I Can't See The Sky...

21. Detective Ryder.

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(Ryder's POV)

Keith and I stared at each other as Daisy dropped the boxing gloves into Kylie's outstretched hands.

"Have you lost it?" The question slipped past my mental state-of-mind and through my mouth.

Daisy turned to me and smirked.

"No, actually! I've thought this through perfectly!"

Keith made a choking sound, and for a second I was tempted to go over and wack him on the back until he un-choked.

"How?!" He finally managed.

Daisy sent a motherly smile at Kylie- who was so busy cooing soundlessly over her gloves that she didn't even notice- before turning to Keith and me.

"Would you rather she trained in a controlled, safe gym, with trustworthy people and a paramedic on standby, or would you prefer her sneaking off to some shady bar, on her own, surrounded by people who want to inject her with arsenic?"

Daisy asked, her voice hardening.

Keith and I had to- well, I had to admit she had a point. Keith was busy oogling at his girlfriend's happy, child-like smile.

"The first kind, okay? You're right."

Daisy smiled victoriously at me, and something burned in the pit of my stomach.

Irritation? Bother? That stupid feeling when someone treats your ego like a child? Admiration?

Admiration?

Daisy narrowed her eyes at me.

"Who are you admiring, Ryder?"

"What? Did I say that out loud?"

"No," Daisy bit out. "I can read thoughts."

"Well add that to your list of talents then, Mace." I told her drily.

Daisy and I were nailed with crumpled balls of paper.

Stop. No clue where this irritation for each other is coming from, but just because I can't speak, doesn't mean I can't accuse the two of you of liking each other.

Followed by a bunch of badly drawn smiley, smirky and... Kissy faces?

Daisy and I threw identical glares in the general direction of Kylie.

"We do not like each other!" The two of us told her at the same time.

Kylie smirked.

Sure. And I haven't lost my voice.

"You haven't?" I asked, indulging in Kylie's sarcasm. "You're a pretty good actor! You had me hook, line and sinker!"

Oh did I?

"Aww, sweet Kylie, would I lie about something like that?"

I was rewarded with another paper ball to the head.

This one had some interesting choice words on it. But because Kylie had made them all up on the spur of the moment, I could understand none except butter-brain.

Spectacular. This is what Kylie had downgraded to. Or upgraded. Whatever.

I reclined in my seat and studied Kylie's face. The cuts she had on her cheeks were starting to heal and fade, and the other bruises all around the place were beginning to get lighter, but most of all, she was returning.

The fear of a caged animal didn't show in her eyes, her posture was relaxed and not guarded, and that happy child-like innocence that Kylie had always been known for was falling back into place.

And that made me happy.

I never wanted Kylie to change. And when she had, it hurt worse that a bullet to the heart. But now... She was changing again, and since she was getting back to normal, it didn't hurt as much. In fact, it felt kinda refreshing.

Uhhhh, why are you staring at me? Asked a paper plane that had wedged itself pretty neatly in my hair.

I snapped out of my daze and smirked.

"I was deciding if stealing you from your boyfriend was worth the trouble."

Kylie turned the colour of a cherry.

Kylie and I knew that whenever we said something like this, it was a joke. But, it never actually stopped us from getting as flustered as possible.

"You'll get kicked off the team if you steal Kylie from me." Keith warned me plainly.

"Oh really, how? I'm sure coach isn't going to drop his star defender all because he stole the captain's girlfriend."

"No no," Keith agreed. "He's most definitely not going to drop you for that. But see, I'll find something else that he'll drop you for. On the plus side, it's not like Kylie is going to leave me for the likes of you."

A paper plane glided gracefully into Keith's lap.

He didn't show us what was written on it, but judging from his expression, I had a pretty good idea.

"I'm not being mean, okay? Plus, he started it!"

Kylie glared at Keith until he gave in.

"Fine. I'm sorry for being an ass, Ryder. There, are you happy now?"

Super.

Kylie wrote, smiling at Keith. She sidled closer to him and tucked herself under his arm.

As their best friend, I had to admit, this moment was too cute to not be immortalised, so I took my phone out of my pocket.

"Say cheese!"

Keith wrapped his arm around a grinning Kylie and kissed the top of her head. On the dot, the shutter went off, and the picture flashed on the screen.

"You have to send the pic to us!" Keith said, sounding like a human version of an excited puppy.

"Yeah, yeah." I told him, but I was more concerned about something else.

Kylie's hospital gown had shifted while she moved towards Keith, revealing a scar running from her collarbone, to somewhere lower. I couldn't tell, the gown had only shifted so much, but what I did notice was that it curved backwards and peeked back out just below the left side of Kylie's clavicle. And since my only other option was staring at Kylie's chest like a pervert, I studied the picture as closely as I could.

"Are you sending it?" I heard Keith ask faintly. I could barely hear him over the ringing in my ears.

That scar...! Where had I seen it? Uhhhhhhh...

My head drew the most frus-freaking-trating blank it could draw.

Yelling brought me back to reality.

"Hey!" Keith clapped loudly in front of me. "We lost you. You just zoned out! Care to share?"

"No, I just... My parents are back. They want me to go out with them. I have to go." I lied, hiding a wince.

"What?" Keith looked extremely sceptical.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Ge-get well soon, Kylie. I'll see you soon." I said, before jumping out of my seat and bolting towards the door.

I needed to see the doctor.