Losing You

Chapter 18: Together

Chapter 18: Together

"Arizona, I didn't forget to get you a present for your birthday." Ryder told me, after everyone left.

"You didn't have to get me anything." I smiled.

"Well I think I should have anyways, so I did." Ryder told me, taking a little box out of his pocket. What.

"Here, open it." He told me. I took the little box and opened it. Inside the blue velvet box it held a key.

"For my house." Ryder started to explain. "I figured that if we're going to commit to this, we minds as well move in together." He looked down, as if he was nervous.

"Absolutely." I smiled at him, kissing him. I stared into his eyes as he studied my face. The feeling in the pit of my stomach was something new, something I wasn't sure how to comprehend.

Ryder took a deep breath, looking away from me and turned his attention to the news on the Tv.

"Folks it's getting quite bad out here. Andrea what do you have back there?" The first newscaster spoke, standing on the side of the road in the freezing cold with snow falling fast.

"Well Johnny it has officially been classified as a blizzard. Temperatures dropping to the negatives and snow not ending any time soon. With the negative temperatures comes ice, and freezing conditions. Stay inside unless under extreme cases. Stay warm and stay tuned for updates on your local weather." The second newscaster said, showing the map of North Carolina.

"Well looks like your stuck here with me." Ryder told me, walking to his room. I checked the time and my phone read 11:30 P.M. I yawned as I pulled down the sleeves of Ryder's hoodie that he lent me.

"Where do you want to sleep?" Ryder asked me, walking back out of his room in black sweatpants and a maroon hoodie.

I shrugged, not really caring where I slept. It seemed that I'd been doing a lot of that lately, not caring. The only thing that I seemed to care about was Ryder. But I also cared about trying to figure out what this unknown feeling is. I was infatuated with figuring out what it is.

"Couch? Bed? Air mattress?" Ryder asked me. "I mean if you really want, you can sleep on the floor."

I smiled at him while my cheeks turned bright pink. Then it clicked. I was in love with Ryder Maxwell. The guy I was warned about. The guy that kissed me when I barely knew him. The guy that was so much more than he showed. I looked to Ryder briefly and noticed he was smiling at me. Once he noticed I was looking at him he rose an eyebrow at me. My cheeks burned as continued to look at me with amusement in his eyes.

"I'm in love with you." I blurted out, not even realizing what I had said until after I said it. I could feel my cheeks turn a bright crimson red.

Ryder's face softened, his eyes gleamed. He stepped over to me and I stood up from the kitchen stool, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me towards him. He looked down at me and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, smiling down to me.

"And I've been in love with you since I kissed you in that class we were both early to." Ryder placed a hand on my chin and brought his lips to mine. Just like he did that day, but this time instead of involuntarily kissing him back, I voluntarily kissed him back.

"So where are you sleeping?" He asked me once again, locking the front door.

"Beds are more comfy." I said, yawning again.

"Alright, come on sleepy." Ryder told me, grabbing my hand.

Ryder gave me an extra blanket that was gray and was quite soft. I crawled underneath the blankets as did Ryder. Ryder intertwined our hands together as he turned to look at me.

"Goodnight Arizona." Ryder stated. "I love you."

I smiled as he smiled and looked into his eyes.

"Goodnight, I love you too." I said, then drifting off to sleep watching the snowflakes fall outside the window.