Saving Ryder

Ryder

I can't believe Caelix just asked her on a date with him. What kind of fucking best friend does that shit? What worries me more is if she said yes or no. I'm scared to ask. I'm in love with this girl, and I'd go to the ends of this earth to prove it. "What'd you say?" I ask nervously.
"Sure." She replied, and I watched my whole heart shatter right before my eyes. Each individual piece breaking in front of me. We pull up to the house, and she gets out the car while I just sit there staring at my life crumble down before me. I sit there for so long I realize I only have thirty minutes before my match. I sprint inside and change, and Shaleigh follows behind me as we head out to the car. None of us speaking. We arrive there in record time with five minutes to spare. They start announcing names as soon as I get in to place. In the right corner weighing 175 pounds Ryder Daniels. In the left corner weighing 177 pounds Cohen Adkins. We shake hands, and the ref blows his whistle. Cohen swings, and I dodge it. I take my chance, and I punch his right in his jaw which throws his head back, while he tries to regain his balance. Shaleigh is in the front row staring right at me, and I can't help but imagine it's Caelix in front of me. Right when he regains his composure, I take my leg, wrap it around his, and trip him taking him down on the ground. I get on top of him, and hit him over and over again until I'm being pulled off of him. He's lying on the ground passed out, and the ref holds up my hand. The ref announces it, and I take the microphone out of his hand.
"I'm sorry for the interruption, but I have something I need to say. Shaleigh Adams, I love you. I have since the moment you moved in with me, and I can't hold it back anymore. I can't be just friends with you anymore. I fall in love with you more and more every day. When you smile or laugh, it makes my whole day. The first thing I want to hear in the morning is your voice, and the last thing I want to hear at night is the sounds of your breathing as you fall asleep. I look at you, and I see this beautiful girl that takes my breath away every time I look at her, and a girl who leaves me breathless every time her lips touch mine. For the longest time I've been holding back the fact that I'm falling in love with you, so when you say you're going on a date with someone else, it takes everything in me not to beg you to stop. I know I have a past I'm not ready to tell you yet, but eventually I'll tell you. I just need you to bear with me, baby. This is me asking you to be my girlfriend because without you I'm not whole." I don't have time to think because she's in my arms within seconds with her lips pressed against mine, and the crowd is cheering, but the sound is fading. All I'm focused on is her. It's not like any normal kiss we've had. This one is filled with passion, feeling, and desperation all mixed in one. I pull away, and look her straight in the eyes when I ask, "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Maybe." She replies smiling.
"Is that a yes?" I ask.
"In every language." She says her lips against mine again.
The crowd grows even louder, and I pick Shaleigh up carrying her outside, and I sit her in my car. "You're officially mine, but there is one thing I need you to do for me?" I say.
"What's that?" She asks taking her lip in between her teeth.
"Cancel that date with Caelix tomorrow. I'm not sharing you." I say.
"I will, but why'd you ask me in front of everyone, Ryder?" She asks.
"I wanted everyone to know how I feel about you. It's not a secret. You aren't a secret." I say.
"I can see that." She says.
We have a peaceful ride home until Shaleigh's phone dings.
"Who is it baby?" I ask.
"It's Caelix responding." She says as her jaw tenses.
"What'd he say?" I ask worried.
"Nothing. Just don't worry about it." She says flatly.
"No, it's upsetting you. Tell me baby." I say sounding concerned.
She hits my dash board and yells.
"JUST TAKE ME BACK TO MY FUCKING DORM RYDER."
I don't respond, I just do what she asks of me, knowing that text said something to make her upset or even pissed at me. When we pull up she gets out the car saying nothing. I get out too, slamming my door, and I grab her arm. "Look at me, Shaleigh." She looks up, and I don't say anything. I just grab her face in my hands and put my lips on hers. She pushes me off of her and runs. What the fuck did Caelix say? You know what I don't give a fuck. I'm going to his house. I get in my car slamming the door once I sit down. Turning on the car, I blast the music as loud as I can and speed there, going at least 80 miles an hour. Within ten minutes I arrive, and see his Volvo in the drive way. His yard is neatly cut with a flowerbed on each side of the door. There is a reef on his front door with every color cancer bow in it. His house is two stories and is brick. I wouldn't say it's an old house, but it isn't new. I go up to his wooden door and knock as loud as I can. About a minute later he opens the door with a mug in his hand. "Ryder man, what are you doing here? Come in." He says in shock a little.
"What the fuck did you say to my girlfriend?" I ask pissed.
"I didn't mean to text her. You see your ex, Siege texted me asking for your number and I meant to text you, but I accidentally sent it to her." He says intimidated.
"Did you give her my number?" I ask cautiously.
"Yes. I didn't think you cared."
"FUCK, I LEFT MY PHONE WITH SHALEIGH." I go to run out but before I leave I turn around and punch Caelix right in the face causing him to fall back. That's what you get for doing shit you shouldn't. His nose is dripping blood, and it's running down his face like rain drops. I don't care at this point. All I care about is hurting Shaleigh more. I run and get into my car, and drive as fast as I can running every stop sign and stop light on the way. If I hurt Shaleigh again I'll never be able to forgive myself. I get there, and I don't even completely stop my car before I get out and start sprinting to her dorm room. When I get there I knock on the door, and it takes her awhile but she comes out in sweat pants that hug her hips perfectly, a tank top that shows her cleavage, and her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head. I can tell she's been crying because her face is all red. "What is wrong?" I ask.
"Why the fuck is your ex texting you, Ryder?" She asks her voice cracking.
"I don't know. Caelix gave her my number, and I don't know why." I say, honestly.
"Well, she forgives you for whatever reason you aren't telling me, and she misses you. I knew us dating was an awful idea, and it was just going to end in heartbreak. We can't see each other anymore, Ryder. Go date Siege or whatever, and get out of my life." She says.
"I don't want Siege anymore. What she and I had has been over for a while, and now I'm over it. You're the one I want, not her." I say honestly.
"Then why is she texting you? What happened between you two Ryder? Because whatever it is, it's tearing us apart." She says her voice shaking while she's speaking.
I look around her dorm room trying to stall my answer. Her pink blanket in laying on the right side of her bed on the floor, and her pillows are laying against her headboard. The television is on a show I think is called "Faking it." She has a mini fridge sitting just beneath where her television is, and she has an half empty water bottle just above it. "Hello. Earth to Ryder." She says waving her hand in front of my face trying to get my attention.
"Look, Shaleigh I'm not ready to share that part of my past with you yet. When I'm ready, you'll know, but until then you're either going to accept me for me, or you can walk out the door now. I hope that you'll give me a chance to try and prove to you that you're what I want, but if not then I understand." I say trying not to sound upset.
"What so bad about your past Ryder? Whatever it is we can get through it together. Isn't that what relationships are for? If we don't have trust, then what's the point of any of this? Relationships are built off of trust, and right now Ryder I don't have any." She says.
Right then my phone goes off, and it doesn't take me long to realize its Siege again.