Where the Story Ends

Downfall

I tried to update this last night but Wattpad hates me lol

Context: Chapter 16 of By the Playbook. Ryder and Addie got into it after a ruined car and a bruised hand threatens to send Ryder to the bench for the rest of the reason.

Song: Downfall, Matchbox Twenty

Ryder Green

Addison Joanne Diamond was, unfortunately, the one thing in the world I loved more than football. Even when we were fighting, I couldn't ignore that. Somehow, even when she was screaming at me, I'd notice the way that her crystalline eyes sparkled in complete defiance, not taking any of my shit for a second. She'd run her hand through her hair angrily to keep it out of her face, and she'd always turn in a way that made it hit me before she walked out. Never ran. Never actually ran away from me, made me watch her saunter out like there were worse things in the world than fighting with me.

For her, there were. She had already lost her parents and a lot of her family. She knew pain worse than anything I'd ever experienced, even though it hurt watching her walk away from me, because she knew I'd always come running after her.

Even after the fight, where I sat there on the couch in my anger and tried so hard to focus on what Coach was saying that I wasn't even focusing on his words and only focusing on focusing, my mind wandering off to where she was. Was she crying? Oh God, did she need me? Where did she go?

I'd told her to leave, but I'd never expected her to actually do it. Usually at that point, if I got angry enough to actually yell, she'd say something to snap me out of it, or she'd start crying and I'd feel like hell and do anything to make her stop. Not this time. This time, she hadn't cried, and I hadn't backed down. The team had watched as we shouted at each other, and they'd all watched her walk away from me, knowing she was stronger than I'd ever be.

Oh, Addison. She was my greatest weakness, and I knew for a fact that she knew it. That night, I'd tossed and turned in my bed, wondering if she'd come home yet. If she hadn't, I knew she'd be at Justin's, probably fast asleep in his bed. She'd probably been crying, but by this point she'd be just fine without me there. I was never okay without her there. As much as I hated to admit it, being without Addie was like being without some vital organ. Like being without football. She didn't have to be there physically, but if I could feel the distance between us growing like she was running away, there was nothing in the world I hated more, not even Alec Johnson.

Oh God. If she actually went to him, went to stay the night at his place...

My mind betrayed me, allowing images of that asshole's hands sliding all over her perfect skin, her cheerful little giggle slipping out at his words, her blue eyes shining at him. Alec, with his hands all over my Addie, and her smile as she enjoyed every second of it, not thinking of me in the slightest.

Then the scene changed, and the hatred I'd felt for him before was multiplied into something I'd never felt before. This time, tears leaked from her eyes. This time, she was whimpering, and he pinned her hands above her head, mouth wandering across her body, hand over her mouth to muffle her cries. This time, it was so much worse.

I didn't sleep at all that night. That night, I paced my room. I worked out. I did all of the homework that was due over the weekend. At three in the morning, I went upstairs and got a plate of chips with salsa and tried my best not to look at Justin's house in case I saw a light on upstairs and knew she couldn't sleep either. I turned off my phone, threw it behind the couch that I'd have to move to get to it. Ran on the treadmill until I couldn't feel my legs. Tossed a football at the wall, caught it, repeated it.