Ryder the Love Expert | Protector 2.1

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"So, I was thinking...." Elizabeth said as she walked up to me while I was at my locker. "You need to get a girlfriend."

I raised my eyebrow and looked at her. "Why?"

"Because people have been doubting you being the love expert," Elizabeth said.

"People need to mind their own business," I said. "Besides, it's not my fault people come to me for advice. If I want a girlfriend, I'll get a girlfriend."

"Do you want one?" Elizabeth asked. "Because there's a girl I know who will be the perfect match for you."

I sighed. "Please stop talking about me having a girlfriend. I already have to listen to it from my parents and siblings and, of course, my grandpa. Wait....Who do you think would be the perfect match for me?"

"Mae," Elizabeth said. "You two have a lot in common."

"You mean the fact that we both dance?" I asked.

"Exactly," Elizabeth said.

I sighed. "Elizabeth, I don't need your succor with acquiring a girlfriend."

"Really?" Elizabeth asked. "Because you did your nervous thing again."

Okay, I really needed to learn how to control my vocabulary whenever I was nervous or when I thought about Mae. I hated how people were able to tell I was nervous or something....

"Oh my gosh," Elizabeth said. "You like someone!"

"No," I said. "No, I don't."

"You do," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Come on, Ryder. Tell me who it is. I'm your cousin and best friend."

"Lizzie, I don't like anyone," I said, making sure to choose my words carefully. Although, I didn't know why I didn't want to tell Elizabeth. Then again, if she found out exactly who I liked, she might slip up and tell her mom, who will most likely tell my dad and then there would be a lot of commotion in my house concerning Maeder.

I did not want that.

Elizabeth frowned. "I know you like someone. Come on, I won't tell a living soul."

"Promise?" I asked.

"Yeah, I promise," Elizabeth said.

"I'm serious," I said. "If my family founds out exactly who I like, they won't leave me alone."

Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows before she chuckled. "Let me guess, they already started a ship?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Man, that must suck," Elizabeth said. "Okay, I promise not to tell a single soul." I gave her a look and she sighed before doing our secret keeping signal of crossing our heart, which made me feel better about it. The two of us never broke our promise when we crossed our heart, even when Elizabeth really wanted to tell someone. She wasn't really a person to keep a secret, but she always did when we crossed our hearts. "So?"

I mumbled Mae's name.

"Ryder, come on," she said. "I already promised. I crossed my heart. You can trust me."

I took a deep breath. "I like Mae. There, I said it."

Elizabeth smiled. "I knew it! Well, I didn't know you liked her, but I knew you would! So, are you going to ask her out?"