Ryder the Love Expert | Protector 2.1

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

       It was the day of the talent show and Mae and I couldn't have been more ready. Apparently, Kimberly, Raphael, and April were doing a dance as well. I think they decided to after they found out Mae and I were doing a duet because we were one of the first few people to sign up and their names weren't on it.

       Oh well. They weren't going to win. Even though it was just a talent show. Nonetheless, Mae and I were winning this. We showed it to Lilith for her opinion and she thinks it was way more emotional than our duet for the competition, which was perfect. We wanted to pull at the judges' heartstrings.

       All the talent show participants were waiting in the multi-purpose room of the school so we could go over anything if we wanted. Mae and I didn't go over our dance because we didn't want anyone to see it yet.

       April, Kimberly, and Raphael walked up to us. "Ready to lose?" April asked with a smile.

       "Sorry, I don't know what lose is," I said. "Even with my high vocabulary, I'm not familiar with the concept."

       Kimberly snorted. "Funny. By the way, how did it feel to get arrested?"

       "I wasn't arrested," I said. "The cop that showed up was friends with my parents and he gave me a ride home. If I was arrested, I would have been in handcuffs and placed in the backseat."

       "Right," Kimberly said. "I don't know how you're able to participate in the talent show with a criminal record."

       "I wasn't arrested!" I said. 

       "I was at the party," April said. "I saw it with my own eyes."

       "Yeah, you saw me get in the front seat of the cop car," I said. "No handcuffs. He drove me home because he knew me. And seriously, go do something else besides being petty and bothering me and Mae."

       "Fine," April said. "But just another reminder, that we're winning today."

       "How?" I asked. "It's a talent show. I'm pretty sure you need talent to win."

       "Which we have more than you," April said. "I mean, if you were so talented in dancing, you wouldn't have changed your routine. Amateur move." With a smirk, they walked away.

       "And they still believe that we changed our routine," Mae said. "They're in for a surprise. Oh, by the way, did your family pick a name for the otter?"

       "It took a while, but yes," I said. "I'm just upset they all rejected the name I wanted. Well, my dad agreed. In the end, Tulip picked the name Stitch because she was watching Lilo and Stitch."

       "Aww, that's a cute name," Mae said, intertwining her hand in mine. "I'm really going to miss Tulip when I'm back in Quebec."

       I looked down at the ground. "Yeah, she's going to miss you too. Do you have to go?"

       "I have no choice, Ryder," Mae said. "But it's like I said before, it's only for the rest of the school year. I'll be back down here for college. Not only that, by we'll be in the same time zone. It won't be that hard calling each other or anything."

        "I know," I said. "I still don't want you to go."

        Mae lifted my chin up to look at her. "Ryder, we'll still be together. We'll always be together because I love you so much."

       "I love you too," I said before she pressed her lips on mine.

       Tony, who was in charge of the talent show, walked into the multipurpose room and told everyone to make their way to the gym. "Hey, Uncle Tony," I said before Mae and I walked out. "If I slip you twenty bucks...."