Vampires Aren't Real

Chapter Seven

After school, I saw Ginny walking by the lockers, her usual crew in tow. She wasn't exactly someone I'd talk to, but she always seemed to know where everyone was, especially Ryder.

"Hey, Ginny," I called out, trying to sound casual.

She turned, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a smirk. "What do you want?"

"I'm looking for Ryder," I said, ignoring her attitude. "Do you know where he is?"

Ginny's eyes lit up, and I immediately regretted asking. Something about the look on her face screamed trouble.

"Oh, I think I saw him go into the gym," she said, her smile widening. "Maybe he's in the guys' locker room. You should check there."

I hesitated. Why would she be so helpful? This was Ginny, after all, and she'd been eyeing Ryder since I arrived at this school. But my curiosity got the better of me. I thanked her and started walking toward the gym, feeling her eyes on my back the whole way.

As I approached the locker room, my steps slowed. Was this really a good idea? But I couldn't back down now. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The locker room was huge, the scent of sweat and cologne hanging in the air. I glanced around, half-expecting to hear someone call me out for being in the wrong place.

Then, from the corner of my eye, I noticed a flash of red ink—just a peek of a tattoo. The design was shaped like an "M," sharp and jagged, with a sword cutting straight through the middle. The blade glowed a deep, blood-red, surrounded by what looked like flames licking up around the edges. The fire wasn't just part of the tattoo, though. Beneath it, his skin seemed scarred—burnt, almost—as if the flames weren't just ink but something he had lived through.

Ryder.

He was standing at the far end of the room, his back to me, shirtless, his muscles tense as if he knew I was there. I didn't have time to react before I heard footsteps behind me.

"What are you doing in here?"

I turned around just as Ginny appeared in the doorway, a smug grin on her face. Oh no.

"Look, she's in here harassing Ryder!" she shouted, her voice loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. My stomach dropped. I hadn't even spoken to him, and now this was happening?

Panic set in as I heard the familiar sound of a teacher's voice. "What's going on here?" The footsteps grew louder, and before I could do anything, Ryder moved.

In a blink, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me behind a row of lockers. My back hit the cold tiles, my breath catching in my throat. Ryder pushed open the door to the shower area and dragged me in, pressing a hand against my mouth to silence me. We were hidden behind the foggy glass doors, his body just inches from mine.

The teacher's voice echoed through the locker room. "I don't see anyone."

Ginny's voice was right behind him, indignant. "I saw her come in! She's stalking him!"

The teacher knocked on the lockers, calling out. "Ryder? Are you in here?"

Ryder's eyes met mine for the briefest moment. His face was hard, his jaw clenched, and then he turned his head toward the locker room. "No one's here."

I heard Ginny huff, clearly frustrated. "But—"

"I think that's enough, Ginny," the teacher said, sounding exasperated. "No one's in here. You're wasting my time."

The footsteps retreated, leaving only the sound of water dripping from the shower head above us. I let out a shaky breath, realizing just how close we were—closer than I'd ever been to anyone. Ryder's hand still covered my mouth, his other arm braced against the wall beside my head.

His head tilted down slightly, and for a second, I saw something in his eyes—something softer, almost curious, like he was studying me. I could feel the warmth of his skin, the tension between us hanging heavy in the air.

Then, just as quickly, he snapped out of it. He pushed me away, hard enough that I almost stumbled.

"Next time, read a sign," he muttered, his voice cold and sharp. He turned away, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist, acting like none of this even mattered.

I blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. My heart was pounding in my chest, the adrenaline still rushing through my veins.

"That was close," I whispered, more to myself than to him.

Ryder didn't respond. He didn't even look at me. Instead, he stood there, water dripping from his hair, his eyes fixed straight ahead like I didn't even exist. Like he didn't just pull me into a shower to save me from being humiliated.

I didn't know whether to thank him or slap him.

"Why did you—"

"Don't," he interrupted, his voice hard. "Don't make this into something it's not."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died on my tongue. There was no point. Ryder was Ryder—cold, distant, impossible to figure out. But still... something had happened between us in that moment, something real. I felt it, even if he didn't want to admit it.

As I turned to leave, Ryder called out, his voice quieter this time. "Stay out of trouble, Simone. Next time, I won't be around to save you."

I didn't know what to say to that. Instead, I just walked out of the locker room, my mind spinning. Ginny had tried to set me up, but Ryder had saved me, yet again. I'm starting to think he might turn out to be a huge problem for my sanity.

**

Ryder's Tattoo