Woods Is Where The Heart Is {Sequel To FTW}

Chapter Thirty-Seven: You Love Me?

Ryder's POV:

After hearing the message, we all ran down to the hospital in time to see Kameryn rushed to the OR on a gurney. As he passed, I got a quick look at him. He was pale and covered in a lot of blood. Grasshopper clutched onto my leg and I looked down at him to see his face buried in my pant leg. I squatted down and pulled him into my embrace.

"It's going to be okay, kid," I told him, hoping my words were true. Tyler looked at us before slumping down on a bunch and burying his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Aria," Chase mumbled, before walking away down the hall.

Aria looked at me and I shook my head, "He just needs a minute."

I took in everyone and saw them all breaking down, comforting each other. Times like this, you realize how much you need your family--and all the fighting doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, because we had each other's backs when hard times come.

Grasshopper pulled away and went to Tyler. I stood up, ignoring the tear stain on my pants.

***

Hours later, I finally convinced everyone, with the help of Hunter and Brody, to go and eat something. I finished eating my crappy hospital burger when I saw Jet walk up and sit in front of me. I raised a brow, and he looked at his clasped hands before looking up at me and sighing, "I'm sorry, Ryder. In Vegas, I slept with Rumor. She means nothing to me but I wanted to get back at you for some reason only to see that you never cared about Rumor anyway. I still feel like a dick though, you're my cousin. And I was a even bigger dickhead to my own brothers. I don't know why, honestly. I just wanted to apologize, because that wasn't me."

He got up quickly, and walked away to Trevor. I felt someone tug on my hand and looked up to see Aria.

"Come with me," she ordered, quietly.

Without hesitating, I nodded and stood up. I let her lead to me out of the cafeteria and into some hall.

"I'm sorry about the way I've been acting...About not telling you about the test," Aria apologized, hanging her head. I tilted her chin up and shook my head, "No, I'm sorry. The things I said, I didn't mean them. I was in denial without even realizing it. It took a ten minute time with Perry to realize that I don't want anyone but you-"

"Wait, Perry?"

"I'm sorry," I told her. Please say it's fine...

"You're sorry?" she shrieked. Okay, maybe not. I sighed, "Yes, it was wrong!"

"Wrong? You totally cheated on me!" she yelled.

"I know...I feel horrible about it, trust me." What happened next is still confusing me to this day. She lunged at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and my pulled my mouth to hers. Our lips meeting in a fiery passion I didn't know we contained. When we did pulled back, I asked, "Am I forgiven?"

"No. You promised me forever." I opened my mouth to speak, only to be interrupted.

"No, I did," Aria gasped and turned toward the man who was gonna take her and everything away from me by telling the truth.

"The letter you read on the plane," Jenson started, giving me a quick glance, "Ryder, if you love her you have to let her know the truth."

Aria looked at me, her lips parted, "You love me...?"

"Gee thanks, Jenson," I muttered.

Aria turned back to Jenson, urging him to continue. She has to know the truth, the only way her and I could move on  in a relationship--if she even wants us to.

"I wrote the letter, the night before you were going to leave. I had a plan--I had found the jewelry box in your room when I went to talk to you, but you were already out with friends or something. I grabbed it and was going to put the letter in it. That was, until you called me your friend. I'm okay with being your friend now, by the way. Anyway, after you had said that I had made the letter different--Put in Ryder's perspective. Went up to his room and told him to go after you and give it to you. Which was hard, by the way, considering he's a stubborn ass. Don't even think about interrupting, Ryder, you know it's true-"

I chuckled softly and shook my head.

"I gave him to you. I didn't know why back then. I do now, Aria," he looked at us both and smiled, "This is who you're suppose to be with. I'll find someone one day, and I've come to terms that it's not going to be you. I'm okay with that. I just want you to be happy."

Aria looked at both of us, speechless before murmuring, "I haven't made my decision yet, Jenson. Because I-"

"Guys, we're allowed to go see Kameryn now," Tyler told us, walking out of the cafeteria.