The Boy I Can't Remember

Chapter 8.

I start heading to the school gates but when I turn a corner I notice Lily and Ryder having a heated discussion. 

I stand there watching them for a good minute before Ryder eventually sees from the corner of his eye that I'm there. He stops talking to Lily and lifts his head up towards me, we make eye contact so I give a tiny smile and walk into the opposite direction. It is none of my concern what they were arguing about.  I kind of expect Ryder to walk with me to the school gate but he doesn't and a part of me  is disappointed but after Sheridan told me about his dad I didn't know how to act around him. Mom's car pulls up and I get in, it's a silent ride home.

LATER THAT NIGHT

I'm sitting on my bed watching gossip girl on Netflix when I get a phone call, I pick up.

"Hello?" I answer pausing the show.

"It's Ryder" The other person on the phone replies.

"Oh. What's up?" I ask.

"Come outside." Is all he says before hanging up.

I jump off my bed and chuck my black fluffy slides on. I have a cardigan on so I wrap it around me tighter and leave the front door. I immediately see Ryder sitting on the curb with his head down, he has a backpack on. I'm confused but I cross my front yard to see what's going on. I stand next to him.

"Ryder?" I say.

He doesn't answer, he's like a statue. I sit down with him.

"Ryder, look at me." I instruct him.

Slowly but surely he lifts his head up, his hair falls back and he turns to me. His eyes are red and puffy and he looks exhausted.

I take a heavy breath "What happened?" I ask.

"I had a fight with Will, he kicked me out. I didn't know where else to go." He explains and looks back down.

I don't know what to say so I wrap my arms around him and hope my hug speaks for me. He places his head on my chest and we stay in this embrace for a while.

He looked so fragile and broken, it shattered me.

"Come inside" I tell him.

He lifts his head up and I let go of him.

"I don't deserve your help"

"Of course you do. You've done nothing but help me and now I want to return it. Everyone needs help at some point on life." And then I grab his warm hand and stand up.

Ryder gets up too and I practically drag him by his hand into my house.

"Mom!" I shout.

She walks down the stairs and stops when she spots Ryder next to me.

"What's going on?" She asks me with a puzzled look on her face.

"This is Ryder Hudson." I reply "He's got no where to stay, I was wondering if he could stay up in the spare bedroom until we can sort things out with his accomodation."

Mom puts her hands on her hips she looks at me and then Ryder and then back to me. I can tell she's thinking hard.

She throws he hands in the air "Fine. He can stay."

I smile cheerfully. Ryder puts his hand out and shakes my mom's hand "Thank you for this. It means a lot."

"You seem like a sweet boy. You can call me Theresa" My mom tells him.

I'm so grateful to have a caring mother.

"Okay, I'll take you to the spare." I say to Ryder.

We walk up the wooden staircase and down the hallway, the spare bedroom is directly across from my room. I open the door and let him walk in first.

"It's not much but it's better than a park bench." I say.

"You barely know me, you can't remember me. Why do you trust me?" He questions.

I stare at him before answering "I just do."

He grins and then sits down on the bed, he places his bag on the floor. I know that he's not okay and I don't want to leave him here alone. I walk over and sit with him.

"I'm a disaster" His voice cracks.

I set my hand softly over his.

"You aren't. You're a work in progress and I will be here to help you until the very end." I comfort him.

Assuming he would rather be alone, I stand up but he grabs my hand, I turn around. Before I know it his hands have grabbed my face and our lips connect, I stood there frozen.

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-S