The Shy Witch

Chapter 51

Chapter 51

I stood for a minute in complete silence and shock. My best friend, the boy I've been with since I was little just... just left me. 

"Annalise?" I heard Ryder's voice say. I ignored it. "Annalise are you okay?"

I kept staring straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge him. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, but I remained still. 

"I'm so sorry." 

And that's when I lost it. I sobbed and sobbed, and Ryder spun me around and pulled me into a tight hug. "I know. Shh, it's okay." He whispered softly. His shirt was soaking wet from my tears, but I didn't care. 

"Ryder, there has to be a way to bring him back. A spell, anything!" I cried. He slowly shook his head. 

"I'm sorry Annalise. I really am."

I sat on Daniel's bed and brought a pillow up to my face. "How could he just change like that?" I asked. "He was getting along with you fine at lunch today."

Ryder shook his head. "Men are weird." he started. "The worst thing you can do is humiliate a man in front of his girl. And that's exactly what I did."

"I'm not his 'girl,'" I said. "And it's not your fault. You didn't have a choice."

"Maybe not. But I sure could have fought it or let him win. This is all my fault."

"Ryder, no it wasn't. Something has clearly been bothering him since we've been here."

"Yeah, it's me." Ryder replied.

"No it's not. I know you two have had problems getting along, but I don't think that's it."

Ryder sat down next to me and rubbed my back. "I don't blame him, Annalise. He loves you a ton. And I totally get that you may only see him as a friend. But he's going to do anything he can to change that. Even if that means coming between you and me."

"Coming between you and me? There's nothing between you and me." I said, standing up. I sat down at the windowsill and looked outside. 

"Again, maybe not." Ryder said. "But he can sure see something." 

"I don't see it." I told him. 

"That's weird, no one's ever been able to resist my charm." He said, smirking.

"Don't make me laugh, it's not funny." 

"Oh trust me, it is. I dare you to take a look at this and not smile." he said, standing up and gesturing at his body. I looked at his goofy expression on his face and laughed softly. "There's your smile." he said, smiling as well. "It's not often that I get to see one of those from you." 

The smile fell from my face. "I know."

"You know, maybe it's for the best that you have a break from him. It'll give you a chance to focus on your training."

"Ryder, I don't even want to do training!" I sighed. 

"I know, I know. But someday it'll come in handy."

"Well I've been at this school for awhile now, and I haven't really needed to use it yet."

"Annalise, I'm not always going to be there."

My head turned away from the window and I looked at Ryder. "You're not?"

He shook his head. Oh great. So now both of my friends were leaving me. 

"I just want to go back home." I said. "Before, it was just me, my mom, and Daniel. Now things are so complicated."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I wish I could go back to when I was six, when Devin and I were just two playful cousins that loved to play guns and war."

I laughed softly again. 

"Listen, how about I order a pizza, and you and I can have our own little party. You'll forget all about Daniel, I promise." Ryder offered. 

I thought about it. "Alright."

~~~

An hour later, Ryder and I were sitting on the bed in my room eating pizza. We were watching some rom coms, and although I appreciated that he did this for me, It didn't seem like Ryder was all that interested in the movie. 

"Do you want to watch something else?" I asked.

"Nah, watch whatever you want."

"Well I want you to enjoy yourself too." I said. He looked at me like I was crazy.

"Hey, this is your sappy girl night thing. I thought whenever boy drama happens, girls sit in their rooms and watch romantic movies while eating pizza and ice cream."

"Oh yeah."

Weirdly, Ryder had been sitting away from me ever since the pizza came. I mean I obviously didn't expect us to be leaning up against each other, but he was definitely as far as he could possibly get without falling off of the bed. Weird.

"Hey Ryder, I don't bite." I said. 

"Oh I know," He replied. "I just don't want to get some of my spell on me."

"Wait, what spell?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." He said, leaning over and putting his hand on my forehead. "Now sleep."

And for the second time, Ryder sent me straight into dreamland. 

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6/5/16

What do you think Ryder's spell was? Hint: It wasn't just to make her sleep!