How To Love A Dead Boy

Chapter 11 | On The Stairwell

ON THE STAIRWELL

My mouth is dry as I stare, speechless, at the girl in front of me. A million thoughts are running about my mind and there's so many things that I want to ask her, but I can't find the words to ask them: questions about Ryden, about Cameron and questions about how she turned from the girl I saw in Ryden's memories, to the girl she had become sitting in front of me now.

I divert my eyes down and draw in my brows.

"Oh," Emma says, "So you do know about me?" she asks, sounding remarkably bitter. I swallow hard and glance up at her, suddenly feeling very nervous. Before I reply, I find my thoughts and questions sidetracked as I begin to wonder what Ryden would have to say about me talking to his ex.

"Um, well, I guess the name does ring a bell," I mumble and she sighs.

Emma looks away from me to her tray of food. She takes a fry and stares at it, as if studying the stick of deep fried potato.

"So which story did you hear about me? Was it the one where I'm a massive bitch for destroying the friendship between Cameron and Ryden? The one where I slept with the both of them in same day? Or is just the story where I'm a slut whose slept around with every guy in my year?" she asks.

She drops the fry and looks back up at me; meeting my eyes. It makes me feel uncomfortable, but I think that I'm beginning to piece together the mystery as to why and how she changed from Ryden's memories.

"Uh-Well. None of those ones. I-I only saw, I mean, heard, how you cheated on Ryden... with Cameron," I tell her. To my complete surprise, she actually smiles, although it's only small.

"Finally," she sighs, "Someone who has actually been told the truth. Believe it or not, it's hard to come by anyone who knows the real story these days. So who did you hear it from?" Emma asks.

Still a little in shock from both her reaction and the fact that I'm actually talking with girl from Ryden's memories, I don't think before I reply.

"Ryden," I reply.

"Ryden? How... How did you know him? Were you also a friend of Dave's?" she asks.

I feel my body go cold as I realise what I've said. Shit! I yell in my mind. You moron! You better think of something believable... and quick!

"U-Um. I just know him."

"Knew," she says and I frown.

"What?"

"You knew him. I'm sure that you're aware by now of what happened last Tuesday night, right?" she explains. I make a little 'o' with my mouth in realization.

"Yeah, of course...," I say, looking out of the Cafeteria windows, "I mean, I of all people should know about last Tuesday night," I whisper under my breath, only loud enough for me to hear.

In my gaze, I notice a small movement and look to the last window on the wall where my eyes are met two brown ones. My heart jumps a beat at the sight of Ryden watching the two of us, but then he passes me a small smile and I'm a little relived to see that he isn't upset with me for talking with Emma.

"I don't know what he told you about me, or how you knew him, just, please, don't judge me too harshly," Emma says, bringing me back to reality. I turn back to her as she goes onto explain.

"It's just, I feel as though I've been punished enough these last few months for what I did. I've been dumped by all my friends; Cameron included. I've lost the body that every guy used to want and I've had to deal with countless rumours: each worse than the last. Then last week, just the cherry on top, Ryden gets into that fucking car with Dave and the next day at school, I hear that he's dead...