Playing Hard to Get

Chapter 5: Saving Ryan and seeing old friends

Once the plane landed I was off to mine and Ryan's favourite cafe that we called the usual. It was where all of us would meet up for a chat or if we needed an escape.

I open the door and the aroma of the cafe hits my nose. Mmm smells like hone already.

"Andy?" Rosie the manager asks.

"Hey Rosie!" I say and give her a hug.

"Dear what brings you back to New York?" She asks.

"Ryan needed me. Is he here yet?"

"Sorry dear he-" she starts.

"Andy!" I hear Ryan call out. I turn around and look at Ryan. My body moves on itself and I fling myself at my best friend jumping into his arms and wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Ryry! God I've missed you!" I say with a sob as I hug him tightly.

"I've missed you too Handy Andy" he whispers.

"Its been forever since I've heard that nickname" I say with a small giggle and wiping my eyes.

"I missed being able to say it" he says with a kiss to my forehead. I smile into his chest.

"Come on you two, you're drawing attention towards you both" Rosie says with a chuckle.

We let go of each other and Rosie takes us to our usual seats and gets our usual drinks and snacks. I've always loved this cafe. It was what got me to help dad with our cafe. This will always be home.

I take a good look at Ry and notice a black purple mark on his eye.

"You're beautiful eye!! Its bruised and swollen!" I say shocked beyond belief. Did his dad really do this just cause he likes men.

"I'll be fine" he says.

"Fine my ass. You are coming back with me for the weekend and I'll drop you off on Monday. No arguments either." I scold. He needs me now more than ever.

"God girl you haven't changed one bit miss bossy" he replies. We laugh at his comments. He is true. When it comes to those I love I will become a bossy boots.

"Yeah but you love me for it" I say back with my tongue poked out.

"Unfortunately so" he says with an eye roll.

"Please, I'm not that horrible" I say over dramatic.

"Girl! You are so that horrible" he says trying to do a girls voice to the words. We both burst out laughing at our silliness.

"No that's the laughs I like to hear!" Rosie says as she places our drinks and snacks in front of us. We both got a caramel strawberry milkshake and peppermint caramel fudge slice. We were the ones who created it with the help of Rosie.

"Thanks Rosie. I've missed you and this place which will always feel like home to me" I say smiling.

"I never doubted you could ever forget us or this place. So hun what brings you here anyways?" She asks.

"This over dramatic loser needed my help and you know me. I'll drop my life for those I care for" I answer her.

"Whatever, you love me so much that you missed my awesomeness and decided to come back" he says poking out his tongue. I giggle at him.

"I must admit I've been more happy hear now than I've ever been in California." I say.

"Does your Aunt know you're here?" Rosie asks. Ever the responsible adult she is.

"Yeah. I told her Ryan needed my help and with it being the weekend she allowed me to come. But I have to be back in 4 hours. How's Sarah?"

"Shes been better. At the moment she's crashing at her new boyfriends place" Ryan says.

"Wait, she has a new boyfriend? What happened between her and Rick?" I asks.

"He just up and left her. No note no nothing. She was so devastated and she took the first bus back home. She tried going back to her parents but you know what they're like, so she was able to go back. She did crash at my place for a little while until she got back on the horse. He new boyfriends name is Shane." He explains. I do miss that devil. The door jingles and the devil's voice appears in a loud shout.

"Is the bitch who left me here or what Ryan?!" Sarah says as she enters. Her eyes narrow on to me and I cower into my seat. Shes the only one who could ever make me intimidated. Then I smirk cause she left first.

"Bitch, you were the one who left first for that jerk of an ass Rick." I say to her. It's good to banter like the old times.

"Please. I was only gone three weeks and I texted you every chance I got. You haven't texted any of us since you left." She says. Shes right it just hurt to be apart from them that even thinking about messaging or calling I couldn't do it. Instead I got drunk off my ass.

"Wanna come to California with us Sarah? Itll only be for the weekend though." I asks her.

"Have you replaced us with anyone in Cali yet?" She says in a serious tone. Here we go. Question time.

"I could never replace my two besties." I say with sincerity.

"Then yes I'll be honored to go to Cali with you two. Also dude how did your eye get more ugly?" She asks Ryan.

"Long story girl but my dad knows I'm gay." He replies back to her.

"Ah that makes sense then. Also can Shane come with?" Sarah asks me.

"Yeah I'd love to meet him."

"Just remember you can look but you can't touch" she says with a wink. I roll my eyes and chuckle.

"I wouldn't dare touch your man Sarah" I reply.

"I would. He's smoking hot" Ryan says. I giggle and shake my head as the two get into an argument about Sarah's boyfriend. They're such dorks, but they're my dorks that I love beyond belief.

My phones goes off and I take it from my pocket and answer it without looking at who's calling.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hey Andy! Its Alex, got your number off of Soph. Okay that's a lie I snopped through her contacts and seen your name and stole your number from Soph." Alex says. At least he answered my unsaid question. Such a imbecile.

"And you called me why?" I say rolling my eyes at him.

"To asks if you want to come to Quins party. You in?" He asks.

"Hang on one sec" I say and cover the phone with my hand as I look at the expectant eyes of my best friends.

"You guys want to go to a party tonight?" I asks them.
They both nod their heads and I put the phone back to my ear.

"I'm in. When and where is it?" I say to Alex.

"10 pm and Quins place is 135 Colonel Road. See ya there princess!" He says and before he hangs up I shout out.

"Dont call me that!" The phone goes beep and I put it away.

"Who was that?" Both Ryan and Sarah asks.

"An imbecile" I reply back "we should head back now then that way we can convince aunty to let us go"

We all stand up and I hug Rosie tightly and bid my farewells to her and the cafe. I told her I'll see her again soon.

We pick up Shane on the way to airport and I get James to fly us all back to Cali.