Reaching for Rebecca

Chapter 35

RYAN'S POV

As we were waiting at Mason's door, I heard Landon's bike engine turning off and next thing I know, Becca's shrill scream fills the air.

"Christ Becca, don't you remember anything I taught you from last week?" Landon asks. Becca's clutching onto my arm and hiding from his view behind my body.

"Landon, you didn't teach me anything about having people sneak up on you!" she yelled back.

Just then, Mason flung the door open with wide eyes, probably wondering what all the ruckus was about.

"Will you idiots quit yelling! My neighbors will call the cops again!" he whisper-yelled and tipped his head to invite us in. We followed with Landon first, Becca second, and myself last. I saw Landon turn and uncharacteristically stick his tongue out at Becca as we started going down the stairs to Mason's basement.

She retaliated his sneak attack and childish attitude by jumping on his back.

"Yeah, how do you like being unexpectedly attacked huh?" she taunted as he staggered forward before catching himself due to the unexpected weight.

"You're lucky we didn't just fall down the stairs sweetheart!" he bellowed.

When we reached the bottom, we were met with Kate, Mel, and Izzy – whose eyes were all trained on my girl gripping onto Landon's back with her legs wrapped around his waist. I didn't mind because they were the two people closest to me and knew nothing would ever happen between them, they were just kidding around. The other girl's eyes got larger when I sat on the couch and she plopped on top of me: then even larger still when Landon took the seat next to us and Becca stretched her legs across his lap.

I heard Mel mumble something but didn't quite make it out; however, Becca went frigid on my lap and Landon clenched his jaw. Mason and Kate's mouths were hanging open and Izzy had an evil smile on her face.

"What'd she say?" I whispered in Becca's ear. Her response was a slight shake of her head before tucking it into my neck so I wrapped my arms around her snuggly. She tried to pull her legs from Landon's lap but he held them there.

"Don't listen to her. She's just trying to get in your head," he mumbled towards her. I shot him a questioning glance and he rolled his eyes; well then, I guess I will have to find out later.

"So!" Kate broke the awkward silence. "Most important, what are we getting to eat?"

Izzy was the first to call out her opinion: "Chinese!"

Everybody seemed to agree so we wrote down what we wanted and Kate went upstairs to call in the order.

"What're we watching?" I asked, basically to everyone in the room.

"Some new horror that Mason picked out," Mel stated with attitude. From the past, I knew Mel hated horrors but I didn't feel bad for her at all. Especially after she sprouted some crap to Becca (that I didn't hear) but it obviously must have been pretty bitchy.

"Are you going to be okay with a scary movie?" I quietly ask Becca, who's pretty face is still cuddled against my neck. Hearing her sigh, I hugged her tighter and ran my hands down her back. "Hey next time leave your hair down."

She giggled and I felt some of the tension leave her body. Mission accomplished.

REBECCA'S POV

Ryan was being a sweetheart as usual. His hands continued caressing my back in a soothing motion while he whispered silly things into my ear during the horror movie. He made fun of the characters and made up his own dialogue for them that didn't match the tone of the movie whatsoever. It was hilarious and I know he was just cheering me up. I loved his goofy side. I mean I liked his goofy side. It's far too early to think about the 'L' word: even if that's what I felt towards him. I just didn't know if it was a romantic love yet. I definitely loved him as a person, I mean he literally saved my life, but romantically it was just "like" right now and was too soon to think about love (if that makes sense.)

Right as we were nearing the end of the movie, the doorbell rang. Mason and Kate grabbed our collective pile of cash and paused the movie before running upstairs to get the Chinese we'd ordered.

Instead of all ordering separate plates, we just got big servings of different things and ate buffet style. Because of this, the different containers were set out on the floor and we sat around them in a circle, leaving the movie paused.

"After this we should watch something funny cuz I didn't vote for this crap," Izzy huffed and Mel agreed immediately.

"Oh quit whining. I never get to watch what I want. It was about time I got to pick the movies," Mason replied but Kate chimed in.

"Why don't we play a game after this movie instead." Mason flashed her a look to which she answered, "Come on babe, I don't think I can watch two horrors in a row," and he smiled before agreeing.

I chuckled under my breath at their cuteness and Ryan leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"What're you laughing at?"

"They're just adorable."

"Pshh. Do you want the rest of my eggroll? I didn't remember how disgusting the noodles in here are." I laughed and nodded so he set the half-eaten roll on my paper plate.

We got pulled from our little side conversation when Izzy announced that she wanted to play truth or dare. Well at first, she wanted to play never have I ever, but thankfully Kate talked her out of that one. Everyone continued picking at the food while we started our game, not even bothering to finish the movie now but it didn't matter to me since I was listening to Ryan's version the whole time.

"Alright Becca, you're first! Truth or dare?" asked Izzy, her voice contorted to sound like a game show host.

"Uhm, truth." I willed my voice to come out steady but it does what it wants.

"Hmmm let's see." She stroked an imaginary beard in thought, "Do you like Ryan?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation. Landon chuckled at my eagerness but Ryan just smiled and nudged my shoulder.

"Are you guys dating?" Mel chimed in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I believe the game is truth not truths," Landon announced in a game show voice with an emphasis on the 's' part of truths.

"Do you want to ask a question Becca or pass?" Kate asked politely.

"Pass please."

"Alrighttttt, counterclockwise. Landon! Truth or Dare?" Izzy asked.

He winked at me and said "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Becca!" She immediately squealed. I wonder if she had this planned.

"Come on Isabelle. I'm not kissing Becca."

"You have to! Game rules!"

Landon first looked at Ryan cautiously and then me.

"I'm not going to kiss my best friend's girl," he argued.

Izzy sighed in defeat before an evil smirk covered her face.

"Fine, then kiss Ryan."

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Ryan shouted. "No way! How did I get dragged into this!"

Mason and Kate burst out laughing at his reaction.

"You're the reason he won't kiss Becca so now he has to kiss you!" Mel wheezed through laughs of her own. "If you don't want to kiss him then he has to kiss her!"

I could feel that my cheeks were incredibly red as I tried to avoid making eye contact with anyone in the circle. Ryan looked at me and shook his head.

"Alright Lan. Come on. Plant one on me."

"Are you serious!?" he shouted.

"Well I'm not going to watch some other guy make out with my girlfriend," he seethed through clenched teeth, obviously annoyed at how this game was turning out.

"Wait!" Kate interrupted, "You guys are dating now!?"

I nodded my head with a smile and she put her hands on her cheeks to deal with her excitement of my relationship status.

"Continue," Mason states, after lovingly glancing at his girlfriend. He then gestures to the two boys on either side of me with his hand.

"Oh my God. You're lucky I like you Becca," Landon grumbled as he leaned in front of me to meet Ryan halfway. Their lips were less than an inch apart when Izzy yelled out.

"Okay stop! Geez I didn't think you guys would do it."

The two guys flew back and glared at her but kept their mouths shut. Izzy moved on to asking Kate who chose truth so I took the opportunity to talk to Ryan.

"You didn't have to do that, well almost do that," I said quietly. He grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to him.

"Yes, I did. I don't want anyone near you except me," his voice was deep and his eyes were a darker gray than usual.

I gently smiled and leaned my head against his chest, mostly to escape from his eyes, as he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me protectively. I heard Izzy ask a few more truth or dare questions until everyone got sick of the game. According to Mason, it really wasn't fun unless you were drinking.

~~~

Sometime after chatting for a while, we all migrated back onto the couches and popped in some romantic comedy that Melissa wanted to watch. I know for a fact none of the guys wanted to watch this, but I think they were just sick of listening to her nasally voice.

Around ten, Landon got up and said he was leaving. The guys just nodded but all of us girls shared a look of confusion.

"Where is he going?" I whispered to Ryan but he just shrugged and turned his attention back to the flat screen, feigning interest in the sappy movie.

A few minutes later, I felt Ryan tense up since I'm sitting between his legs and leaning on his chest. I can't really turn around and ask what's wrong so I reach my arms back and brush my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. He relaxes a little but hands me my phone, which was in his pocket since my leggings didn't have those.

I look down and see another text from him.

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|Becca Hanson > Kirk - 10:27pm|
Received: I think you're running out of warnings doll.
Received: You know I have friends at the PD. Don't test me anymore Rebecca... I WILL track you down.
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