Lost in Love

Chapter 22- Exhausted with Tea

After I grab my coat and shut my locker door, I turn to go down the hall, getting startled.
"Hey."
I'm taken back, Bella is standing beside my locker.
"Hi," I lift my bag onto my shoulder, "what's up?"
"I wanted to make sure you were okay, Ryan told me you weren't feeling well?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm just exhausted."
"Do you want me to walk you home?"
"I mean, shouldn't you be in class? What about your dad, and brother?"
"Honestly, I just don't care anymore. I'll be 18 soon, there's not a whole lot they can do."
"Ok, if you want to, I can't really stop you," I find it funny, that what I said to Ryan a few days ago, about how he couldn't control how I get home, is now coming at me with me in Ryan shoes.
"That's true."
We walk in silence for a while, before I try to start a lighter conversation, "I meant to ask, how was your Christmas?"
"It was okay, spent it with the family. I hadn't bought them anything, and vice versa, but I caught flack for it. So I spent a good portion of it in my room."
"Better of two evils?"
"Definitely," there's a light sigh in her voice, "how was yours?"
"It was good. Spent it at Ryan's, as usual. Had some of his family there."
"That's good."
"Yeah, would have enjoyed it more if I'd been able to spend it with you as well."
"That definitely would have made mine better."
When we get back to the house, we sit down to watch a movie.
Before I know it, I wake up, sprawled out on the couch, noticing Bella is gone.
I sit up, rubbing my eyes, before checking the time; 3:20. I feel like I've been sleeping for so long, yet, not long enough.
I go to the kitchen, where I find a note; "decided I should head home. I can't risk not seeing you again. -Bella."
"Probably a smart move," I know it's just me, but I still say it.
I turn the kettle on, and choose a mug. I let my tea steep for a few minutes. Then go to lay on my bed.
I barely notice the knock on my door, I come out to Ryan in my hall.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" I feel like that may have come out wrong, but it clearly didn't faze him.
He kneels down and struggles with his backpack, "our teacher sent home some work for you. I think she sent more than we actually did today."
"Of course she did," I try to smile, but I'm still so exhausted.
His face suddenly gets more concerned, "did I wake you up?"
"No. I wish that was the case," I move to put the papers on the counter, "I'm just hoping I can get some sleep tonight."
"You'll manage. Just make some tea, and relax."
I hold my mug up to him, and he grins. Great minds think alike, I suppose.
He glances at his phone, and has to take off.
Just like that, I'm on my own again.
I pick up the work sheets, but put them right back down, "nope. Not doing that right now."
And with that, my bed called out to me.
The following weeks felt strange, but also felt quite normal. Bella hung around as often as she could. We stayed after school a lot for study group before finals, her dad didn't seem too angry about that... At least, not from what Bella has said. And, we're together, which is really all that matters.
"So, Bella's birthday is what? May...?"
"Second."
"Do you have a plan for it?"
"She really wants to move as soon as she is 18, so I'm not sure if that'll mean immediately on her birthday, or a day to follow, but in either case, I want to take her out for dinner, if she wants, of course."
"That sounds fun... mostly."
"Yeah, the moving thing is worrying me a bit, just with the aspect of her family."
"Can't blame you for that."
"Yeah," I glance back at my book, "we should seriously finish our work."
"Yep," he finally picks his pencil back up.
It's nice having almost all the same classes as Ryan this semester, it makes everything way easier.
"Hey," he pokes me with the eraser side of his pencil.
"Hmm?" I finish the sentence I'm wetting, before bringing my full attention to him.
"Racing after school?"
"You know, that makes it sound like we're running?"
"Yeah, but you know what I mean."
"I do know."
"So?"
"Sure," it's been a little while since I've been at his house specifically with gaming in mind.
It feels like the rest of the day lasts forever. Eventually, the end draws near, and we head to Ryan's house.
"I thought you said you'd been practicing?" He swears that's what he does after school.
"I have!" Instantly, as though to prove him wrong, his kart flies into a wall.
"That was painful to watch," I set my controller down, letting him finish the race, "how did you even manage that?"
"It's the controller. It's old and faulty."
"Hey, don't blame the controller, he has been very loyal to you and your battle crusades over the years."
"Doesn't mean he's not old and faulty now."
"If it's only now, then what was the problem with your racing before?"
His grin falls to a straight face, and I know damn well, he's got no response.
"Let's prove this. You use my controller, I'll use yours. If I still beat you, you have to own up to the fact, that you need way more practice," I out emphasis on 'way,' as I smile, "if you win, I'll replace old trusty here," I hold up the controller. As if we'd ever replace it.
We get it going, and eventually.
One lap.
Two laps.
Three.
"And I win again," I hold the controller back out to him.
"You're cheating."
"How's that?"
"I don't know, but you are."
"Do you want to call it quits?"
He sighs, "I suppose. Do you want to play good old fashioned Mario for a bit, before you leave?"
I glance at the time, not that I need to be anywhere, "sure."
We play for about an hour and a half. Ryan leaves me in a lot of the bubbles when I fall off the edges, and steals a good portion of the power ups, leaving me with mostly mushrooms, so I don't die.
"Is this revenge to you?"
"Yes."
"That's a cheeky way to play, you wanna know another though?" My personal favourite.
He looks at me confused, "what other way is there?"
He hits a button to get a power up, of which he already has, and I take the opportunity to push him over on the bed to steal the power up.
"Now I'm safe."
"That was rude," his tone really does say otherwise.
"I have to survive somehow."
After a while, we defeat a boss, and decide to call it quits for the day.
"You should practice racing more, while I'm not here," I place my hand on his shoulder, and grin.
He squints at me.
"And with that motion, I will leave," I properly smile and walk out the door, "love you."
"Love you, dork," he mumbles the last part as he shuts the door, but not enough that I can't hear him.