The Big Mansion on the Hill

♠|Chapter 25|

Ryder's POV

"Is it just me, or did this time feel, I don't know, different?" she asked me.

I stopped washing Fin's body as she shifted toward me.

"I think I do. It did feel different. I don't want to get either of our hopes up, but I have a good feeling about it this time." She leaned in and pecked my lips.

"Not to kill the mood, but I do want to get your opinion on something."

"Okay, baby, my ears are open and ready to listen to whatever you want to say."

"As good as I feel about it this time, if it does end up not working out, then I want to stop trying for a couple of years. I think it's what would be good for us. We have gone through so much in such a short amount of time, and none of it has been good for us. The best thing for us is to move forward. We're still so young an have so much life left ahead of us. We can worry about starting a family a few years down the road. We should spend this time as just Fin and Ryder. I mean we haven't even gotten married yet, we don't need to worry about kids right now."

"I agree, and after those years, once we heal as much as we can then we can revisit the idea. If you, we, don't want to then we can look into adoption, or at the least start with fostering."

"Promise?" 

I reached out my pinky and she linked hers with mine "Promise."

I leaned forward and rested my forehead on hers and we closed our eyes, content in each other's arms. Soon enough I fell asleep with Fin in my arms and dreaming of what our life could be like if we had kids.

Blake

I knew that Finley would not be mad at Ryder after he told her everything. Soon enough I heard muffled sounds a knew what they were doing. Not wanting to hear any more of it I got my headphones and decided to start the new book I just got.

I lost track of time reading and ended up reading the whole thing. I checked the time on my phone, 3 hours had passed. That's a record for me, I read a book in 3 hours, go me. I assumed that Ryder and Finley were done with their, extracurricular activities. I paused my music and did not hear anything, I decided to venture out and see if they were done.

"Finley? Ryder?" I did not get a reply. I looked down the hall and saw their door was shut. I went to the door and knocked on it.

Again, there was no reply so they were either in the bathroom together, or sleeping. I sure as hell was not going to open the door. I did not want to see something that would give me nightmares for the rest of. my life. I was about to go to the kitchen to make us some dinner when I heard voices on the other side of the door.

"You can come in Blake!" I heard a voice, not sure who because it was muffled through the door.

I opened the door and saw Ryder and Finley sitting up against the headboard leaning against each other.

"So, what were you two up to?" I asked smirking and wiggling my eyebrows.

Finley's face turned bright red, and Ryder choked out a cough not expecting me to say that.

"You heard us? Oh, god, that is mortifying." Finley brought her hands up and hid her face in Ryder's neck.

"No, I know how to block out sounds."

"Ok, whatever, was there a reason you knocked?"

"Yeah, what do you guys want for dinner?"

"I was thinking that we could go out for dinner," Finley said quietly, sitting up.

"I don't know Finley I do not think that I am ready to be out in public for that long again so soon. I am just starting to talk to people, this is all moving so fast."

"I know, but Blake, this'll be good for you. You just helped us more than you can imagine and we want to return the favor.  We can even go to one of the Carter Cafés."

"And risk running into one of the Carter's? Hell no. I bet they all hate me, especially Archer."

"You don't even have to worry about that. I talked to them and they want to talk to you, but you have to go to them first. What better way than going to their café and having the chance to talk? Plus, it's not even a one hundred percent chance that they'll be there."

I wanted to say no so badly. The fear of people seeing me after being hidden away in my house for so many years, and now being in a wheelchair. This is all terrifying, but I want to move on. I need to move on. I need to start ignoreing my parents voies in my head telling me that I am weak  and a disappointment.

"Ok, but just so you know, there will be people that ask what happened, and if it gets to be too much, then we're leaving, got it?"

"Yes, yes, definitely. Ok, I'm going to get ready. Ryder, you too, you look like a hobo." She ran off to the bathroom and Ryder and I burst out laughing.

"Ok, well I'm going to go join her, not that you need to know, you know what. I'm just gonna, yup."

I chuckled to myself going to my room to get dressed. 20 minutes later the three of us were in the car heading to Carter Café. The drive was 5 minutes, I didn't realize it was so close. Ryder parked ithe car and Finley came over to my side to help me get out of the car and into my chair. I spent the whole car ride freaking out about every single thing that could happen during today's little outing.

Ryder and Fin made their way to the door, but I stayed back. I was debating whether or not I follow them, or if I get back in the car and hide from the world. Finley turned around once she realized that I wasn't following.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, just terrified. Let's do this" I took a deep breath and followed them.

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1049 word count

- A

(edited)