How To Kill Ryder Blake (COMPLETED)

{Six} I Ate The Cookies

I spent the first hour of the party watching the mass of teenagers lounging in various places throughout and outside my best friend's house from the front porch. I hated it, but I would have to hand it to Max tomorrow morning when he was sober. He had actually pulled off a pretty bad ass party. What I wasn't thrilled with was that I was going to have to be the one to clean up the aftermath of it.

A few of Max's teammates and a couple girls off the cheer squad had greeted me and talked for a few minutes, but had since disappeared into the crowd of people in the kitchen and living room. I had leaned into the rail encasing the Park's patio, my arm resting on one of the posts, propping my chin up as I watched a group of drunk idiots dog piling on top of one another in the front yard. A few girls stood a few feet back, taking selfies, then turning the camera on the boys in front of them.

I had tried to take Max's words to heart. This was our last party as teenagers, but I couldn't find it in me to enjoy it as everyone else was. High school had been my comfort zone, as had being in the shadow of my best friends, not quite in the forefront. Now that we'd be going our separate ways for college at the end of the summer, I felt like someone had punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me, forcing me to face reality.

"You look absolutely miserable." The voice was enough to break me completely out of my state of depression.

Never in the four years I'd been forced to go to these parties had I ever seen Ryan Blake at any of them. He'd always been a year ahead of all of us, and had graduated last year, but had always kinda just been there because of Ryder, who made sure to be at every party. The shock of seeing the older of the Blake boys standing on the first step leading up to Max's front porch didn't reside in just me. The idiots who'd been messing around a few minutes ago had turned their full attention to him, the girls whispering back and forth between each other. I'm sure a few of the people inside were making comments of their own.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I questioned, then realized how bitchy it sounded. "I thought Ryan Blake didn't do high school parties."

"I don't." He scratched at the back of his neck. "But my brother wanted to come and I figured you'd be here. I need to talk to you."

I crossed my arms over rail. "I'm good. What I agreed to do with Ryder doesn't involve you. I don't need to deal with both of you."

"It's not about that, Zoey." He looked over his shoulder, then nodded toward the house. "Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"

"This is the most private you're gonna get." I pointed at the concrete beneath my feet. "That's why I'm out here. I couldn't handle the wonderful scent of adolescence and their habit of not using deodorant."

He chuckled as he made his way up the steps, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. It was honestly a little weird seeing him look so uncomfortable. He'd always worn confidence like it was another layer of skin.

I was momentarily distracted by Ryder jogging up the steps and into the house, knowing that him being here couldn't mean anything good. Not only did Max not like him, but his list had consisted of some really crazy stuff and I was scared he'd attempt something just as stupid here.

"We should probably follow him." I stated, pushing off the railing.

"Why?" He asked, confused.

It was then, staring into his guarded blue eyes, that I realized Ryder hadn't told him about the list.

As if on cue, screams erupted from the other side of the house. I pushed passed Ryan and rushed through the house and toward the deck. As soon as I stepped out, I caught sight of Max and Gabby on the opposite of the side of the pool, joined by what appeared to be half the student body of our graduating class, all staring up at the roof of the house. I groaned internally, knowing I wasn't going to be happy with what I found up there.