Hold Me Close (Edited Version)

Chapter 4

The next day was exactly as had been predicted. The kid, Ryan as he had introduced himself to be, did talk to me; non-stop. Since we didn't share hardly any classes beside last period, it was almost easy to avoid him for most of the school day, but when it came down to my last class he was right there at my desk again, eager for another chat. I wondered what he got out of harassing me the way he did.

"So, I was thinking," he was saying as I read the same sentence in a book three times without really reading it, "I know a really cool arcade not to far away and I bet you'd like it. If you're not doing anything after school we should go hang out." Ryan smiled hopefully.

Sighing, I turned away from my book. "Sorry," I said, aiming for politeness. "I have family stuff to do after school."

He frowned with disappointment. "You can't just hang out for a little bit? It doesn't have to be a long time. I just want to get to know you," he said.

"Nope," I replied. "I have a big group of people coming over for dinner so I have to clean, cook, entertain. I have way too much to do to be goofing off."

He looked confused. "Really? I heard from some of my friends that you only had a dad and that was it," he said.

I shot him a glare for catching me in my lie. "I'm too busy," I gritted out.

He sighed and rested his elbows on my desk. "I may be spoiled, but I'm not stupid. You're avoiding me and I can tell." He gave me a thoughtful look. "I just don't know why..."

I didn't give him an answer as I picked up my history book again and continued reading. This seemed to annoy him and he puffed at me before snatching my book out of my hands. I stood up, reaching for it. "Hey! Give that back!" I said angrily.

He held it away from me. "No way," he said. "If you're going to ignore me, then I'm going to pester you."

I glared at him. "If I'm ignorig you then it means I don't want to talk to you. So, give me my book and leave me alone," I said, reaching again for the book that was out of my reach.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I think you just have a problem with people. You don't want to talk to anyone," he said.

"Maybe so," I snapped. "But that's none of your business."

I wanted to say more, but the teacher walked in and Ryan dropped my book back on my desk and hurried to his own. He sat down and smiled at the teacher good-naturedly. I balled my hands into fists and sat down at my desk again, keeping my eyes on my desk so I wouldn't stand up and punch Ryan in front of the teacher and the whole class. I stayed that way through the lesson and when it ended, I grabbed my things and stormed out of the room. I had thought Ryan would leave me alone and go annoy one of his other friends, but I was wrong and he rushed to walk next to me, just like he had the day before.

"So, since you're not doing anything, want to go to the arcade?" he asked, like he hadn't heard me tell him no already.

I opened my locker. "I said I can't," I told him.

He groaned, nonchalantly throwing his arm over my shoulders. "Yeah, and your excuse was the biggest lie I've ever heard; and Santa Claus is a pretty big man," he said. I rolled my eyes at his stupid joke as I closed my locker and headed for the front doors. Ryan frowned. "Please? I know you don't seem to like me, but I really want to be friends."

"You can want that for the rest of your life, but I do not want the same," I said, exasperated. "So, please leave me alone."

He pursed his lips and before I knew it he had snatched my backpack off my shoulder and bolted away. I stood there for a second in shock. Then I felt myself boil with anger. I took off after him and chased him through the neighborhood, shouting at him. I didn't watch where we were going, my mind was only focused on getting my backpack and then beating him the shit out of him with it. Ryan slipped through some fences and around half a dozen corners before he ran up to a house and whipped out a key. Just as I got to the front steps he pushed the door open and ran up some stairs. I didn't pause for a second, racing up after him and following him into a large room where he tossed my backpack into a corner and waited for me to go towards it. When I had, he shut the door and leaned on it, blocking any escape I may have had.