The Broken One

Chapter 14- M.I.A?

Ryder's Point of View

After Harley left me, I grudgingly got into Hailey's car.

"What happened? You were supposed to convince her to stay and live happily ever after and give me nieces and nephews," Hailey yelled at me, the second I got in the car.

"I guess that's not what Harley wanted," I muttered as I put my seatbelt on and Hailey drove off.

"What happened Ryder?" She said a bit more gently.

"I don't know, I kissed her and she told me she had to go figure herself out," I mumbled.

Hailey stared at me like I was crazy. "You kissed her? Why would you do that? She needed time her best friend died," she explained shaking her head.

"When is she going to come back?" I asked.

"I don't know with Harley it could be a couple days or a month all I know is she does care for you Ryder just wait for her."

I sighed, we both kept it pretty much quiet the whole way back. After we got home, I went to my room and went straight to sleep.

I woke up the next morning and went to school, once I was there, not to my surprise, I saw Harley was not there. I went over and stood next to Marcus who was leaning against the side of the school.

"Where's Jake?" I asked. Marcus rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb towards a picnic table where Sophie and Jake were making out.

"Ugh dude you could have told me, I didn't need a visual."

"Well if I got one you have to get one too. Hey did you find Harley?"

"Uh yeah but she left, we haven't heard from her since," I said bitterly.

"Don't worry you two are crazy about each other she'll come around," he said optimistically.

"Yeah I hope so."

"How did you find her anyway?"

"Uh Hailey heard she disappeared from the hospital and she said if police thought she was going to Vegas then she might've gone to their old house and we found her there in the woods behind her house."

"So uh Hailey, is she and Harley cool now?"

"Yeah why?"

"Uh no reason," he said shrugging. I nodded, he looked deep in thought. When the bell rang, the four of us headed to math. I was starting to do horrible in classes again. I was told that if I didn't pass math I would have to redo senior year. They could handle me getting C's in all my other classes but if I failed math, my GPA would be too low to graduate.

Once I saw the board though I knew there was no way I'm going to go to college next year. I didn't know any of this stuff at all. After I went through the morning classes I went to lunch and sat with Marcus, Jake, and Sophie.

I recounted for them them what happened in Vegas and they all agreed Harley would come back. "But what if she doesn't, I really liked her, and it's my fault she stopped sleeping and stuff," I said wondering if maybe she won't ever return my feelings.

"Dude she does like you, why else would she trust you with her past?" Marcus pointed out.

"Yeah dude just give her some time," Jake encouraged. I sighed, I skipped the rest of my classes and went home.

"Ryder Martin where were you yesterday and why are you home early from school now?" My aunt yelled at me as soon as I stepped into the house.

"Jeez sorry I skipped I wasn't feeling it and yesterday I uh went to Las Vegas." I said quietly.

"You what?" she yelled loudly.

"Sorry, I had to find Harley," I said not meting her eyes. I peaked a look and her and her gaze softened and she guided me to the couch. Aunt Megan was the only one other than my friends who knew about Harley and I.

"What happened?" she asked gently.

I told her what happened in Vegas and she seemed more and more concerned. "Aunt Megan don't worry about me, she'll come back." I said trying to reassure her. I got a whack on the head for that.

"Hey! What was that for?" I said rubbing my head.

"Silly boy, I was concerned for Harley she must be so confused. I'm going to call her," she said.

"What you have her number?" I said shocked even I didn't have her phone number. Harley had let me set up her phone but I had never got her number.

"Yes I once saw her light on one night after you two fought and weren't sleeping together, when she couldn't sleep after that we used to have tea together sometimes," she explained. Well that was news to me.

"How did you know we were sleeping together?" I asked completely shocked.

"Oh please nothing gets by me," she said rolling her eyes. She then got up to go call Harley.

She returned thirty minutes later and looked at me angrily. "You kissed her?" What's wrong with you?" She asked hitting my head once again.

"Stop with the violence I thought she liked me," I said rubbing my head once again.

"Gosh why don't boys know anything?"

"What?" I asked looking at her like she was crazy, which I was starting to think most girls actually were.

"Look Ryder she just opened up to you about her past and she doesn't know what to do with herself considering her best friend was in love with her and she never returned those feelings and just as she starts to have some closure with his death you go and kiss her making her feel confused in whether or not she got the closure she needs," she tried to explain. I sat there in shock, why are girls so complicated?

"But what if she never comes back?" I asked sadly.

"Oh she will she loves you Ryder, she just hates emotions and doesn't want to say anything."

"Why does she make my head spin?" I asked rhetorically while rubbing my temples. "I need a nap." I said getting up and going to bed. When I woke up a few hours later, I thought I saw a familiar turquoise-blue haired girl on my balcony. I quickly got up and went to find her but no one was there. I sighed it must have been my imagination.

I went back downstairs and heard my aunt on the phone again. "Listen sweetie I know it's confusing, but he can't replace him. They are family he's not the same boy." She said. I listened hard but I couldn't hear who the other person was.

"I understand dear, I do but ask yourself do you really want that? Or do you feel like you owe it to Daniel?" She suggested.

"Ok bye Harley I'll talk to you soon."

I quickly rushed upstairs, Aunt Megan was talking to Harley about her love life maybe there was hope after all.