Like Cats and Dogs -Jori

Pink Lemonade: Chapter 17

{~~~~TORI~~~~}

"Lissa!" I yell the second I realize where we are.

Melissa didn't tell me where we were going. She said it was a surprise, so I just went with the flow. Now, I realize I should've insisted on an answer.

It's a party; which I'm okay with. My friend's trying to cope with her newfound singlism and independence. Going to a party is only to be expected.

But this is Ryder Daniel's party.

Oh man, Jade's gonna kill me when she finds out. Especially because I promised I wouldn't come. Not that I let her tell me what to do, but I don't know. I just have a feeling she wants me to stay away from Ryder for my safety, and not just because she doesn't like him.

While I'm off in Lala land, thinking about all the different ways Jade is going to kill me, I hear the slamming of a door. I blink a few times and realize Melissa's gotten out of her car before I could beg her to take me back home. Us back home actually, because I can't leave her here. Who knows what kind of guy Ryder is. Jade didn't elaborate, so I've been left to make up my own reasons for why she doesn't like him. Maybe he's a player, or a heavy drinker, or a girlfriend beater, or a drug user; heck, maybe he's even all of the above!

"Lissa!" I hiss, running up behind her. "Let's leave. We can go somewhere else. Anywhere!" I openly beg. I know she's gonna tease me about it, but I'm not ashamed of it in the least. Not right now.

"Come on, Icky." She says, not breaking her stride for a moment. "Quit being so damn boring. Live a little."

Live a little? That's what I'm trying to do! 'Cause if I go in there I'm sooooo gonna die. No doubt about it. My girlfriend will probably use her special scissors on me and make my death as slow and painful as possible.

I literally shudder at the thought.

Melissa turns around abruptly and I walk straight into her. "Look. You'll be fine. Just don't hook up with anybody. And if you do, I promise I won't tell your girlfriend." She winks at me.

I let out a groan of pure frustration. That's not what I'm worried about at all! So I try again. "I'm not supposed to be around Ryder." I explain.

"Why not? He's got a restraining order on you or something?" she quips just as the door's opened for us. Well, maybe not for us as we didn't even get a chance to knock. (Not that anyone would hear a knock over the loud music inside.)

I don't answer Melissa because Ryder just so happens to be our door opener. Not only that, but I don't actually have an answer. Like I said, Jade never told me why I have to stay away from him.

"Hey Tori, Melissa. Glad you made it." He grins at me.

"Jade'll be here in a few minutes." I stupidly lie. I don't know why, it just came out before I could think about it.

Surprisingly, Melissa doesn't contradict me. Not even in a nonverbal way. She doesn't roll her eyes, or scoff at me, or anything. In fact, she's barely paying attention to us, opting to look over Ryder's shoulder and peer inside the house instead. She's that eager to get to the party.

Ryder's grin widens even more before he steps to the side, motioning for us to go inside while he leaves with a gorgeous blonde who's been clinging to him since he opened the door. Only I failed to notice her because I was totally wazzing out.

He probably couldn't care less about me right now, and I immediately feel pretty stupid.

All the more reason to leave.