Never the Same

Chapter six

I climb up the tree in swift quick motion to get to the top of the roof, Ryder stares at me in amazement and says, "How'd you do that so quickly?" I shrug, I've climbed at least a thousand trees when I was little, I fell got up and tried again. I'm not in the mood to talk about me, I sit down on his roof and pull my knees to my chest.

"When'd you get a girlfriend," the words come tumbling out of my mouth, maybe he'll forget about me and my problems.

"A week ago, my mama doesn't like her. I've known her for a while, we ran into each other at the skate park and we exchanged numbers and hung out and I asked her to be my girlfriend and she said yes. That's all it is really." He sighs and sits next to me. He doesn't touch me, he just sits down and gets lost in his own thoughts.

We stay silent for a couple minutes before I say, "My parents are splitting up."

"I'm sorry Aspen. I really am. I know what you're going through." I rest my head on his shoulder and we sit like that. I don't cry, I've known this was coming. It won't effect me though, their hardly home so it's not like I'll miss him.

"My dad's moving out, not my mom. He's hardly ever around so it's not like I'll miss him," I say and Ryder just looks at me.

"Stop looking at me. You freak," I say to him and hit his chest softly. He grabs my hand before I could hit his chest, using his other hand to cup my face. I feel my heartbeat speed up, he leans in and brushes his lips against mine before putting pressure on my lips. His lips are rough and he tastes like cinnamon. I kiss him back, it felt so right for some reason, I didn't want it to stop. His hands go around my waist and my arms snake around his neck. His tongue licks the bottom of my lip, begging for entrance. I open my mouth slightly and tug a little at his hair.

He pulls away and winks. He gets up and says, "I'm changing the bet. You'll be in the palm of my hand by the end of senior year!" He climbs down the tree and slides into his bedroom window and closes it. I sit there thinking about what just happened.

I hear a car from my driveway start and the sound goes softer when it reaches the end of my street. I decide it's safe now to climb down and go into my house. That's exactly what I do.

Ryder's POV

It's been a week since Aspen's dad left. It's been a week without amazing outfits and long gorgeous hair and caked on makeup, it's been a week of depressed Aspen and nobody likes it. This school is dead without the normal Aspen.

"Hello students, today we have a new student, Carmen. Make her feel welcome. Come on in dear," Ms. Cavanah says, and a pretty Hispanic girl comes in, her chocolate eyes are big and her jett black hair straight, she's about 5'6, she wears a white blouse, a plain black skirt that reaches her mid thigh, knee high black socks and white flats. She smiles her award winning smile before taking a seat next to me in the back. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you, Carmen Sanchez, my girlfriend.

While Ms. Cavanah rambles on about god knows what, all the boys have their attention on Carmen whose looking at the board. I flick all the boys looking at her off and she smiles gratefully at me. She looks absolutely stunning and she messes with her hair and takes notes.

Finally the class is over and I get to talk to Aspen, Aspen? I mean Carmen!

"Hey babe wait up," I say and grab my stuff when she's almost out of the room.

"I didn't know you were serious about going here," I exclaim and put my arm around her shoulder.

She smiles warmly up at me and snakes her arm around my waist and says, "Of course I was. It's complicated."

"Well I don't like all those guys looking at you." She just giggles and flips her hair out of her face. "Whats so funny?"

"Nothing it's just that since the day we started hanging out at the skate park that's all I've been telling you. I've been complaining about those girls looking at you and now you're complaining about boys looking at me." She bumps my hip with hers.

"It's not my fault that I'm god damn sexy." She rolls her eyes and continues walking with me until we reach my locker. "Hey babe I'll meet you at my motorcycle I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Well that's the thing. I'm trying out for the volleyball team today after school. I can't ride with you, maybe some other time?"

"Yeah of course, bye." I kiss her lips softly before walking off to my locker. I shove all my books in my locker, I see Aspen walk by on her way to the gym. She's wearing a blue sports bra and spandex, her hair in a high pony tail, her white volleyball shoes make her legs look longer than usual. Before I know it I'm chasing after her, I catch her a couple lockers down from mine.

"Hey Aspen. Are you okay? You don't seem like yourself," I say and grab her wrist, forcing her to face me. She pulls her wrist away from me and shrugs lightly. This is the closest I've been to her in a week, her eyes have dark circles under them. Her bright blue eyes have become dull grey ones. She's looks so fragile. I touch her cheek and she jerks her face back.

"Hey Ry-," Carmen turns the corner and I curse under my breath, "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything. Nevermind, bye." She walks past me and Aspen into the gym and jerks the door open.

"Well thanks for making the new girl already hate me. You stupid asshole," Aspen says.

"My girlfriend," I correct her, her dull eyes get big and she holds her breath.

"Your girlfriend?" Aspen says through her teeth.

"Yeah. Carmen." Blair and Alison come over giggling and pull Apsen into the gym.

Aspen's POV

"The new girl is good," Blair says as we drive back to her house. I snort, she has a good arm but it won't help if it's slow. She's not fast getting to the ball, she always touches the net. I can't even explain.

"If you think losing is fun," I say and stare out the passengers window.

"What's your problem with her?" She raises a perfectly groomed eyebrow at me.

"Ryder's girlfriend." She shakes her head and pulls into her driveway.

"Well in that case she sucks at volleyball." She winks and I laugh. It's the first time I actually laughed in a week. My dad's been calling me non stop, I empty my voicemail every day. I'm not in the mood to talk to him.

"We should pull a prank on Ryder tomorrow," Blair says later that night.

"Like what," I ask and throw a stuffed animal in the air.

"Like paint his motorcycle pink." This caught my attention, I put the stuffed animal on the floor and look up at her. "I'm dead serious!"

"Let's do it." I nod and we take a late night trip to Hobby Lobby.