The Constant

Chapter 40

RYKER POV

"Shut up, I did not do that!" Bea exclaimed. 

"Yes you did!" I teased back as I drove towards school. It's been almost two weeks since we talked and then hung out and since then we've been hanging out almost regularly again. We were driving to school together most days. Things felt good, but there was still a tension present in the air that neither of us wanted to confront. 

"Anyways, thank you for driving me to school most days". She said quietly.

I quickly peered over at her. "It's not problem, seriously Bea. You know I really love spending time with you. Anytime you need a ride, just ask and I'll be there". 

We had just pulled into the parking lot when she spoke up again. "Well actually, you won't have to worry about me anymore. I got that job I had before I briefly moved to South Carolina back and I have just about saved enough to buy a used car. One paycheck left!" 

My heart sunk, she was drifting further and further back to just friends and it felt like I was on limited time to get her to see that we belonged together.

"Oh that's great". 

"Yeah I'm pretty excited. I should probably get going though, I have to talk to Mrs. Harper before class. See you in math?" 

I nodded, unable to speak. She smiled, "Okay great, thanks again for the ride!" and with that she bounced out of the car and into the building. 

BEA POV

"That will be $45 please". 

The boy across the table looked shocked, "$45 bucks! That's like a whole shift at the Bucky's Pizza!" 

I shrugged, "Sorry, but due to the money we made at the homecoming game it is cheaper than what it would have been originally". 

He sighed and pulled the money out of his pocket and handed it over, me exchanging him two prom tickets". 

"So did I tell you that Joseph asked me to prom?" Miranda said as there was no one waiting in line. 

"What? When? Where?" I asked curiously. 

She couldn't stop the huge smile that spread across her face. "It happened last night when I was working. He was out to dinner with his family, and I showed them to their table. Well about twenty minutes later he came over to me and asked!" Her face lit in excitement. 

We both let out a squeal and jumped. "I'm so happy for you Mir! That's gonna be so fun".

She smiled, "I know school is almost over and that I'm going to Princeton and him UCLA, but he's so nice and we still have a few months before summer...' 

"It's going to be great, you should enjoy this time," I cut her off from her worried ramble.

"So, do you think you and Ryker will go together?" She asked. 

"I don't think so, I think it would just be awkward and sad, we're just friends now". 

"Bea...'

I shook my head, "It's better this way, Miranda. We just weren't going to work as a couple and I don't want to lose him". 

She just gave me a pitied look which I tried my hardest to ignore. 

"Look here's another customer". She said. 

I looked up and saw Jared coming my way. 

RYKER POV

I was thinking all day about Bea and what I could do make her see that we were meant to be together. Then I thought of prom; it was romantic, fun, and somewhere we could go together. It was only days away, and I could ask her to go as friends. 

I was heading to my next class but I knew Bea was running the Prom ticket table right now so I figured I would stop by and say hello. As I approached the corner I could hear her talking and laughing with someone. I stopped and slowly peaked around the corner and that's when I saw him. Jared, talking with her and laughing. 

Jealously boiled in my veins, I leaned against the wall. I had to restrain myself. If I picked a fight with Jared or showed I was jealous to Bea I would just push her away. I decided that the best thing for now is to play dumb and pretend I hadn't seen them talking, so I turned around went to class the long way. 

---BREAK---

The rest of the day dragged by as I kept thinking about Bea and that asshole. I couldn't stop wondering if he was one of the guys Bea had been with, and if he was going to try to get back together with her.

As I was walking to my car I saw him walking with that stupid smirk he always on his dumb face. I knew I shouldn't but I had to know that Bea was still off limits to him.

"Hey Jared!" I called out. 

He turned around and when he saw me his smirk grew, furthering my agitation. 

"Wipe that damn smirk off your face" I ordered.

 "What's up your ass Adams?"

"You are. Leave Bea alone. Got it?"

"What are you talking about?' then he smirked knowingly, 'oh did she tell you about us? How I kissed her and touched her and..' 

"Shut up!" I shoved him, hard enough to knock him back a bit. 

"You're not even dating her anymore dude get over it dude. I banged her, get over it!" 

With that I punched him in the face knocking him down. At this point a huge crowd had formed and Jared had gotten up, lunging for me and shoving me down. The crowd of people gasping as they watched. 

"What is going on here?" I heard a voice boom, stopping Jared and I in our tracks. We looked and saw Mr. Wiseman, a science teacher looking at us expectantly. When neither of us answered he sighed. "Let's break it up and move along. Now!" 

Everyone including Jared broke apart and headed away, him giving me one more dirty look. 

I sighed and was about to head to my car when I heard my name called. I turned around and saw Bea's face, she had seen everything. 

"Bea I-' 

She held a hand up to interrupt me, "Stop, just stop it Ryker. What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought you understood and respected me and what I said!".

"I do respect you!".

She shook her head, "No you don't because if you did, you would understand that you and I are just friends and you wouldn't have picked that caveman fight with Jared over me like I'm some kind of thing that you can claim. You know what Ryker for now on, just leave me alone." She then started to turn away.

"Bea please wait, at least let me drive you home".

She looked at me, pure anger in her eyes, "I'll walk," and with that she walked off, leaving me alone with my regrets.

BEA POV

"Mom I'm home!" I yelled as I walked in the front stairs. I had managed to get a ride home with Miranda who had happened to see the whole thing. I was shocked, angry, and hurt at what Ryker had done, I had hoped we could transition back to friends like we once were, but maybe that was impossible. 

As I kicked off my shoes in the entrance, my eyes wandered to the front table by the door, where my college acceptance letters sat. I had officially gotten in to every school I had applied to, and I had just made my decision.