stoic

Chapter 17

"I cant believe you managed to get ungrounded." Ella said as she showed me to her room.

"I know, my mom said that I was responsible and that winning the competition proved my dedication. Plus I might be getting a scholarship but I'm not sure yet."

"Omg that's so great Mackenzie!" She said excitedly.

"So why didn't you race?" I asked her as she got out her makeup.

"I sprained my ankle and coach said I wasn't fast enough."

"What? That's insane?! Of course you're fast enough."

"I dunno." She shrugged.

We continued talking whilst doing our makeup and hair.

I put my curled hair in a high ponytail and left two strands at the front to frame my face.

"I think people are starting to arrive, let's go downstairs." Ella said excitedly, as I followed her out of her room.

Downstairs, there were a range of different drinks and snacks and the speaker was already blaring music which I sang to whilst eating the chips which were on the counter.

It had been an hour since the party had started and people were already getting drunk and high by the minute. Me on the other hand was extremely sober.

As I was walking through the crowd of people I spotted Brendan on the couch with some girl straddling his lap. Just as I was about to turn around to find Ella, I heard Brendan call me name.

"Hey." I smile and he returns it, taking my hand and taking me to the hallway where there were a few horny teens making out.

"So I've been meaning to tell you something." He said, slightly slurred whilst rubbing the back of his neck. We were inches apart whilst I was leaning on the wall and he was looking down at me. I gestured for him to carry on talking and he coughed leaning down to kiss me. I was taken off guard so when he pulled away after I didn't kiss back he frowned.

"You're drunk." I laugh and he laughs in return.

"You tried coming onto me when you were drunk." He shrugged and I furrowed my eyebrows together.

"Did I?" I asked him and he hummed in reply. "Besides, you've been weird with me since that night-"

"Kenzie.." he paused "I love you."

He what...

I was shocked. And I don't think it was the way in which I wanted to say it back and kiss him and we'd be a happy couple.

We were... friends with benefits? No strings attached... at least that's what I thought.

"Mackenzie?"

"I'm sorry Brendan.. I cant-"

"I get it." He sighed, taking a step back from me "you don't feel the same way.. I was a rebound?"

"No of course not.."

"Just forget it, forget I said anything." He said walking away. I felt so bad.

"Brendan wait!" I called after him.

"It's okay Mackenzie. I liked being led on." He said sarcastically.

"What? I wasn't leading you on."

"It sure as hell felt like it." He said softly before disappearing into the other room.

Frustrated, I walked out of the front door and sat on the steps of the porch.

I heard a sigh from behind me and I looked to see Ryder sitting next to me.

"Are you okay?" He said in a low voice which almost blended in with the muffled music.

"Yeah." I say quietly. "Just hungry you know." I let out a single quiet laugh.

"Let's get something to eat." He says standing up.

We walk to his car and he takes me to the diner which had become my new favorite place.

"So are you going to tell me whats up?" Ryder asks me after we finish ordering our food and drinks.

"Brendan was acting all weird since you whispered something in his ear and then earlier he came up to me drunk.." I pause to look at his reaction, "he told me he loved me."

Ryder's lips turned up into a smile and I frowned.

"Princess, he's loved you since Sophomore year."

"What?"

"Yeah, you'd always reject him though thinking you were the queen bee of the school with your little boyfriend." He said with slight humor and I threw a fry at him. "God knows why he's inlove with you." He laughed after and I went to slap his arm but he caught my wrist and grinned evily.

"You're evil." I say to him and he gives me a dimpled smile.

We continued to talk for around an hour and a half until Ryder offered to give me a ride home.

"So you never actually hooked up with Lindsay during the summer." I ask him as he concentrates on the road.

"Nope. I went to a party one night and she was making out with Emmitt-" He stops for a second.

"It's fine carry on." I sigh.

"So she spotted me and out of no where, she kissed me. I obviously didn't kiss back but she thought I did and that's when the rumors that we hooked up started." He never once took his eyes off of the road but he had a small smile playing on his lips.

"She can't keep her hands to herself." I roll my eyes and look out the window, humming a long with the faint radio.

"Did you just sing along to an ad?" He laughed and I snapped my head round to him.

"No."

"Yeah you definitely did." He smirked and I slapped his forearm. "Don't distract the driver!"

"Don't bully the passenger." I say back and stick my tongue out at him before he laughs quietly.

We were left in a comfortable silence, with the radio still playing.

"Ryder.." I start as we pull up to my house.

"Mhm?"

"What did you say to Brendan?" As soon as I ask him he stops the engine and shakes his head.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if he was acting weird with me."

"Just forget it Mackenzie, everyone else has."

"Fine." I sigh in defeat, slightly frustrated before opening the car door. "Thanks for the ride." I mumble angrily before getting out.

Just after I get out of the car, I hear a car door shut and a hand pulls me around to face Ryder. He stands infront of me looking down as if he's going to say something.

"You need to stop over-reacting about everything." He says with no emotion.

"I'm not over reacting." I cross my arms over my chest and sigh.

"You're getting mad right now, over nothing." He says sounding slightly humored.

"It's not over nothing-"

I was cut off by his lips on mine and his hands landing on my waist. I uncross my arms and place my hands on his chest as we continue kissing. I was suddenly hit with reality. I was kissing Ryder Wilson... or he was kissing me. Either way, our lips molded together perfectly and moved in sync with each other as if we were each other's oxygen. This felt like a different kiss than ever before.. I felt like there was a spark there? Forget that, there was a fucking lighting bolt.

He pulled away, leaving my lips tingly and numb. "I'm sorry." He whispered, his face still close to mine.

"For what?" I managed to get out in a small voice.

"This."

And he kissed me again.