Saintwood✔️(Wattpad Version)

Taking it slow

After the incident at school, things calmed down. I thought Jordan would hit Bella for her antics, but in his words, "I would never hit a woman. I would find a woman to do it for me." I thought that was funny.

Bella apologized to me for her antics, and we talked, finding out we had a lot in common. Elena even grew a fondness of me, and the three of us spoke more and became close.

Jordan and Frazier still hung around us more, and, yes, Frazier always kept annoying me, but it endeared me to him. Ryan got even closer to me. He never left me alone for too long, and if he couldn't be with me, he made sure one of the other yahoos were. Elena and Bella transferred to different classes when the guys weren't with me.

I didn't mind. At least I had someone to talk to in class.

We were all hanging out at Ryan's, and Ryan was lying on the couch while I was lying on top of him watching a movie. Jordan and Frazier were playing Old Maid, and Jordan was getting more and more pissed by the minute because Frazier kept slipping him the Old Maid. We laughed.

Jordan tackled Frazier after getting Old Maid again. Ryan looked at me, giving me a signal to sneak out of the living room. We headed up the stairs to his room. Once inside, he quickly closed the door. He walked over and pulled me into a passionate kiss.

I loved his soft lips on mine. They tasted like strawberries. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he picked me up, laying me down on his bed. We stayed there kissing for ten minutes before he pulled away. I looked at him with concern.

"I want to take you on a date," he mentioned.

"Won't it be crowded?" I asked him curiously.

"What? No," he informed me, knowing what I was meaning.

I laughed.

He growled and started tickling me. I begged him to stop, which he did, then leaned in and kissed me.

"I'm serious. I want to take you on a date. I know we did things backward, but I'm serious," Ryan said to me.

I lay there silently, and I could see him getting a worried look on his face. I sat up and looked at him.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, grinning.

He gave me this look and pulled me to him, giving me kisses. Then we heard it. The rapid knocking, making both of us jump.

"Open this door! I know what you youngsters are doing, and I have Betty," someone said in a low, deep voice, which sounded awful like my dad. We jumped up, and Ryan whipped open the door.

Jordan and Frazier stood in the doorway, grinning like two idiots.

"That's not funny," growled Ryan. I was standing behind him, giggling.

"It was a little funny," Frazier grinned.

"Yep." Jordan nodded in agreement.

"Run," Ryan told them.

"Shit," they yelled as they turned on their heels, running downstairs.

I looked at Ryan, and he shrugged.

"You're not going after them?" I asked him.

"Nope, I figure watching them break their necks trying to get out of here is better than chasing them."

I stifled a laugh.

He pulled me to him, pushing the back of my head towards him as our lips met in pure bliss. I loved kissing this man because he made my toes curl and my body heat. Ryan's muscular built made me melt at his touch. Who would have thought I would kiss the guy that stared at me creepily the first day of school or better yet be his girlfriend? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

He pulled back and looked deep into my eyes. "I meant what I said. I want to take you on a date."

I smiled and nodded. "When?"

A smirk formed on his lips, and he leaned in towards my ear and whispered, "Friday. Dress nice."

I could feel my cheeks heat as his lips lingered by my ear. I could feel his fiery breath on the side of my face. Oh, what this boy does to me. He pulled away but quickly gave me a peck on the lips.

"We better get back to the idiot twins before they destroy my house and raid my fridge," he suggested.

I nodded in agreement as he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him.

We found Jordan and Frazier hanging out in the living room with Elena. Ryan plopped down into a chair, pulling me onto his lap. Then he wrapped his arms around my waist. He laid his head on my shoulder while I lay my head on his.

They turned on a movie, and you'll never guess which one? Yep, Frazier turned Mean Girls on the TV. I laughed, and Jordan rolled his eyes.

"What? It's a funny movie!" Frazier exclaimed.

"That's it, I'm revoking your man card!" Jordan claimed.

Frazier feigned shock and grumbled, "Fine."

I laughed. I looked down to see Ryan staring at me, which took me back.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked him curiously.

"You are beautiful. Even your laugh is amazing," Ryan replied with a look in his eyes.

I blushed as he pulled me closer to him and whispered into my ear, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

I pulled back slightly, and with wide eyes, looked at him. Did Ryan Jones tell me that he fell in love with me? It shocked me. The others engrossed with the movie that didn't notice us.

I could see the sweat form on his forehead and panic form in his eyes. I knew he thought I would run as he tightened his grip around my waist. I stared at him for a few minutes, thinking silently to myself. I had to figure out what I wanted to say without ruining the moment. Then it finally hit me.

I leaned down and whispered back into his ear. "Me too."

From the look on his face, it was enough to not hurt him without me saying the 'L' word yet. Honestly, I didn't know how I felt at this moment, but I knew it was something that I wanted to take my time to figure it out. I wanted to protect my heart before I handed it over freely to someone that could shatter it.

Love can strengthen you, or it can destroy you all the while you fall harder than expected. It's not the fall that hurts; it's the landing that crushes you. Either the other person catches you or lets you fall. That is trust.