Never the Same

Twenty-two

Ryder's been acting different on this date ever since he got a text when we were walking back to the park. He's been coming up with short responses and all the color is drained from his face.

"Ryder. If you don't feel good, we can go home. I have no problem with that. We'll try this again some other time," I say and stop walking.

"So Taylor can take you away," Ryder whispered under his breath, hoping I didn't hear.

"Hey hey hey. Taylor is just a friend." I smile reassuringly to him but he just glares at me. It's not the nice kind of glare either.

"Is this for the bet?" I forgot all about the stupid bet, I like Ryder, bet or no bet. I'd end up losing.

"Ryder. You've already won the bet. It's hardly into our junior year and I'm here, with you. I'd rather be here than anywhere else. I'd rather be with you than anyone else. Now smile and cheer up. You can even text Taylor telling him that I'm yours!" I take my phone out of my back pocket and hand it to him. "3663 for food."

He smiles softly at me and bursts out laughing. I just now remembered my lock screen is a picture of me, Blair, and Alison, freshman year. For a fund raiser we got pies thrown at us. It was us making funny poses drenched in pie. My braces make me want to shoot myself in the face.

"Nice face baby girl." He smiles and winks at me before typing into the phone and giving it back to me. "Read it."

"I'd rather not dude." I smile and take his phone, I run off into the park.

"Aspen. Come back here," Ryder yells and I hid behind a slide, giggling. I turn on his phone and I see a picture of me sleeping... The one from my dream... I unlock his phone and spam him with selfies.

He's still looking for me when a little girl runs over and hugs my legs, her big hazel eyes look really familiar to me and her long brown hair reaches her butt. Her maroon sweater and black leggings go nice with her little beanie, I say she's about five or six. "Will you help me find my brother," she asked and looked up at me. It's like 9 at night, why is she still out here?

"Sure. Hold on. Let me get my boyfriend and we'll help you," I say and we come out of hiding and Ryder sees us. Ryder looks at me and smiles, then he sees the little girl on my leg and his face washes over with confusion. I just mouth I don't know to him and he walks over.

"Who's this little girl, Aspen," Ryder asks and ruffles her hair, she giggles softly and shows off her pretty little white teeth.

"This is," I say, hoping she'll catch on and say her name, she doesn't.

"Why are you out here so late?" He's squatting so he's at her eye level, it's honestly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

"My brother wanted to get used to his crutches and he took me here, he went away while I was playing. I lost him," her small voice says and she starts to cry softly. Ryder takes her face in his hand and his thumb wipes away her tears.

"Hi I'm Ryder and that's Aspen. Isn't she pretty?" I feel the heat rush to my cheeks.

"Yeah. I wanna look like her when I'm older." She smiles up at me and I pick her up.

"Do you wanna sit down and tell us what your brother looks like? Or do you wanna walk around till we find him," I ask her and place her on my hip, I brush my hair to the left and hold her on my right hip.

"Let's sit. I like sitting. Can I sit on your lap? Or on Ryder's lap? I like you guys, y'all won't leave right?" I smile at all the questions she was asking and we sit down on a picnic table near the park. The little girl sits in my lap and I wrap my arms around her waist, Ryder takes out his phone and takes a picture.

"Ryder," I whine at him from across the table.

"What? You're just so good with kids. I remember the first time I saw you with Daniel. Putting him asleep. God, I met your parents that night. Now that I realize it, I probably made a horrible first impression," Ryder says and runs his hands through his hair.

"They like you so shut up." I grab his hand from across the table and make small circles on the back of his hand.

"Are y'all in love," a little voice says and I remember this little girl is here.

"What's your name, sweetie?" I tighten my grip on her waist and smile at her.

"Scarlett. My brother looks like me, except his a high schooler, he has hazel eyes and brown hair. He's really tan and he's on crutches." I look for a little while and I don't see anyone else.

"I have a Daniel in my class. He has cooties," Scarlett says and sticks her tongue out, I look over at Ryder and he's chuckling, he knows it's his brother.

"Boys do have cooties, especially Ryder," I say and stick my tongue out with her, Ryder takes my hand to his lips and kisses it. He smirks at me while Scarlett just gasps.

"You're gonna pay for this Ryder Johnson," I scream and start chasing him around the playground, I finally catch up to him and he just grabs me and throws me over his shoulder.

"You're cute when you're mad," he says and I can feel all the blood rushing to my head, I decide to take action and pants him. I do it swiftly and he drops me on my butt. "Aspen!"

"Ewwwwwww," Scarlett says from the park bench and I just laugh. Ryder pulls his pants up and comes over to help me up.

"If you wanted to see that then you could've asked and I would've taken you to your house in two seconds," Ryder pulls me up and whispers seductively in my ear.

"In your dreams bad boy," I say and skip off to Scarlett. I slide in the seat next to her and Ryder sits across from us. Scarlett decides to go over and sits on Ryder's lap, I take out my phone and take a picture.

"That's him," Scarlett screams and points behind me, I just see a person in the distance on crutches. "Come meet him!" She grabs my hand and I lift her up and put her on my hip.

"Cameron," Scarlett screams at the stranger who is now getting closer, Cameron the sophomore, Cameron from my dream.

"There you are pumpkin! I thought I lost you," his deep voice says as he crutches over to where we are.

"This is Ryder and Aspen." He gets closer and he looks exactly the same as he did in my dream.

"I went over to Uncle Taylor's house. Remember him?" He didn't even acknowledge me and Ryder.

"Of course! But you left me!" She looked like she was on the verge of tears, she's still on my hip and I'm unsure of what to do.

"I went back to find you but you weren't there." Cameron's eyes looked sincere and apologetic.

"But then Aspen and Ryder came." She smiles before whispering, "Their in love." I just laugh and Cameron looks at us with a smile.

"Well they are very cute together." He brushes a strand of hair out of Scarlett's face and she giggles.

"Thank you," I say softly and hand Scarlett over to Cameron. Her smile turns into a frown.

"I want to look like Aspen when I'm older. She's pretty isn't she," Scarlett asks and Ryder wraps his arm around my waist protectively.

"She's very pretty, but you're the prettiest girl ever," Cameron says and pokes her nose cutely.

"Well we gotta go. Bye," Ryder says and turns me around. I turn the other way and give Scarlett a cute kiss on the cheek.