Never the Same

Seventeen

It's been about four months since everything's happened, Ryder still doesn't know the girl on wattpad is me and this girl really pisses him off. Today during lunch time, like we all normally meet, in the library. Me, Alison, and Blair walk in with linked arms, laughing and what not. Since we made the varsity volleyball team we get to wear our uniforms during game days, which happens to be today. Trenton, Camden, Jaydon, Ryder, and Kate always go to every game to cheer us on.

"So whats going on with you and Ryder," Alison asks the second we all walk out of English.

"What do you mean," I ask back and we link arms with Blair.

"Well, are y'all friends, friends with benefits, or dating?" To be honest, I don't even know what we are. He never asked me to be his girlfriend, were friends, I'm still a virgin but we have a couple make out sessions here and there but nothing serious.

"You guys nothing's going on, we just have a thing, that's all." I shrug it off as we continue walking towards the library.

"The lies! At least that's what Ryder tells Camden, then Camden tells me," Blair say and flips her perfectly straight brown hair off her shoulder.

"I'm gonna kick his ass." I'm really pissed, Ryder shouldn't have said that. He didn't ask me to be his girlfriend so we aren't dating.

"Maybe he took it the wrong way," Alison suggests and shrugs.

"Or he wants to ask you but he's afraid," Blair pitches in a suggestion.

"Why would he be afraid? We've been having make out sessions for like five months but we aren't dating," I say and sigh. I finally notice that every eye is on us when we walk down the hallways.

"We knew that. But you're gorgeous and he is but maybe he's afraid you'll turn him down," Alison guess' and shrugs.

"Did you just call Ryder gorgeous," Blair asks in between laughs.

"Yeah! He is! Just saying!"

"Well his face is gonna be pretty messed up after our talk today at lunch," I say and we reach the library doors.

"That's your cue to go over there and drag him away from his friends. Good luck," Blair says and they push me towards the table all the boys are sitting at.

"Hey Aspen," they all say and pull me into a group hug.

"Guys, I can't breathe," I say softly, they hug really tight.

"Oh yeah sorry. I don't want to waste all my hugs on you, because there's a way prettier girl over there," Jaydon says and sticks his tongue out at me.

"Well. I'm not offended at all." I cross my arms over my chest and pout my lip out.

"Jaydon don't be mean," Alison says to him and walks over to us with Blair and they all hug them.

"Hey beautiful," Ryder says and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

"Hey boo bear," I say and hip bump him while everyone makes kissy noises.

"Stop it you guys." Ryder chugs a water bottle at Trenton and he easily catches it.

"Hey, I'm gonna steal Ryder from you guys for one second." I pull him by the wrist.

"Get some," Camden says and I flip him off.

"What's up Aspen," Ryder asks when we get right outside the library.

"Well, why are you telling people were dating? We aren't," I say and bite my lip before leaning against the wall.

"I'm not ready for a relationship. You know that." He steps in front of me and pulls me closer to him by my waist.

"Hey Ryder," Hailee coos as she walks down the hall.

"Shit," Ryder mumbles under his breath.

"Oh. Hey Aspen." She stops and looks at us.

"You can keep walking," I say and smile with my teeth and shoo her off. She looks at me like bitch please.

"Anyways, Ryder, I just wanted to see if you wanted to come over tonight." She twirls her hair and pops her gum. We both are looking at Ryder.

"I can't. I have really important plans tonight. Like watching Aspen play volleyball," he says and points to my attire.

"Why are guys so into volleyball players anyways?" If we were a cartoon she would have steam going out her ears and a really red face.

"Because they got the booty," I say and turn around before slapping my ass. She scoffs and walks off. I look at Ryder who is zoned out, I snap my fingers in front of my face and he comes back to reality.

"What? What just happened," he asks and I roll my eyes.

"Well Hailee came over here and she doesn't understand why guys like volleyball players and I said because they got the booty and she walked off." I explain to him and flip my hair out of my face.

"I know. I was mesmerized of that booty of yours." He winks and then the boys come back out.

"Sorry to ruin the make out session but we need Ryder to come to the gym with us like right now," Camden says and pulls Ryder away.

"What was that. Why are the boys going to the gym," I ask Blair and Alison when I get inside the library.

"Nothing," they both scream at the same time.

"Liars!"

Game time.

We watch the JV game against the Brentwood Bears and we go to the practice court to warm up. Bump, set, spike, over and over and over until JV wins both games and sets up the Varsity net. We hear our coach announce our names, Alison then Blair and then last but not least me! I run out there smiling and waving and then I stop.

I look at the net and I see Ryder in a red button up shirt, jeans, vans. He's holding out roses and the volleyball net had cups in it that spelled out girlfriend. On the floor it had a question mark made out of volleyballs. My coach was smiling and I see Camden, Jaydon, Trenton, Kate, Alison, and Blair on the side. This is why they went to the gym.

"Aspen, will you be my girlfriend," Ryder asks shyly and rubs the back of his neck.

"I'd love to," I say and take the roses before hugging Ryder.