Happiness [Book 2]

Chapter 48 - Filled With Glee

"Do you have to go?" I whispered, giving him a hug. We were standing in the airport, hugging. He had his bags in a pile on the seat beside us.

"I'm sorry, Marls," He said, rubbing my hair. "But we don't want to go through the same scene as last time."

"Why not?" I whined. He chuckled and pushed me lightly off him.

"Don't worry, Marls, I came back, didn't I?" Ryder teased, kissing my cheek. "I'll come back again, I promise."  

I nodded with a smile, giving him another hug. "Have fun, Ryder, and don't mope," I told him.

"Me? You're telling me not to mope?" Ryder chuckled loudly. "You're the moper!"

I nodded and put a smile on my face, pulling away from Ryder and sticking my pinky out. "I promise not to mope out loud." 

"That sounds good." He smiled, linking pinky with mine. We both laughed and looked at the ground.

"Hurry up, Ryder! We need to leave!" His brother called, playing on his phone. I sighed as Ryder turned around, giving me another kiss by grabbing my neck lightly. 

"I love you, and I'll miss you, but we'll talk all the time - most of the time." Ryder laughed, his face still close to mine. I nodded and kissed  him again - I was craving his touch, as I did all the time. 

"Ryder, we're going!" His Mom said, picking up her own bags. I smiled and pulled him into a large hug.

"I love you." I said quietly.

Ryder traced his fingers along my spine as he responded, and I dug my face into the crook on his shoulder. "I love you too, and have fun."

"You have fun." I smiled, cupping his face with one hand.

"Bye," he whispered, kissing me again.

"Bye, Ryder, I love you. Always." 

He grinned widely and picked up his bags, walking backwards. I sent him a large wave and a kiss. He did the same, walking backwards - into a wall. I giggled as he did, before walking out of view. "I love you!" I heard him yell.

"I love you too!" I shouted back, but he probably didn't hear me. 

I didn't cry, nor did I feel sad... well, there was sadness within me, but it wasn't a heavy sadness - one that would hold me down. I felt happy; happy that I had Ryder's taste in my mouth, a little bit of him left with me. 

I grinned and walked out of the airport. I was glad I didn't make a drama out of it this time. 

***

Ryder had left so close to school starting again, so I still had the memories of him, making me insanely happy as I walked into school the day after New Year's.

As I walked down the corridor, Angie popped out of nowhere, putting her hand out in front of her. "Bro," she said, looking at the ground, at my feet and then back up at my face. "Jake just told me Ryder was in town, and you didn't call me to tell me I could meet him in person?" She raised her eyebrows at me, her hand still out.

"I called you, but every single time I did you were on another call." I told her with a smile.

"I'm still angry though, but I'm going to blame it on Jake." She pointed behind her and gave me a friendly hug. "See you later." She whispered, walking down the hall.

I smiled and stopped at my locker, opening it quickly and stuffing my bag and my books in there, staring at the pictures of the side of my locker. There were quite a lot there, so I planned to take some of the pictures down and stick up the ones of Ryder and I over the winter break.