Passive Smoking

Chapter 8

Ryder POV

For the longest time, I've always heard about nice scrawny kid with curly hair named Shay. They said he was funny, sarcastic, and very very smart. But it wasn't until now that those qualities started showing. The milk was not what made him sick, because I had some earlier that day. But his face and reaction did make him look a little ill, almost to the point of vomiting. Who knows, but all I wanted was for him to feel better.

That's why at around 7:00, I got up to make him some breakfast. I know my mom would cook me something to eat if I was feeling sickly. So I made eggs and bacon. I was about to go upstairs to wake him up when he came down.

"What are you making?" Shay asked groggily, rubbing his eyes. His hair was a complete mess.

"Bacon and eggs for us." I said, finishing off the last egg. I separated the meal equally and handed him a plate.

"Thank you so much." His face lit up and his husky yet light voice faded. We are in silence, the only sound coming from metal forks scraping ceramic. It looked like him and I finished at the same time. He got up from the table and set his dishes in the sink.

"Well I should probably start walking home. I don't know if Damian is going to be mad or not." He started heading upstairs, most likely to change.

"Do you want me to take you there?" Shay paused just before he left the room.

"N-no, I'm fine. Really." He stuttered.

"I'm serious. We both know you don't want to walk." He stepped back.

"I don't mean to... inconvenience you."

"It's not an inconvenience at all. I have to go somewhere else anyway."

"O-okay. Let me just go change." He said going upstairs. Why was that so hard? Everyone would take the free ride. A few minutes late he came back down in the clothes he wore yesterday, a black shirt with a white necklace, jeans, and black shoes with white stripes. It also looked like he fixed his hair slightly.

I get a lot of surfer vibes from him.

When we got in the car, I asked him what I've been trying to ask for awhile now.

"So are you going to homecoming next week?" He looked like he was caught off-guard.

"Uh, no it's not really my scene." He said, staring out the window. "It's...too loud and too many people for me."

"Is that just code for you don't have a date." He winced at date

"Uh" he paused for a few seconds, "y-y-yeah." He managed.

"You don't have to have a date to go to homecoming. We could go together, you know, as friends." It kind of looked like he stopped listening, staring blankly at the road. He shook his head, as if he physically had to snap himself out of his thought.

"What about Brian or Cedric? Or your date, Savannah?" I shook my head.

"Brian and Cedric aren't going. And Savannah and I broke up a few days ago." I rubbed the back of neck and with my left hand, right hand still on the wheel. Shay looked shocked.

"I'm sorry." He said

"Don't be, she was a bitch to be honest." He chuckled, the first happiness since breakfast. "So, are you coming?" He sighed.

"I don't know." He said glumly, as we pulled up in his driveway.

"Please." I stopped and looked at him. "We could be each other's wingman." It didn't look like that persuaded him at all. "Please." I started shaking him like I was toddler. "Please, please, please!"

"Okay! Chill." He said brushing himself off. I leaned back.

"Yes! I won!" I exclaimed.

"Like you always do." Shay said getting out of the car.

"See you later." I said.

"Bye."

Shay POV

I closed the door behind me and slid down the wall, smiling the biggest grin. I replayed every beautiful moment in my head over and over.

His back muscles

His bashful arm slide and lip bite

"We could go together, you know, as friends"

I opened up my phone quickly to text Alice

Shay

Aliccecececececece

Alice

Whatatatatataata

Shay

Ryder and I are going to homecoming together

I saw her beginning to type

Shay

As friends as friends as friends

Alice

BOOOOOOO!!!! GET IN HIS PANTS

Shay

That's not going to happen Alice. He's straight. And I wouldn't have a chance anyway.

Alice

Don't say thattttt ): you're great :)

Shay

It's whatever... I'm tired I'll talk to you later.

I walked into my room and put down my phone. Maybe this whole homecoming thing was a bad idea. But I'm already in it now.

I should probably start planning an outfit.