Being the late person I am, I fell asleep and missed the thirty minute mark by three hours! I have to call Ryker right now or he will not answer. I rolled of off the bed, still sore from the beginning of the week training we did at school. As I was walking over to my phone in my room I realized I had Ryker's number written down on a piece of paper that I misplaced the day Ryker left. All of the energy in the world came over me, I needed to find that number or everyone was going to kill me! I ran over to my desk, yanked the drawers out and shuffled everything in the drawers. After everything was scattered all over my room, I realized I kept a diary in eighth grade and I put his number in there for keepsakes. I ran over to my bookshelf and grabbed my diary to find the raggedy piece of paper with his number on it. As I am flipping through the pages I see a poem I wrote as my last diary entry at the end of that year. The poem read:
"Love is patient
Blythe is impatient
Love is kind
Blythe is rude
Ryker is the love of my life and there is nothing anybody can do"
I chuckled a little bit at my stupidity back in eighth grade, how could I ever think that Ryker Fallon was the love of my life? After I re-read the poem so I could figure out what I was thinking when I wrote this I kept flipping pages until I found the page with his number on it. A lined piece of paper with hearts and arrows all over it, how could I ever be this in love with Ryker? I picked up the phone to dial his number, before I started dialing I took a deep breath. I typed in those sacred seven digits and waited for an answer. "Finley?", Ryker's deep voice said on the other end of the phone. I didn't know what to say, I couldn't believe he actually picked up the phone knowing it was me. "Finley I know its you, I have been waiting for this call for three months please say something", Ryker said sounding a bit worried. I took a deep breath and got up the nerve to say something. "Hi"
"Hi how are you doing? It feels like I haven't spoken to you in forever", he said trying to keep the conversation going. "Listen Ryker, I know this is out of the blue and I am really sorry to ask you this but I need your help"
"I would do anything for you", Ryker said. I am not so sure he was going to agree to this but I asked anyway. "Do you agree with sending kids to war?", I asked in a shaky voice. "Of course I don't, and I hate my mother for creating a law as harsh as this one"
"Funny that you said you hate your mom because I need help rebelling against her. Me, Tate Ovard, and Gage Grant are going to escape and sneak into Blackstone to plan an attack on the government and your mother", I said so quietly I am surprised he could hear me. "I'm in!" Ryker sounded more excited than I had ever imagined, this was going way better than I had planned.
The thing about Ryker is that when you ask him for anything he usually wants something in return. Now that Ryker realizes he actually gets special treatment I think he feels bad about it. "No catch, you will actually do it?", I asked in a hopeful manner. "There is no catch I hate the way my mother does not consider other peoples feelings, she is so harsh. I will take any chance I get to teach her a lesson."
"I did not know that you were this upset with your mother".
"Well she is a heartless human being and she deserves all of the bad karma that she gets", Ryker said getting angrier by the second. I decided to change the subject to the materials he needed to bring to get us out of Ashton and into Blackstone. "I understand that this whole situation is upsetting to you and I am sorry that you of all people have to go through this but we really need to get down to business", I said quietly because I felt bad for being so harsh. I did not want Ryker to get too emotional before we left. "I understand, so my mom gave me a booklet that has every security code in Ashton and even to get out of Ashton; she said that I could use it for emergencies", Ryker said assuring me that we would be able to get out. The only problem is that government headquarters has a very intricate security system and Ryker is not allowed to leave unless it is with his mother to a meeting. "How are you going to escape from there with all of the security cameras watching", I asked him. He started humming like he was thinking then suddenly, "OH! I have the panic room that leads up to the roof, remember when we used to go there all of the time in eighth grade when you parents would have to go to court".
"Yes I remember but what about the guards on the roof?"
"Those guards don't pay attention most of the time and I am allowed on the roof whenever, as long as I have a mask on like we did because of the outside air. If you think about it we were the only kids who have ever really been outside".
"I guess that is true... which means that we are pretty qualified to take on this mission right?"
"Definitely! We are going to beat my mom bad", Ryker said with a hint of mischief in his voice. The only reason Ryker goes to the roof is to get away from his mother. When we first started dating my parents had some legal business going on and we were always at headquarters. Being at headquarters most of my time, Ryker and I spent a lot of time together which led to him showing me the roof. "Okay, that sounds harsh but we will figure it out and we will pick you up on the shuttle on Thursday".
"How are you going to do that? The shuttle driver only goes to houses, headquarters, and school".
"Well... were basically going to tie him up so I can drive the bus".
"He's going to fight back, you do realize that right?".
"Yes but I am going to bring a smoothie for him and pour a whole bottle of melatonin in it, he will be out like a light in no time".
Melatonin is an all natural sleeping medicine that cannot be traced and it is the only medicine that anyone has easy access to, otherwise the doctor has to come to your house to distribute the correct dosage. "That is risky but it is smart".
"That is the only way to do it because we have to leave the shuttle her in Ashton, we cannot take it to Blackstone or we will definitely get caught".
"That sounds invigorating, I will bring extra rope and duct tape ", Ryker said seemingly excited. I am so amazed by how much Ryker has changed in the short time that we have spent apart. I think I might be falling for him again which cannot be good for this trip especially with Blythe with us watching our every move. "Okay then! Bring everything you think you might need because we are leaving in about three days, Thursday morning".
"Sounds like a plan, but before you go I need to talk to you about something".
"Yeah sure!", I said in the most welcoming voice ever. I knew what he was about to say, I was almost about to stop him but something inside of me wanted him to say it. "Do you remember how we broke up?"
"Yes, vaguely but I remember why?"
"Because I never wanted it to end, why did you break it off?"
"It was because of Blythe, she didn't like me dating you because she had a huge crush on you. She had stopped speaking to me and texting me, she didn't even comfort me when my grandmother died and she knew about it".
"So Blythe was being selfish and couldn't get over me so she made you miserable?", Ryker said kind of confused. At that moment I realized that I wasn't the one hurting Blythe, she has been jealous of me the whole time and she has been trying to sabotage me and any plans I have ever had since eighth grade. Im not the one at fault here. "Well, yes your right! I don't know why I let her take advantage of me like that, And I have something to say".
"Me too but you go first, no problem".
"This was not the way I had planned this happening but here it goes, I am so sorry that I let Blythe get between us I don't know why I let that happen because I loved you... I still do", I said. That was intense, oh crap holy crap this is bad I don't even remember what I just said. "I was just about to say the same thing, I love you too, so much and this phone call has made me remember that", Ryker said calmly. I didn't know how to continue this conversation, this whole thing escalated so quickly. "Okay, I have to go but call me Wednesday night to give me the approximate time you will pick me up."
"For sure, and what are we now? Before you hang up I have to know or I will die of thoughts tonight".
"We need to define the relationship but I see bright things for us, so until Thursday morning I love you and now you will not have to die of thought tonight", Ryker said in a sweet voice. He hung up the phone and I layed back on my bed and took a deep breath. I started to daydream when, "Finley! Dinner is here come and eat with your family, you have to come down from your room sometime", my mom yelled. My mom called me down for dinner the way she always does, making me feel bad for not spending time with the family. "I will be down in a second, hold on!", I yelled down to my mother. I cleaned up the mess that I made in my room when I was searching aimlessly for Ryker's phone number. After cleaning up that mess and some of the mess that was there even before searching I made my way downstairs for the torture that is eating at the table. When I get down to the dining room I see grilled chicken and vegtables, what we usually have. The population of Ashton is only allowed to have select foods, to keep the obesity epidemic from coming back like it was before the war. After I took a good long stare at the plain old food I turned to my left and saw something that even surprised me, Ryker. In Ashton we usually are not allowed to leave are houses unless it is for school or work but once a year we are allowed to have a family or one or two people over our houses for dinner, and I guess Ryker just used his one visit on me. "Hello mother, father, and lovely sister...Ryker may I speak with you alone", I said as subtle as I could but I am pretty sure I failed. "Yes!", Ryker replied. He got up and followed me to our living room, when we arrived in the living room I turned around quickly and started to rant. "Who do you think you are?! Waltzing into my house just because I gave you a phone call that doesn't give you permission to just barge into my life this quickly!", I yelled so loud and quickly I almost passed out. Ryker didn't say a word, he just stared into my eyes, I brought my finger up to start telling him off again because I caught my breath but then something weird happened, Ryker kissed me. This kiss was almost twenty seconds and I didn't push away because the kiss was so good and it was actually my first kiss. After the best kiss ive ever had or the only kiss I have ever had Ryker said, "We are leaving tonight, my packed bag is in the bus already and the driver is already sedated".
"Oh my goodness Ryker you could have told me this before we made out so I could hit you!"
"Sorry", he said with a chuckle.
"Well I still have to pack so after dinner come up to my room so you can help me".
"What about the other people who are coming with us?"
"We will call them while I am packing", I said assuring him.
After that little talk we walked back into the dining room calm and collected. Right when we got to the table my mom asked us, "What was that all about?". I just blew it off and said that I was telling Ryker how glad I was to see him, which was not the case. "Oh that is so sweet darling", my mom said. I guess she was surprised that Ryker and I could still get along after the break up we had. "So are you two love birds getting back together", my mother asked. "Come on don't ask her things like that here, Karen", my father said trying to save me from embarrassing myself like he usually does. My little sister, Holden could care less about my feelings though, "Yeah tell us Finley, you and Ryker sittin' in a tree...".
"Shut up brat!", I said. She stopped singing after that, the whole dinner went by too slowly and it was extremely awkward. Me and Ryker ate fast so we could get upstairs in time to call Tate, Gage, and Blythe and get them up to speed on the change of plans. "Alright mom and dad Ryker and I are done with our food and its Holden's turn to clean up the table, we are going up to my room to catch up", I told my mom and dad. "Alright hun but you only have an hour before he has to leave", my mom reassured us. We went upstairs to my room to get packed and get out of here. "Okay heres my phone, call Tate first and put her on speaker phone so I can speak to her while I am getting packed", I told him. He picked up my phone and started to look for her name in my contacts as I grabbed my yellow duffle bag out of my closet. I just threw all of my training clothes into my bag and a couple pairs of my combat boots I practice in. The phone started to call Tate and I just kept packing while it rang. "Finley? What's up why are you calling so late at night?", Tate asked confused.
"Are you packed yet?"
"Yeah I am so excited to go, I have been packed since last week why?".
"We are leaving tonight get up and get dressed, I will text you the code to disable your home security system and I will text you when we are at your house to pick you up".
"Yes! Lets go! BEAT FALLON! BEAT FALLON! BEAT FALLON!", Tate yelled into the phone.
"Tate! Ryker is here right now and you are on speaker phone, calm yourself!", I told her with a little bit of a giggle.
"Oh hey Ryker I am sorry", she said laughing.
"Alright T, I will text you I have to call everyone else".
"See ya Fin".
"Who is the next person I am calling?", Ryker asked.
I told him Gage and got back to packing, I decide to pack my wigs I had when I was a little kid just in case we would ever be on the verge of getting caught. The phone started to call again. "Hey Fin, why so late?", Gage asked.
"Gage, I am going to be blunt with you".
"Oh goodness, just snatch the band aid off".
"We are leaving tonight, Ryker is here with me, we have a shuttle and you need to be packed, I will send you the code to disable you house alarm system and text you when we are there to pick you up".
"I am already packed, I will just wait for you to text me the code".
"Wait you are not mad?"
"Of course not, the sooner the better right?"
"I guess, see you soon bye!", I said suddenly getting very excited.
I hung up quickly and started to jump around in excitement until I realized that I had to tell Ryker that Blythe was also apart of this rebellion, and a crucial part at that. "Okay there is still one person that we still need...", I said slowly and carefully. Ryker looked at me kind of confused and little bit concerned. "Who is it? I am sure it is fine..", he said. I am not so sure that he would think that when I give him the name. "Its Blythe, she's in my training group and the whole group is coming".
"That is fine, we just wont let her come between us like last time okay?"
"okay... then call her so I can talk to her", I said.
He started to scroll through my contacts to find her name as I slipped on one of my leather jackets and a pair of my Dr Martens combat boots. "What do you want Fin, or should I call you Trader", she said sounding a little snippy.
"I am not fighting with you anymore Blythe, I am just calling you to tell you that there was a change of plans in our trip".
"Let me guess, you called Ryker and fell back in love so we aren't doing the rebellion anymore because you and Ryker are going to get married?"
"No! would you just listen for once, my goodness why do you have to be so ignorant?"
"I am hanging up if your going to call me names".
"No, you actually need to know this if you want to come with us".
"Okay! Tell me already!"
"Well first off you are on speaker phone and Ryker is here listening. He came here for dinner and just told me we were leaving tonight, I am packed and so is everyone else I will text you the code to disable the alarm system in your house and I will text you when we are at your house to pick you up"
"Okay I am packed, so just give me the code now", she demanded.
Ryker handed me the booklet and I looked for her address, "your code is 7765", I said to her. Then she hung up without saying another word. "Shes kind of harsh now", Ryker said to me kind of surprised. "Yeah I know I don't want to talk about it now, I just need to text Tate and Gage their codes and then we can leave", I told Ryker. He handed me my phone and I searched the the booklet with the codes in it, found their address' and texted them their codes. I grabbed my bag and a picture of me and my family. "I hope this works", I whispered to Ryker. He kissed me on the forehead and said, "Lets go".
