The Key To Your Heart | Teen Fiction

Six|| A Little Bit Better

I put up a fight

But now it's taking it's toll

I'm waiting for something to set fire

Wake up my soul

("All The Faint Lights" by Steve Moakler)

The Key To Your Heart ✴ Chapter Six

"Mom?" I called from the kitchen, opening cabinets and trying to find something to eat. "Didn't you buy any food?"

"Food?" I heard her say back from where she resided in the other room, doing her make-up for some meeting she was going to. "No, I didn't buy any food. Isn't it past time you got a job of your own?"

"Mom." I sighed. "I have a job!"

"Well, then you should buy your own food. I'm tired of being the mommy of a seventeen year old girl who acts like she's three! And-"

"Fine!" I cut her off. Then, sighing softer, I lowered my voice. "I'll...go get pizza or something."

Arguing with my mom happened too often. And I was tired of doing it. I didn't want to start a fight.

The sun was starting to set, leaving the sky with a lovely color array of different shaded of pinks and oranges. It was beautiful.

I grabbed my purse from off the table and headed started walking towards the door.

"Be back by ten!" I heard my mom call.

I didn't answer.

Getting into my mom's car, I let out a long breath, leaning up against the back of the seat. With my hands on the wheel, not driving yet, just sitting, I thought about what I was about to do.

I was going to go get pizza to eat for dinner...because my didn't care about me. If she did, then she would have fed me, she would have wanted to eat something healthy rather then pizza which was not good for my body. She would have made dinner or at least had food in the kitchen that I could cook myself. But, no. She didn't care what I ate, where I went, what I did, if I starved.

She didn't care about me.

I put the key into ignition, thinking about where I was going to go. Then I remembered--Ryder worked at that pizza parlor. I thought about it before deciding I would just do it. Hopefully, he wouldn't think I was some creep for this, I really wasn't trying to follow him or anything. I just thought maybe it would be nice to see him again. There was just something about him...

<><><>

I was relieved when I arrived at my destination and Ryder didn't find it creepy that I had decided on coming here. In fact, he thought it was cool that I noticed and remembered the logo on his uniform. He said it was nice to see me again an that he was hoping that I was feeling better than when we last came across each other.

But I wasn't going to lie to him again. I wasn't feeling too good today either.

"To be honest, " I looked down. "I'm actually having a really bad day."

His eyes filled with compassion. And he thought for a moment before asking, "Would you mind if I tried to make your day a little bit better?"

"How would you do that?" I asked, slightly perplexed.

"I don't know. I just thought maybe we could talk. I know we hardly know each other, but sometimes it's better to let your feelings out rather than keeping them bottled up inside. We could just sit down over there and talk, if you like." He pointed to an empty table. "I'm getting off work right now."

I thought about it a minute. "That sounds nice. Thank you for offering. It means...probably more than you know.

"Don't mention it." He smiled, then added, "Oh, and the pizza's on me."

"What? No, you don't have to do that. Really, I have money."

"I might not have to...but I want to." He winked.

I ended up giving in when I realized there was no use arguing. He was going to pay weather I liked it or not. But, I did like it. It was a very kind and gentlemanly at of him.

Getting to know Ryder better was very pleasurable. He was such a polite and caring gentleman. After we were sitting down with our pizza, he and I learned a lot about each other, conversed about our similar interests, and exchanged random facts about ourselves.

His idea of trying to make my day better was actually beginning to work. I was feeling happier. And he made me laugh. But my smile faded when he brought up his next question.

"So...do you want to talk about what was making you upset earlier?"

I was quiet for a minute, staring down at my hands in my lap before finally looking back up at him. I sighed. "Ryder...you must understand, I am a deeply unhappy person. I get upset over so many things and there aren't many things that can cheer me up." I paused. "I have secrets, Ryder. Deep dark secrets that nobody knows about. I'm not innocent. I've done things I shouldn't have and I...don't know what to do about it."

His understanding look kept my emotions steady for the moment. "Maybe you should pray about it," He said after a moment. "that is, if you pray."

I used to...

"No, I don't...well, not really. I mean, it's just really complicated."

"It's always a good thing to do when you don't know what to do. But if you're not ready yet...have you talked to your parents or siblings about any of it? I know it can be really hard to keep things like that bottled up inside."

"I...haven't told my parents about it. I can't" I didn't need to explain why I couldn't talk to either one of my parents about it at the moment. All he needed to know was that I couldn't. "And...I don't have any siblings...well, I had a sister once. She died only days after she was born."

It hurt to say those words. My one chance at having a sibling who would be there for me and go through things with me had disappeared only days after appearing. It had hurt. Bad.

Ryder sincerely apologized for my loss. But he didn't need to apologize. He hadn't done anything wrong.

"No, please don't apologize. It isn't your fault."

I caught sight of the clock on the wall. "Oh, I should probably be going now." I told Ryder, disappointed. "Thank you for the pizza. And thank you for talking with me. It really means more than you know."

"You're more than welcome, Jayden. It was my pleasure. Maybe we'll see each other around soon."

I smiled. We probably would. Because one of the things I learned from talking with him was that he and his family had just moved here from Georgia. And he was going to be starting school at Evergreen High within the next few days.

Today had been mostly horrible, but it had a pretty good ending. Ryder made me smile. And that was a good thing. It made my day just a little bit better.

====================

(A/N I'm sorry I haven't updated in like twenty seven years! I was trying to make the end of this chapter perfect (although, it's still not perf and still needs editing). And I am super busy with NaNoWriMo, it is driving me crazy and I am super behind with it because I skipped the first three days of it, not knowing it was this month. And so this story has become second to my NaNoWriMo story. When NaNoWriMo is over I should be updating more frequently. Thank you sooooo much for reading, amazing people! I have like a list of people who need dedications but unfortunately I can only dedicate chapters to people one at a time! Please vote and comment, it would mean a lot!)