The Quarry: Ryan x Reader

Chapter 1 - Part 3

1145 words

We walk back to the group. Once we stop Kaitlyn perks up, "What were you doing under there earlier? Having a little 'me party'?"

He shifts slightly, moving closer to me. "Uhh... I was listening to a podcast, actually" as always.

"Oh, podcast, nice. That's cool." Dylan adds.

"What's it about?" Kaitlyn enquires. I wouldn't have thought she'd be interested in podcasts.

"Yeah what's it about? Is it about me?" Dylan smirks as I laugh at his comment. He's a funny one.

Ryan looks at me, as if questioning what he just heard, he turns back to Dylan "You think I was listening to a podcast...about you?"

Kaitlyn intervenes, "Okay, if anyone here had a podcast about them, it'd be me".

"That would be a podcast I'd listen to on repeat" I say, smiling at Kaitlyn, she smirks at me and winks.

"Yeah if there was a podcast called 'How to Look and Smell Like a Butt' ", Dylan pipes up, he says some questionable things.

Kaitlyn scoffs, "Oh my God. You are so childish".

"Atleast I don't look and smell like a butt...". At this point I think he's a bit obsessed.

Ryan finally gets his chance to tell them about the podcast, "No, its-it's a... paranormal podcast. This episode was actually about this place, weirdly enough". Oh I remember that one, we listened to it on one of the nights after teaching the kids to sail. That was pure chaos.

"Oh, erm.. The Hag of Hackett's Quarry?" I question, his eyes immediately meet mine. He smiles at me again, my face is probably looking like a tomato. Or something like that.

"Yeah, you remembered it?". Did he seem... proud? I mumble a quiet 'mhm' and nod.

"The who of the whatsit where now?" Kaitlyn continues, "What's the Hag of Hackett's Quarry?"

Dylan turns to Kaitlyn in faux disbelief "You don't know about the Hag of Hackett Quarry?".

"Uhh, if I did would I be asking, dumbass?" Emma and Nick laugh, loudly. Dylan shoots them some sarcastic glares (if that's even possible).

"Tell her about the Hag of Hackett's Quarry!" he demands.

Ryan turns his face to mine, then back to Kaitlyn, "I don't think she wants to know about The Hag of Hackett's Quarry"

"Can we please just stop saying 'The Hag of Hackett's Quarry' ". Kaitlyn exclaims. Jacob chimes in with a quick 'yeah'.

Ryan turns to me again, "y/n, you wanna explain it to them?" he asks me, very sincerely. I nod and smile.

"Yeah, sure. It's just a campfire story for the kids. There's supposedly an old woman who died in a fire a few years back..." I turn to Ryan, raising an eyebrow as if to ask 'is this the right one', he nods at me and smiles. That smile, it makes me melt, and my knees weak. "She haunts the woods looking for her lost baby boy. People say they hear whispers and see this figure that floats around... textbook ghost stuff, you know." I look to Ryan again for assistance, I didn't think having all the counselors eyes on me would be so... intimidating? He puts his hand on my lower back. His hand is warm. Whys he always warm?

Ryan decides to continue for me, "Apparently, if she catches you alone, she'll try to turn you into her son... or kill you or something. I dunno... it's never really been clear. Anyways. Hag of Hackket's Quarry." He takes his hand from my back and waves them in the air, kinda like jazz hands, but no jazz, just hands. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer into him. And there I was earlier thinking he wouldn't be the one to make a move.

"Y-You made that up." Kaitlyn stutters.

"It's right here in the podcast, man".

"Cool story, bro". Typical Jacob response. Ryan tenses up slightly.

"Seriously though - you should've seen the kids the first time him and y/n told the story to the kids at the campfire. They were scarred for life." I laugh, as I recall seeing their scared little face, maybe I shouldn't laugh about that actually. But it's not gonna traumatise them... probably.

"I mean, maybe not for life" Ryan suggests.

"You got to be careful with this stuff man. That shits true." I wonder if Dylan actually thinks that, or if he's just defending Ryan? He sounded serious, maybe it's both.

"C'mon-Dude, bullshit!" Jacob protests. Ryan tenses again. I'm starting to think Jacobs got some vendetta against Ryan. He seems to be really pissed off and aggravated by anything he does.

"What's the hold up, Hacketteers?"

"Saved by the bell, or... Mr. H" I murmur. Ryan laughs slightly. I made him laugh. Wow. Milestones.

"Heya- Yeah-uh, nearly done, Mr. H!" Jacob stutters.

"Hop to it! Get those butt's in gear!"

"Sorry Mr. H" Emma yells to him, "we had to liberate some luggage." she whispers the latter to Abi, trying to tease her.

"Shut up!". Teasing successful.

"Maybe if someone didn't spend so much time trying to impress the ladies with all his ghost stories..." Kaitlyn teases too. Emma and Kaitlyn would be a good duo. Or maybe they'd be scary, like mean girls.

"You asked!" Ryan defends himself.

"Ghost stories?" Chris, or Mr. H asks.

"The Hag of Hackett's Quarry." I respond. Surely he's been here long enough to know of stories like that? I guess not...

"Ah." is all he says.

"Hey, you still have the van key, Mr H?"

"Why yes I do!" Big surprise incoming... "You know, I'd lose my head if it wasn't stuck on! Back to the office I go... Give me a hand would ya Ryan?" I glance at Ryan as he removes his arm from my shoulder and puts it back to his side. "You can come too, y/n" I smile at Chris.

We walk up the stairs. "Yo Mr. H!"

"Whats up DJ Dylan?" That's kind of a cool nickname, I'm gonna start calling him that. DJ Dylan.

"Any chance I can get a little charge? I wanna have some tunes for the road." Oh my phone! Nick must have it, im pretty sure him and Dylan were getting the phones.

"Ah, no can do."

Dylan's face drops, "Come on that's like super unchill, man", but the sarcasm remains.

"Hey dude, I'm the most chilled flippin' bro in the whole world, man." That is not debateable. He's always been relaxed. Never really worried much from what I've seen... I aspire to be like that.

"I just need some tunes for the ride, man"

"Alright, that's enough"

"Okay, okay" DJ Dylan gives up.

"You can share my ear buds, man" I accentuate the last word. I feel like one more 'man' needs to be said. Ryan and Chris laugh. He laughed again. Butterflies.