Goodbye Graceful (Ronnie Radke love story, 3rd book in The Drug In Me series )

76. The Event Part 3

The man was standing there, a clueless look on his face as he smoothly buttoned the cuffs of his suit jacket.

"Well, take a fucking guess, you just walked into a party. I'd say you're interrupting. I think the Men's Warehouse fucktard show is a few blocks down, wrong house bub." I smiled as sweetly as I could, stepping out of the hole and carefully exiting the Gazebo.

Esha's mom was helping her sister up, and I grinned as they glared at me. I made my way over to Luna and Leah, both of whom looked like they were 2 seconds away from passing out laughing.

"James, don't listen to the swine, you're here just in time! Esha, meet James. Esha- Esha? Where did that crazy, troublesome daughter go." Esha's mother was glancing around desperately.

"Oh sweetie, Esha ran off as soon as she got the chance. This party is about as entertaining as having an anal exam" I said, giving her stiff brother a wink as he stared at me open-mouthed.

"Somebody get her out of here, jesus. James! Get over here, I'm sure Esha's just in the bathroom, freshening up" Esha's mom spoke in a high, strained voice.

As I walked by James, I grabbed his shoulder, ignoring the sour look he gave me, and the fact that he jerked away and started wiping his jacket like I had stained it.

"James, I'll be honest with you. Esha's not going to be interested in you at all. You're all polished socialite, and she's more for the, raw, passionate, rocker type. I mean, her boyfriend, yeah, did her mom tell you she had a boyfriend? Well, now you know. Her boyfriend, he's a singer. A screamer. And well, you know what they say, singers do it louder, right? Give up before you embarrass yourself." I patted his cheek in faux kindness before following Leah and Luna around the house to the front.

I thought the drama couldn't get any bigger.

I was wrong.

As we walked through a side gate, we ran into someone, all of us jumping in surprise, obviously not expecting anyone to be there.

"Ryker."

"Daisy."

"Luna, Leah," Leah scowled as she spoke, "now that we're all familiar, why the fuck are you here?"

"I was here to see James." Daisy's dainty lips pulled up in disgust, and I returned her sour look with my own discontent.

"Oh, did you come here to see him get set up with another girl? That's awkward, well, enjoy." I smiled stiffly at her before shoving past her, my face falling.

I can never catch a damn break, can I? Things finally start to look up with Ronnie, and then Esha's rude sister had to interrupt, and now Daisy shows up.

A hand on my arm pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn to see Ronnie.

I hadn't even known he was following me.

"Did you know Daisy was coming?" I wasn't accusing him, just asking. I could only hope I didn't mean anything bad by it.

Though, if he had known, I couldn't say I would be happy about that.

"No. I haven't spoken to her since we made up." He answered quickly, not looking away from me. I don't know if it was just because I wanted it to be true or what, but I believed him.

"Okay." I nodded, turned away to get into Esha's car, because Leah and Luna were already inside. Leah had keys, so I assumed that Esha had given her the keys and gotten someone to pick her up. Andy, probably.

"Hey wait, can I give you a ride?" Ronnie was looking at me with a plea in his eyes. I looked at the car and then back at him before nodding slowly.

This better go smoothly....

"I'll meet you guys at home okay?" Leah nodded at me and I sighed quietly before following Ronnie to his car.

He opened the door for me and I ducked in quickly before anyone could see me.

I slouched in the seat until I was barely visible, and Ronnie looked at me funny as he pulled out of the driveway and started driving.

"Comfortable?" He asked, amusement in his voice.

"I'm hiding so no one sees me" I told him, not realizing that it sounded like I was picking a fight.

Ronnie stopped abruptly, pulling to the side of the road and grabbing my arm to pull me up.

"No hiding, you're done hiding, you don't have to hide from anyone anymore." His voice was more serious than I'd heard in a long time.

I sat the rest of the way up, smiling slightly as he began driving again, his hands tight on the steering wheel.

I noticed him taking all the right turns; I didn't even have to tell him where to go.

He pulled into my buildings parking lot calmly, and he parked, still not speaking.

"Ronnie," I didn't want to leave yet, "is something wrong?"

"Do you know how you got into that rehab center? Who paid for it?" He asked me, speaking softly and leaning forward, hands on the steering wheel, not looking at me.

"I, uh, the state? I don't, I don't know." My heart was driving me crazy, sending nervous trembles through my body, and my throat closed up.

"I did." His words were whispers, and I couldn't speak.

"And when you got out...I would check on you sometimes. You never saw me, but I was there." His words sent me into the past, and the mysterious stranger came to my mind. The one that I had noticed a few times, the one that didn't feel threatening. I thought I had made them up. But what if it was Ronnie?

"That was you-" I whispered to myself, leaning forward in surprise.

"I was always trying to make sure you were okay. I never forgot about you." He rested his head on the steering wheel, and I reached a hesitant hand out, resting it on his shoulder.

"I love you." He mumbled into the steering wheel, and I licked my lips, closing my eyes for a moment before leaning in and kissing his cheek.

"I love you too" I whispered.

He didn't move, and I know he wasn't ready to face me after admitting all of that, so I left him.

I couldn't speak as I got to my apartment, and I walked past Ryan and Leah, I didn't say anything.

He loves me.