He stopped next to the couch and looked at us. "I figured I'd just order us a pizza. Is a large plain cheese fine?"

We nodded and he clicked on his phone a couple more times before shutting it off and tucking it in his pocket. "I'm gonna go ahead and drive over to pick up the pizza. Y'all can help yourselves to a drink while I'm gone."

He headed for the door and stepped out, letting it swing shut behind him. I heard the lock click into place and watched his shadow pass by the shuttered window. Dria got up and helped herself to a soda before taking a seat next to me again. I leaned against her and stared at the coffee table.

"Will you try to talk to Liam about this? Take Lynch with you if he makes you feel safer but you need to let him go. He isn't worth it anymore. He doesn't deserve you and how amazing you are after he treated you like shit." Dria's voice was low but she still argued her point.

I reached up and rubbed my eye. "I know. I'll see what I can do."

Another shadow passed by the window but I didn't pay any attention to it until I heard a knock on the door right after and the door handle jiggled. I tensed up in fear, my breathing momentarily pausing. Dria sat up and pulled me with with, tiptoeing back to the spare room. There, we locked the door and with shaking hands, I pulled out my phone and called Lynch.