Beside You

An Unexpected Call

Ryder

I spend the majority of Sunday trying to wrap my head around the events of prom. Any chance I had is ruined. I don't even get out of bed until 11:30, and the only reason I did is because I know I should eat before our soccer practice. My mom and sister are out of town, so I make myself a snack then wait for Grayson and Ryder to pick me up to take me to practice. I can't wait until I have enough money to get my own vehicle. 

We get to the field half an hour later. There are only ten other guys there, it's usually only the starting players that show up to the Sunday practices. The coach gets there shortly after and we begin the drills. Practicing takes my mind off of the recent events. It feels like the practice is over in no time.

When we get off the field Grayson and I have to remind everyone about our home game on Tuesday, and remind everyone to come to the mandatory practice immediately after school the next day.

I start towards the school afterwards to change out of my practice jersey. Grayson runs to catch up with me.

"Hey, Ryder. I can't remember, do you need a ride home as well?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind. My mom and sister aren't home until tomorrow after dinner."

"Oh, in that case do you want to stay with us? I know that my parents won't mind. We can stop by at your place so that you can get your stuff."

I consider it. My only other option is to stay at home alone. "Yeah, sure. Thank you."

We drive to my house. I un lock the door and go up to my room. I get everything that I will need the rest of the day and the next day at school; my books, uniform and my soccer equipment.

When we get to the Dryden's house Hadley is just getting out of her car. She must just be getting back from her yearbook meeting. She turns towards the sound of tires on gravel. We grab our stuff out of the car and start towards the house.

"Hey guys, how was the practice? Ready for the game on Tuesday?"

We're playing against Blair Academy again. As if there wasn't a big enough rivalry before, now the team wants revenge for my broken arm.

It's Grayson who answers. "Yeah, our defence is really strong, plus-"

Hadley cuts him off. "All I needed was a yes or no. Besides, I was just asking that to be polite." She jokes.

"Well, then 'to be polite' are you going to come to the game?" Mitchell asks her.

"The yearbook is being sent in tomorrow night, so I really don't need to be there."

"Seriously? You aren't coming?"

"Of course I'll be there. Someone off the field needs to make sure that Ryder doesn't break something again."

This is the first time that either of us have acknowledged the other. I look up at her to see that she's smiling at me. It seems as if everything is back to the way it was before.

Once we get inside Mitch, Grayson and I go downstairs and Hadley goes up to her room.

~*~

When I get to school on the Monday after prom I take my usual seat in homeroom. A few moments later, I'm surprised to hear someone sitting in the usually vacant seat next to mine. I turn away from my conversation with Colton - who was sitting on my other side - to see who it is. I'm surprised to find Ella, Hadley's friend from the yearbook club. We've gone to school together for three years and never spoken to her, so I really don't know why she has suddenly decided to sit next to me.

"Oh... hey, what's up?" I ask her.

"I just wanted to tell you that you're an idiot."

At this point the school announcements have already started, so I whisper-yell the next part. "What?"

"You went to prom with one of the most amazing girls I know, and yet you still aren't together? Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

And here I was thinking that everything would be okay after how normal everything was last night.

"Look, we made a mutual decision that we had no future."

"Yeah, but I can tell it's killing you."

"No, it's not. I'm fine."

"Plus, even if she never admits it, I know that she likes you back."

"Look, you're only making this worse. We're better off as just friends. And if people don't stop bringing it up I'll never get over her. So please stop." With that the announcements end and the teacher begins his lesson. I turn away from Ella and try to listen to what the teacher is saying.

~*~

The coach runs us ridiculously hard at practice that afternoon. He doesn't let us go until we've done every drill perfectly at least three times. It's the worst practice I've experienced in all of the years that I've been playing soccer. I think he feels as if he has something to prove. He wants to show that even though I, a team captain, was injured last time it hasn't slowed us down any.

When he finally lets us leave at 6:30 Grayson and Mitchell drop me off at the way home. I grab all of my stuff out of the back of the car and unlock the front door.

My mom and sister won't be home for another hour or so, so I check my phone's voicemails to see if they called and left a message. There are two messages. The first one is from my mom letting me know that they'll be an hour later than originally expected. I delete and move on to the next one. As soon as I hear the first words I know exactly who it is. It's my dad.

"Hey Ryder, it's your father. I'm going to be in town Wednesday and was hoping you might be available to come for dinner with me You could bring some of your new friends. I'd love to meet them. Anyways, if you could call me and let me know I would really appreciate it. Thank you, hope to see you then."

I can't believe this. I've only seen my dad once since the divorce. I've spoken to him a few times, around the holidays or my birthday- that's it. He gave up on Adelaide a couple of years ago because she never returned his calls. I can't believe that he wants me to go out and have dinner with him. I don't know if I can handle this, how could he even suggest it?