Another Tomorrow

Chapter 9

Nine

                “Don’t make any noise,” Ryder whispered as we entered his house. It was late and the house was dead silent. I quietly followed him through the house toward his bedroom. He motioned to the bathroom, where I changed into a comfortable t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. By the time I entered his bedroom again, Ryder was standing over a pile of blankets on the floor. He was wearing sweatpants of his own, except he didn’t wear a shirt like I did. If I wasn’t so exhausted from earlier events, I’d make make a joke about his appearance, which he’d probably glare at me for. In all actuality, he had a nice body.

                As I walked over to him, he took a seat on the floor, casually resting his arms over his bent knees. He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow, most likely at my confused expression.

                “What are you doing on the floor?” I asked him.

                “Being nice, Huntington. Don’t make me regret it,” he replied. When I still didn’t move, he motioned toward the bed. “Oh come on, it’s not ridden with bed bugs or some shit. It’s just a bed.”

                 I shook my head. “No, I know that. I just…I should sleep on the floor. It’s my fault that I’m here, and you’re just helping me out—“

                “Unless you invited them in your own house to attack you, it’s not your fault. Please just get in the bed and go to sleep,” he interjected, sounding as equally tired as me.

                I smiled automatically. “You said please,” I stated. Now wasn’t exactly the best time to be so observant, but this was a huge deal. It was the very first time I heard Ryder use that word.

                He rolled his eyes and lay on his back. “I’m starting to regret ever being nice to you,” he stated, though I could tell he was joking. Well, I hoped he was joking.

                I kept smiling as I got into his bed, turning onto my left side to face the wall. After a couple minutes of silence, I spoke again. “Hey, Ryder?”

                I heard him sigh. “What.”

                “Thanks. You’re a really great friend.”

                He paused. “Get some sleep, Elyse.”

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                I thought I heard something, like thumping. I heard it a couple times, but I chose to ignore it. I rolled onto my other side and shut my eyes tighter, trying to get some more sleep. It felt like I only went to sleep an hour ago.

                “Ryder, I have clothes here—“

                My eyes shot open at the sound of Mrs. Jameson’s voice. I immediately tried to get up and out of the bed, but my leg was caught in one of the blankets on Ryder’s bed. “Mrs. Jameson, this isn’t how it might seem,” I began, trying to untangle myself from the blanket. Just when I thought I was free from it, I ended up falling off of the bed, landing straight on Ryder.

                “Ow,” he groaned.

                “I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” I asked him.

                “No,” he replied gruffly, rolling over on his side.

                Ignoring Ryder at the moment, I faced his mother. She didn’t seem as angry as I thought she’d be. Maybe she was holding in her anger right now. “Mrs. Jameson, I’m really sorry for spending the night here. It’s just that…well…”