Into the ring

6- A mystery

This chapter is dedicated to Scarlett whose bitchy ways I miss more than anything

"Took you long enough," said a manly voice behind me.

"Sorry man. She got lost," Cameron replied as I turned around to face the new-comer. Parker and Ryder stood there, looking at me weirdly.

"How the heck did you get lost?" Parker asked me with a bewildered expression. "Sorry, I'm Parker by the way."

"Katharynna," I replied with a smile. In the mean time, Cameron was giving a squealing Noah a piggy-back ride. They were so adorable together.

I diverted my eyes to Ryder.

"Ryder," he said, answering to my questioning stare.

"We should get in before Kiara throws a fit," Ryder said, staring pointedly at Cameron.

As if he were a child being scolded, Cameron looked down and placed Noah back on the floor.

"She always throws fits, anyway," he muttered.

"Sorry, what was that?" said a voice I immediately recognised as Kiara's.

"Nothing.  Just saying you're the best sister in the world.." his grin faltered when he saw her glare.

"Okay. It wasn't exactly what... ouch! What was that for?" He whined, rubbing the spot where Kiara had smacked him on the head. Hard.

"Damn! Woman, are you on your period?" And that earned Parker a similar smack on the exact same spot where she had hit Cameron.

"Excuse those idiots. They're dumb," Ryder told me, pointing at his friends. Suddenly, he seemed to have noticed Noah and crouched down to his level.

"And who might you be?" he told him, his deep voice softening.

"I'm Noah."

"How old are you?" he asked.

"I'm big. Seven years old," he said showing up six fingers instead of seven.

"You missed one there, little man," Ryder replied, lifting up one more of his fingers.

I knew that he had a little brother, but I didn't expect him to be that good with kids.

"No," Noah replied stubbornly, putting his finger back down. "Can't you count? It's one, two, three, five, six, seven!"

"And where did the four go?"

Noah thought it through for a few seconds.

"It comes right after seven."

"I'm pretty sure that it comes before five," said Ryder, his eyebrows creased in false confusion.

"Ask Katharynna, she'll tell you."

For the first time, Ryder acknowledges me truly.

"Who's right, Katharynna?" he asks me.

Kiara interrupts me just as I was about to answer.

"Can we go inside? I'm cold."

Cameron picks Noah and swiftly places him on his shoulders before running into the house while Ryder stood back up.

He lagged behind slightly as everybody follows them except for me.

"My brother's seven as well," he said randomly. I looked at him.

"Yeah, Kiara told me. His name's Nate, right?"

"Yeah. Those two will get on well. Nate's always wanted a friend. But he wouldn't make the first step towards anyone."

"Noah's a bit like that too. But I'm sure they'll get used to each other." He was about to reply when Cameron called up to us.

"Coming!" Ryder shouted out. "Let's go before Kiara comes back to yell at us." I laughed and followed him inside. He was nicer than what I had thought.

We had had an amzing time at Kiara's, although I mostly listened to whatever they were saying without participating much.

Ryder seemed to have a completely different personnality when he was with his friends.

At school, he was mostly the scary guy who had girls going after him desperately while he ignored them. He just didn't give a shit about anything, since he was practically a freaking genius at school, which is why he never got into trouble. He was hostile, uncaring and rude.

But with his friends and the people he liked, he was completely different, especially with his little brother. He played and joked around a lot.

What touched me the most was that, when they were together, he treated Noah just like he did his brother. And I knew that Noah had already developed a liking to Ryder, Parker and Cameron. Despite knowing them for only a few hours, I could tell that he felt like he liked them a lot. Like some kind of brotherly love.

However, while I was starting to warm up to Cameron and Parker, I couldn't help but notice the way that Ryder behaved like I wasn't even there. He would glance at me from time to time, but that was it. I admit that it stung a little. He had been so friendly with me earlier, but it seemed to have been a one-time thing. However, I knew better than letting myself be bothered by this. No one could be liked by everyone.

"Guys, it's getting late. I need to go," I said at about eight thirty.

"I'll drop you, if you like," Parker offered.

"Thanks," I told him with a thankful smile. I took my handbag, said goodbye and brought Noah to Parker's car.

We drove silently for the first few minutes and I noticed that Noah had fallen asleep in the backseat. So I took my chance, gathered my courage and asked Parker:

"What's up with Ryder?" He seemed taken aback by my question and took a some time to figure out an answer.

"It's not my place to tell, Katharynna. But know that he has some trust issues and that he takes his time before making up his mind about people. Just don't take it too personally." he answered.

I nodded. In some way, I could understand him. But I was intrigued. What could have happened to him for him to be so suspicious of people?

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Liam Hemsworth above as Parker.