Never the Same

Thirty-one

ASPEN'S POV

When me and Ryder got off the plane, my hands started shaking, I'm so scared right now. I'm here, I'm back for good but it's scary, being back to the place where your dad died. Ryder could tell my change of mood all of a sudden, he wraps his arm around my waist tightly. "Aspen," a girl screams and tackles me to the ground, followed by two other girls on top of me.

"Um, hi but who are you guys," I ask, I swear I broke every bone in my body by three random girls tackling me to the ground.

"Your best friends," they all say, standing up but leaving me on the ground. I notice them instantly, Kate dyed her hair back to a pastel blue, Alison has bright red highlights in her hair, and Blair has purple highlights in her hair. I play along with the not knowing who they were as a joke.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you." I knit my eyebrows in confusion, I glare at Ryder talking to the boys who soon rush to my side.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Alison you could've not body slammed her to the ground and give her a concussion," Jaydon says and gives Alison a wink. "You looked hot though." Alison blushes and smiles at him.

"Are you seriously flirting with your girlfriend right after she gave Aspen a concussion? That's not cool dude," Ryder says and smiles my way, so he caught on. I was kinda depressed when he didn't use the word girlfriend, but I shrug it off.

"She's shitting y'all, look at how she's smiling. How many fingers am I holding up Aspen," Trenton asks and pushes Ryder and Jaydon out of the way, holding up 4 fingers.

"That's not for if you have a concussion, dumb ass. That' story if you get hit in the head with something or your vision is blurry," Camden says and pushes Trenton for being stupid.

"Well the floor hit her head, obviously pretty hard," Kate says and places her hand on her hip. That's always been Kate, sassy as fuck.

"And that's basically a concussion dumb fucker," Blair says but then cutely smiles at Camden, basically her apology for calling him a dumb fucker.

"It's a good thing you're cute," Camden says and kneels down from my height, pushing Trenton out of the way and holding up three fingers.

"Hey do y'all wanna go to Mel's after this," Alison asks and smiles, wrong timing home girl.

"Fix her you guys! I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't the same," Ryder says and fake sobs, a little dramatic Ryder but good job.

"You'll be okay dude," Jaydon says and pats Ryder's shoulder. Good thing none of them caught on to our plan because Ryder wants to be dramatic.

"Or we could go for Chinese food," Kate says to Alison and Blair, all the boys look at them like stop being irrelevant with your stupid food.

"Really guys? Ryder just lost the love of his life and y'all are talking about food," Trenton asks them and they shrug while nodding.

"Let's let Aspen say something," Camden says and everyone turns to look at me. It was the kind of look when you're late to class and the whole class turns to look at you, you know what I'm talking about?

"Y'all are so gullible," I say and laugh my heart out with Ryder. Ryder reaches his hand out and I take it, letting him pull me up. I wipe my blue jean shorts off with my cream colored sweater and black knee high socks.

"Not funny," Alison screams and I rush over to bear hug her. We embrace tightly, rocking from side to side.

"What about us," Blair and Kate say and pout their bottom lips out. I get out of me and Alison's embrace into Blair's then Kate's.

"You can't forget us," the boys say and open their arms out; Camden, Jaydon, then Trenton.

"And me," Ryder asks and pouts out his bottom lip. He looked rather cute, with his messy hair and normal attire as we already talked about.

"How could I forget," I say and smile, walking over to him. He holds out his arms.

Right when I'm about to embrace his arms, I turn away and yell, "Sike!" Which earns a course of cheers from the girls.

"You're gonna pay for that," Jaydon yells and I turn to him, arching my eyebrow. He's sorely mistaken, like usual.

"I'd like to see you try." I place my hand on my hip, that's the sassiest pose to make. Look it up.

"Oh really Aspen," Ryder says, coming up behind me. Before I know it, Jaydon is on my left and Camden is on my right. I'm surrounded!

"Oh hell no," Blair yells and runs over, jumping on Camden's back. The others quickly catch on and jump onto Trenton's and Jaydon's backs.

"Omg! Piggy back rides like yaaaassss girls," Ryder says in his girl voice and jumps onto my back. Everyone laughs, including me. Hey, I can actually support Ryder's weight. That's shocking, I must've been hitting in gym at night!

"Excuse me. Please stop with the horseplay we don't tolerate it," the receptionist comes over to say. Her bleach blonde hair didn't go well with her orange tan, her fake nails were so no appropriate for this job, and her boobs were out her uniform. All the guys mouths were agape, I push Ryder off my back and he falls onto the floor, the girls hop off the guys backs, clearly unamused by the flight attendant.

"What do y'all wanna do now," Kate asks as Ryder grabs our bags. I packed at least four, I think.

"I have to go see my mom and step person? They aren't married but their engaged, so step fiancé? But that sounds like he's my fiancé," I say, obviously over thinking on what to call him.

"Call him whatever you want. He's weird," Alison says as Ryder hands me my bags.

"Like I don't know that." I roll my eyes and we walk into the parking lot. I assume all the couples are okay, but their must've been some drama in them, and I'm determined to find out what it is.

"Good luck. Bye you guys," Blair says and hops onto Camden's motorcycle.

"Bye," Alison and Jaydon yell, getting onto Jaydon's motorcycle, Alison looks so innocent, it's hard to believe that her and Jaydon are dating.

"Bye," Kate and Trenton yell, getting onto Trenton's motorcycle, Kate on the other hand looks so natural.

"Your mom is picking us up," Ryder says and rubs the back of his neck. If I was drinking water, I would've done a spit take