The Color Red

2. I Didn't Call You Cute

*I'm dedicating this chapter to my bestest friend in the whole wide world :) monkeybaby7 <3 Not only did she inspire me to want to write and finish something for once, she also edited this chapter for me and will probably continue editing for me! Thanks girly! I love you :D --aylaheart

          “I seriously don’t know how you survived this long.” I was genuinely surprised when Ryker told me he lives in Golden Acres. It came up when I asked him how he discovered the playground we were headed to.

          “Eh, a bottle a day keeps the privileged away,” he laughed and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, “or something like that.” He nudged me with an elbow playfully which caused me to look over at him. The dim glow of the street lights showed off his gorgeous smile as he laughed. “But yeah, seventeen years is enough for me. I need to get out of this prison, see the world, you know?” He looked over at me only to catch me staring up at him. I quickly looked away and focused on the ground below.

          I laughed as I folded my arms over my chest. “Is this kid serious?” I thought to myself as I repeatedly kicked a small rock while we walked down the quiet street. It’s like he read my mind. Comparing this rotten place to a prison? He’s different than everybody else I’ve met from Golden Acres; it was weird in a way. And he wants to see the world? If only I had the time and money to get out of this boring rut I’ve been walking in my whole life and actually travel somewhere and try something new.

          Realizing I hadn’t said anything for a while, I finally looked up from the rock I had been concentrating on. Only Ryker wasn’t walking beside me anymore, he was running across the street toward the open gates of a private playground. “Hey!” I screamed out in a fit of laughter, watching him try to hold his pants up with one hand and keep his hat on his head with the other. I chased after him across the street and onto the woodchip floor of the dark, vacant playground.

          Out of breath, I looked around the area trying to make out shapes of familiar schoolyard toys while my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Finally, I heard the sharp squeaking noise of a rusted swing set and shot my head to the right to see Ryker in mid-swing only a few feet away. When he saw me walking over, he swiped his shoes along the woodchips and came to a stop.

          “Is there a reason you came rushing over here?” I asked in a teasing manner.

          “I wanted to get the good swing and save it for you, in case anybody was thinking of stealing it or something.” Even in the dark, I could see a slight smirk on Ryker’s face as he looked up at me.

          “You’re very kind; I hate waiting in line for the good swing.” I joked back.

          Ryker got up from the swing and motioned me over to take his place, and of course I couldn’t refuse. I slowly walked over, grinning of childish excitement. I climbed onto the swing and fixed my dress before obeying his orders to ‘hold tight’. Then suddenly a whoosh of air sent my hair backwards and numbed my face with its cold touch. It wasn’t long though before I felt the same air grazing my back, sending chills down my spine while strands of my hair engulfed my face. I closed my eyes, letting Ryker push me into a trance of back and forth repetition.

          “So who’s Cassie?” was the question that broke the silence, snapping me back to reality.

          Cassie as in my sister? Now I was getting worried. Had my skin turned into a paperback novel which read my inner thoughts and life experiences? “What do you mean?” I muttered in curiosity.

          “I don’t know. I heard the name escape a few times while you were sleeping in the kitchen back there.” I felt the gentle nudge of his hand stop as he stepped to the side of the swing to look at me for my response.