You're My Sunset

Chapter 9 - The Afternoon of Truth

Amber's p.o.v

The party was a success!, I thought. We got Lily drunk and Ryder took care of her. I think Lily is finally realizing it, I thought. I had been watching the weather for weeks. That afternoon it was supposed to storm. I cornered Ryder and said, "You have to invite Lily to your place this afternoon. It's urgent." He didn't argue or even ask why, he just nodded and went over to her locker to ask. Hayden materialized out of nowhere and I smiled up at him. I had something to tell Lily, actually. Hayden was taking me on a date that night. We were going to the movies, the pool, and finally a café to eat. I couldn't wait, but Hayden seemed nervous about it. I thought he was planning something. I couldn't wait to tell Lily.

Lily's p.o.v

Ryder came up out of nowhere at my locker that afternoon and asked me to spend time at his house that afternoon. I said yes, of course. I couldn't wait to see Kristy again. That girl was so cute! After Ryder left, Amber came up to me and dropped a bombshell. She and Hayden were going on a date! I wished her the best of luck, then went on my way.

After school, I went home and changed. I picked out some jean shorts and  a crop top. I left my hair as it was then picked out matching sandals. I did my makeup natural. At a quarter till four, I walked out the door to Ryder's house. It wasn't very far. I rang the doorbell and his mom let me in with a smile. I ascended the stairs to his room. He was waiting for me.

"Hey, Cupcake," he said. I smiled and sat in the beanbag chair. "So why am I here?" I asked. His face was blank for a moment, then he leaped off of his bed and said, "You're here so I can destroy you with tickling!" He chased me around the room and finally caught me.

 He began to tickle mercilessly. "Stop it, Ryder! Stop!" I said trying to push him off of me. He refused to budge. I kicked him and he backed away. I smiled triumphantly. "All right, so you won that one," He grudgingly admitted. "But I always win in the end!"

I wasn't listening. I was looking at the scudding gray clouds off in the distance, clutching and unclutching the sheets of his bed, which I happened to be lying on. I needed my mother for storms. What was I going to do? A rumble of thunder sounded and I whimpered. A lightning strike struck far off and I screamed, burying my face in the pillow. Ryder was instantly beside me. "What's wrong, Cupcake?" he asked. I didn't answer. I was stuck in time, trapped in a flashback of when Daddy died.

"Where is he, Mom?" I asked looking out the window. "He shouldn't be out in this weather." "I don'know where he is, sweetie," Mom answered. "He's not answering his cell." "Did you call the police?" I asked. "Or his boss?" She shook her head mutely. "Then do it!" I commanded.  I slipped on my raincoat and boots and said, "I'm going out to look." She nodded and began dialing the police station. I slipped out the door and started walking through the drenching downpour. All around me, thunder rumbled and lightning cracked. I walked as fast as I dared. It seemed that no one was out and about but me. I walked to the woods on the far side, staying a good distance away because of the lightning. I saw a figure at the base of the woods. I ran to the figure. It was my Daddy. I quickly felt for a pulse. A heartbeat. Anything. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. I can't feel anything. His pulse is gone. He's dead. I layed there and sobbed, over his body. I cried until I couldn't anymore. "Daddy....I love you, Daddy!" I cried. I put my arms around his dead body and caressed the figure of a man who had once been my greatest inspiration.

Another lightning strike echoed and I started to cry. Ryder's arms engulfed me. He laid me down on the bed and held me. I whimpered and sobbed into his shoulder. He stroked my hair. "It's okay," he whispered over and over. "It's okay." I shuddered and shook. Each time the thunder rumbled and the lightning struck, painful memories tumbled through me and I cried.

 Of course Ryder had no idea why I was so upset, but he seemed upset, too. And not just because I was upset. He seemed to be battling with something. I couldn't quite figure out what.

 A huge BOOOOM resounded through the air and I screamed. "Ryder...." I whimpered. He hugged me tighter. He said something to me, but I couldn't make it out over the storm. By then, he was on top of me on the bed. His warm arms felt comforting, and I finally gave in to sleep.

Ryder's p.o.v

There must be something Cupcake's not telling me, I thought. I invited her to my house that afternoon, under Amber's request. I still wasn't sure why she'd asked me to, but, frankly, I didn't much care. The more time I can have with Cupcake, the better. So I invited her over and decided to start our afternoon with tickling, something I immensely love doing to her. I tickled her mercilessly, until tears were running down her cheeks. Then she kicked me where the sun don't shine and I backed off. Who wants to aggravate such an expert kicker? So I told her she won.

 But Cupcake wasn't listening to me. She was staring out the window at the storm clouds gathering. She appeared very anxious. Then suddenly she froze and sat perfectly still, like she was remembering something. Several times during that period tears rolled down her cheeks. I didn't know what to do. Suddenly some lightning struck and she screamed and started crying.

I couldn't imagine a tough girl like her being scared of storms for no reason, so I knew something was going on. I asked her what was wrong, but she didn't answer me. So I just held her and tried to comfort her. After a while, I ended up laying on top of her. "I love you," I whispered, but she didn't hear me. Eventually she fell asleep and it wasn't long before I did, too.

Lily's p.o.v

There was something heavy on top of me. I opened my eyes and it was Ryder. Confused, I wriggled out from underneath his arm and sat up. Slowly I began to remember what had happened. I checked my phone and it was 7:00. So we slept for three hours. Wow. I sleepily got out of his bed. My jean shorts and crop top were mussed and my hair was ragged. I ducked into his bathroom and began fixing my hair.

When I was done, I snuck to his dresser and changed into one of his t-shirts. I knew he wouldn't mind. After that I smoothed down my crop top and shorts, erasing the wrinkles and making them appear fresh and new. Satisfied, I looked down at them. No one could tell I'd slept in them. I heard a sound and turned toward Ryder.

He was awake. He yawned and stretched when I looked at him. "Hey, Cupcake," he said casually. He looked at me and smiled. "My clothes look good on you," he said waggling his eyebrows and smirking. When I caught the meaning of that sentence, I punched him in the stomach. "Ryder!" "Sorry!" He raised his hands in surrender. "You can't keep a guy from dreaming!" I rolled my eyes and ducked into the bathroom to change.

When I came out, he had his shirt off. "Ugh, Ryder!" I said, turning away. "Keep it PG!" He smirked. "Sorry, Cupcake." He put on the shirt I had been wearing.

Suddenly serious, he sat on the bed and gestured for me to sit in his lap, which I did. He stroked my hair and said, "It's the afternoon of truth. If you tell me why you were so upset earlier, I'll tell you my deepest secret."

I considered it and decided to tell him. I trusted Ryder. So I began.

First I told him of my boyfriend and how he broke up with me, then of my Daddy and how he died. All through it, Ryder just listened and held me. When I was finished, he said, "Thank you for telling me." I reminded him that he still had to tell me his secret, so he said, "I had a girlfriend. Her name was Mandy. She was perfect. She died when I was fifteen." I turned around and hugged him. Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood, I asked him, "Am I perfect?" "You are," he said. He leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. I didn't pull away.