By the Playbook

By the Playbook (9)

I closed my eyes with a tired sigh, wriggling closer to Ryder. He buried his face in my neck, nudging his nose against the bruise on my collarbone that I would hit him for later, holding me tightly. "Are we going to school tomorrow?"

I pressed my lips to his knuckles. "I'm not."

He let out a soft sigh. "I have practice," he murmured. "But I'll see you when I get home."

I smiled into the darkness of the room. "Don't act like you won't wake me up before you go."

He kissed my temple, then my cheek, and finally my lips. "I love you," he said as an answer, making me chuckle as I pressed myself further into him, closing my eyes. "I love you too," I murmured, then let the comforting wave of sleep take me.

~*~

"Addie," Ryder whispered with a teasing laugh. "Addison,"

"Piss off," I grumbled. He laughed softly. "I'm going to school."

"That's nice," I answered, not bothering to open my eyes. "Piss off."

He laughed again, one hand pressed against my bare ribs, the other against my cheek as he kissed me, his fingers digging into my ribs for a moment before he straightened. "I'm taking you out tonight," he informed me.

"Bye," I hinted. He laughed, kissing my forehead before there was the soft thud of the door. I rolled over, pressing my face into the pillow and giving into sleep again.

~*~

When I woke up on my own time, like I was meant to, it was almost noon. I had a variety of texts waiting for me on my phone which I promptly ignored, setting it down and stretching, kicking the sheets away as I did so.

With a soft groan as my stiff muscles protested, I got up, making my way to the shower. As the water heated up, I glanced in the mirror and promptly scowled. There was one hickey on my neck, the other on my collarbone - apparently, I wouldn't be swimming unless I was home alone.

I sighed, soaping up my body with my favourite lemon body wash before running shampoo through my hair, letting the hot water pour over me. By the time I had shaved and conditioned my hair, it had been probably twenty minutes, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I slipped into a simple pair of white jeans shorts and a blue tank top, pairing it with a long brown necklace with an eagle at the end that my cousin Jared had gotten for me. Falling back onto my bed, I took a breath before deciding to answer the barrage of texts on my phone.

Ryder: help I'm bored

Ryder: wake up

Ryder: Addie

Ryder: aj

Ryder: baaaaaabe

Ryder: so are you sleeping or dead what is this

Ryder: WAKE UP

Ryder: FIRE

Ryder: TSUNAMI

Ryder: !!!!!!!!

Ryder: W A K E U P

Ryder: FEELIM MY WAY THROUGH THE DARKNESS

Ryder: GUIDED BY A HEART

Ryder: JOURNEY WILL END

Ryder: WHERE IT STARTS