Mr. Ryan Flent and Me

Green Just Isn't Your Color

Chapter 16:

Cassandra's POV:

It's the Monday morning after my date with Ryan and I'm sitting at the bar stools which are in between the kitchen and dining room. I'm eating Cheerios and staring into space. I'm on Instagram, stalking my own profile trying to figure out more about myself. My profile picture is a close up selfie of Rita and me with our tongues sticking out. My bio says:

Cass T.

pisces 💋

I have photos of OOTDs and selfies with friends. I go on Rita's account. She has a picture her and Chris as her profile picture. Her bio:

Rita

Chris 😍😘

3.25.14

Class of '17

Her profile has a black and white theme with photos mostly of Chris, herself, and myself.

Ryan's profile. His profile picture is a picture of him at the beach playing in the water. His bio is plain and boring:

Ryan Flent

VA Beach // Baseball // Class of '16

His pictures, however, are not boring. He has selfies of him and his teammates. He has a few photos of mountain and beach views. Lastly, and most sadly, he has photos of him and Veronica. There is one with them laughing on the beach, another of her on his shoulders, and many more cute photos of the two of them. There are some photos of them two with someone else. The third person doesn't look familiar but he looks like an older version of Ryan. The mystery boy looks about two or three years older than Ryan and has the same white teeth, break your heart kind of smile. I'm assuming that he is the older brother than Ryan told me about. He's good looking but has lighter eyes than Ryan. They all look so happy, from the photos Ryan looks happier when his brother is in the photo. That's odd, I think, but I shrug it off.

I head upstairs and brush my teeth. While I'm brushing my teeth Rita texts me and shortly after I head out to her car. When I get in her car I pull out my phone again and go back onto Instagram. This time I click on Veronica's profile. Her profile picture is a hipster black and white photo of her lips, neck, and shoulder. It's kind of lame but actually really cute. Her bio throws me off guard through:

Veronica

flent

I gasp aloud and Rita gives me a look.

"Sorry," I say. "Have you seen veronica's Instagram profile?"

"Oh, yeah, I usually go around stalking people's profile." She says sarcastically.

"Well, I don't remember anything so I'm trying to get used to the flow of life and getting to know people that I'm supposed to have known forever."

"Good point, sorry."

"It's okay, anyways, her profile's bio says Flent."

"What's Flent?"

"Ryan's last name."

"Oh."

"Yeah!"

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing."

"How's it nothing? Who keeps their exes last name in their bio?"

"Maybe she hasn't updated it since they broke up. Or maybe Flent means something else."

"Okay but what about the fact that Ryan has lots of photos of him and her on his profile?"

"How many counts as a lot?"

"I don't know, I didn't count."

"If you had I would've been very concerned," she says with a laugh. "Okay, so take a guess then, around how many?"

"I don't know, like, twelve."

"Okay, that is a little high, maybe he just hasn't gotten around to deleting them. And they're still friends so maybe he sees it as posting pictures of friends, kind of thing."

"maybe." I say, unconvinced. "Ooh, what about the fact that Danny and I saw them together in the hallways."

"Okay? Again, friends do that."

"But they were leaning into each other and looking into each other's eyes with love or lust."

"Okay, there is no way you could've known that."

"Okay true, but still, Danny thinks I should be concerned. I mean it's like he said, who remains friends with their ex unless it's something more than just friends?"

"If you're so worried then just ask him."

"Then I'll sound like a paranoid jealous over attached girlfriend!"

"Which is what you sound like now!" I sigh back into the seat, unsure on what to do. "And anyways," she adds. "What the hell does Danny know? Janet is his second girlfriend and she's a nightmare. So don't take advice from him. It'll be fine, honey."

"Okay, okay, I guess you're right."

We arrive at the school, she parks the car, and then we head into the school. Inside everyone is loud. I follow Rita as she searches for Chris. He's standing with Danny and Janet. Rita rolls her eyes as we approach.

"Hey, beautiful." Chris says to Rita as she kisses him on the cheek. Danny rolls his eyes and then mocks them by kissing Janet on her cheek. Janet smiles with glee at his gesture. I awkwardly stand there, as the third wheel. Rita notices and gives me a weak smile.

"Where's Ryan?" she says. I shrug and she begins to search around the commons. "Ooh, I think I see him." She says and she points to a guy walking through the crowds. He doesn't see us though. He's talking to someone behind him. I can't see who until she comes onto the left side of him. Even though there are people around her I can still tell who she is, immediately, by her glowing blonde hair and pretty face. It's Veronica. She laughs at something he says. He turns from her and sees me. His face brightens and he waves, I wave back with a slight smile. I turn to Rita and give her a look, she gives me a comforting smile. A few seconds later Ryan and veronica are next to us. Veronica is wearing a cute black skater skirt and a tight white shirt that is tucked in.

"Cassandra," he says kissing my cheek. "I don't think you and veronica have ever meet."

"I don't believe we have." She says. She has a soft purr for a voice.

"Well, Veronica this is Cassandra. Cassandra this is Veronica." She flashes me a straight set of teeth and I smile back.

"Ryan and I were just on our way to class when we saw you so we decided to say hi."

"Well, hi." I say with a bitter laugh, she laughs, too. Her laugh is soft and sweet. The bell rings and everyone disperses. Rita and I wait and watch as Veronica and Ryan walk off. She laughs again at something he says. Even though their backs are facing us I can almost see her face lit up. I sigh and Rita gives me a side hug.

"Why do they have to walk so close together? They might as well be arm and arm." I ask.

"They're not that close, you just think they are."

"So now I'm either a liar or blind?" I say defensively.

"No, that's not what I meant and you know it. There is no need to be jealous of her. You're prettier, sweeter, kinder, better."

"Thanks." I mumble.

"We better get to class. I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. I'm sure its fine, sweetie." I shake my head and go to class, still not sure on what to think.