stand by me || ryder scanlon

filet mignon

"And this one is Lennox." Ryder showed me the page. "Although, now that I think about it, the hair makes her kind of look like Medusa..."

"I think it's great." I smiled which he returned.

"Really?"

"Yea." I shrugged. It definitely wasn't the best portrait, but it sure was original.

"I don't know. I'm not an artist."

"You could be."

"You really think so?"

"Definitely." I went through Ryder's sketchbook, the dates on the bottom corner getting older and older with every flip.

"What's this?" I looked up to Ryder whose eyes were already staring back at me.

He snapped out of his gaze. "Oh that." Ryder stared at the drawing as if he's never seen it before. "That's..."

"You know," He chuckled. "that just may be the neighbors bunny rabbit or Mel's filet mignon."

"Her food's that bad huh?" I scrunched my nose.

"Terrible." Ryder put the sketchbook away, slipping it inbetween two books on his shelf. "So what about you?" He returned to his bed, sitting and leaning back on his forearms.

"What about me?" I turn the bean bag chair towards him.

"You know, hobbies, favorite movie, um." he hesitated. "What it's like living with your foster parents?"

I nodded. "Okay, hobbies?" I ask myself. "Photography."

"You like taking photos?" He looked at me insanely.

"Yea, but it's not just taking photos Ryder, it's focusing on that one shot, that one photo and forgetting what's happening around you. There's just so much you can capture inside a tiny frame, and you're in control in what you want to show to the world outside the frames, good or bad."

"I never thought about it that way. I mean, I thought pictures were just pictures." He toyed with the end of his bedspread.

"Not many people do. It's a distraction, my distraction, helping me cope with living with my foster parents."

He nodded for me to continue.

"Well," I sighed. "For quite some time I just got so caught up in snapping photos that my grades started dropping, badly. My foster dad, he didn't like that, and was pretty hard on me; basically hated the thought of having a child."

"Then why take you in?" Ryder shifted and got comfortable.

"I was only four. I guess they forgot that kids eventually grow up."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

"But you shouldn't be."

"There are alot of things that shouldn't happen in the world, but do, Ryder. It's life."

I saw the pity in his eyes and didn't want it.

"Movies, right. So my foster parents never let me watch movies, but I've gotten the chance here and there." I explained.

"But my all time favorite movie of the total fifteen I've watched would be Stand By Me. It's a movie where a boy named Gordi-"

"Chris Chambers and Gordie Lachance, I know I've watched it before."

"Really?" I was taken back by this.

"What?" He laughed. "Surprise?"

"No it's just," I bit my lip in confusion. "It's just most guys don't like that kind of stuff."

"Well Riley Longo," he sat up. "Maybe I'm not most guys."

I smiled. Maybe.

Ryder then gave a puzzled look..

"What?" I suddenly felt the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"Fifteen."

"Huh?"

"Movies." He answered. "You've only ever watched fifteen movies in your entire life?"

"Is that bad?" I nervously played with my sleeve.

He raised his brows. "Riley, I could watch that amount in a week, if not less. Then again my friend work's at a cinema." He thought. "I'll have to take you sometime."

"Are you serious?" I smiled like a four year old. "I've never been to a cinema before. I'll be sure to cross it off my non-exsistant bucket list."

Ryder scoffed. "You don't have a bucket list?"

"You do?"

"Of course I do." He shuffled nearing the head of his bed, towards his nightstand.

Wow, when Ryder said he wasn't most guys he really meant it.

"Here." He placed the semi crumpled piece of paper in my hand.

I skimmed through the 25 bullet points, reading them aloud.

"1. Go to platform 9 ¾. Didn't take you as a potterhead." I stated.

"2. Shoot a gun.

3. Spend 24 hours devoted to video games."

"That one I've already done." He mentioned. "Best 24 hours of my life."

I continued.

"4. Read Fifty Shades of Grey."

Did I read that right?

"I'm not really feeling that one anymore." He explained. "I thought it was a coloring book."

"Makes sense." I shook my head in laughter. "5. Go bungee jumping."

I smiled at the next one.

"What?"

"Number 6." I sneak a glance up at him. "Build a house in the forest." We said in sync.

"That one." He exhaled. "I wrote that one when I found out my parents were going to jail."

I looked back at the number six. It wasn't crossed off.

"What changed your mind?"

"Lennox." He said sincerely. "I'm glad she did too. I don't think I'd last out there for too long." He scratched his ear.

"Although, if I were to build a house in the forest I'd bring some of my close friends, and maybe a stash of pork rinds. I love pork rinds." He beamed.

I laughed. "You're lucky you've got people who care about you Ryder. You don't need to run."

"I know I do, and now you do too. I mean Joe's never been more excited about anything, you know besides working out, food and wine." He pointed. "Oh and nightclubs, Joe is one proud advocate of nightclubs, especially the one on–"

"Ryder?"

He stopped rambling. "Sorry." He laughed. "Anyhow, enough about Joe." He walked over to his desk and onto his laptop.

"What are you doing?" My eyes followed him.

"Riley Longo, we're making you a bucket list."