Sunshine | ✓

#32

Third Person POV

It's been a week since Sia found out that the boy she was talking to on the phone, the one who she so fondly called McClane, and actually made her happy.

She knew she was falling for McClane and that's why it hurt so much more when she found out that her mysterious caller, was none other than Ryder. The same guy who frustrated her to no end. She barely went a day at school without being picked on by him. For a week Sia's been mentally chastising herself, for not recognising his voice over the phone. She's heard his voice, enough times, 'how did she not realise?' she thought to herself. The thought hadn't ever occurred to her, that her mysterious caller could be Ryder.

He was even the reason she got stood up on her first date. Of course that guy was friends with Ryder, she should've known. But she didn't think he would be that cruel. 'Who even does something like that?' She thought to herself, when she overheard them laughing about it in the cafeteria.

Sitting on her bed, she feels as if she is in a turmoil. On one hand, there is Ryder Daniels. The guy she absolutely cannot stand. He's picked on her, been mean to her and even made her cry. Everything about him makes her mad. However, on the other side, there is McClane. The side of Ryder, she never knew about. Everything he said to her, all the jokes, the reassuring, the compliments, all of it just made her feel butterflies in her stomach. Every time he called her Sunshine, she felt the warmth of the rays inside of her. No one ever made her feel this way. When she got stood up, all she wanted to do was speak to McClane, knowing he would say something that would put the smile back on her face, but he was also the cause of the tears she spilled.

His drunken confession had caught her off-guard. He wasn't in his right mind, but she was, she would've even replied back, until she actually found out who he actually was. But that voicemail. That was him sober, everything he said, he said in a conscious state.

"Damn, that was some voicemail." Hannah, Sia's best friend says in astonishment, after listening to the voicemail.

Hannah has been Sia's best friend since they were 5. They told each other everything and knew all about each other. Which is why Hannah understood, the pain her best friend was feeling after finding out that the guy her friend was so clearly falling for, was none other than her mortal enemy. Her personal Voldemort.

Sia's been listening to it for the past couple of days, non-stop, as if it were a broken record, but playing the most bittersweet melody.

"Hannah," Sia says her name in an almost scolding tone. Not happy, that her friend seems to be so astounded by this voicemail. She wanted a different reaction from her, more angry than happy.

"What?" Hannah shrugs innocently. "I'm just saying, who knew Ryder Daniels would ever say things like that."

She is very surprised that the star QB of their school, the one every girl seems to swoon over, basically just confessed his love to her best friend. Sure, he doesn't know it's her, but still.

Sia shakes her head, "They're just words," she says.

Her heart wants to believe every word he's said to her as McClane, but her brain seems to know better. She won't fall for it. Words are just words, they're all empty, it's you that has to give meaning to it, and she doesn't want to.

"No." Hannah says, her voice more stern.

"They're words showing how he feels, and it's pretty powerful," she stated. "Are you sure you don't want to talk to him?"

Hannah knows she's meant to be Sia's best friend, and her loyalty will forever be on Sia's side, but she can't help but feel sorry for Ryder. He's clearly fallen hard, confessed his feelings, and now he won't even get a text back from the girl he's been talking to. Sia knows who he is, but he has no clue, and that doesn't seem fair to her.

"I thought you didn't want me talking or meeting him?" Sia questions her friend, furrowing her brows.

"Yeah when I thought he was a psycho stranger, this is Ryder from our school." Hannah points to the phone as she talks in a dramatic fashion.

"Exactly, it's Ryder from our school," Sia says in an almost 'duh' tone. "The same one, who locked me in the janitors' closet, put a spider in my locker and constantly makes fun of me," she reminds her.

Hannah knows that Sia is listing these things out for herself, as a way to remind herself why she shouldn't be with Ryder. Sure, they're all pretty good reasons, but there is also one issue...

"The one you speak to on the phone sounds like a different Ryder," Hannah tells Sia in a soft voice.

This statement puts Sia in a thought for a bit. It is an issue. The Ryder she had all those conversations with, was so different, it was almost like it was a split personality. She had fallen for his McClane personality, but it won't change the fact that he is still Ryder, that personality of his still exists.

"It's probably an act." She brushes off Hannah. "He's a drick," she said.

Hannah looks at Sia in confusion. "A what?" She questions her.

As if on some sort of reflex, Sia replies to her, "A drick. A dick and a prick."

Hannah gives her friend a weird look, "Okay then..." She says, before continuing, "-Look, I'm just saying, yes, all the things he's done and the constant picking on you sucks, a lot."

Sia nods at this, but before she can say something, Hannah raises her hand so she can continue talking. "But he sounds sincere Sia. He told you he's fallen for you and I believe it, and I know you do."

"It's probably another prank" Sia huffs.

"Sia-..." Hannah tries once again to convince her friend think about this and not make a mistake, but before she can do this, Sia shakes her head.

"Please can we drop this." She says, her voice almost pleading and she turns away from Hannah.

She really doesn't want to hear anymore about him.

"Fine." Hannah says exasperated, getting off the bed and walking towards the door. "Just let me say this last thing."

This causes Sia to turn back towards her friend. "Don't lose out on something that can be really good because you're so focused on hating Ryder." With that, Hannah leaves.

"I wish I could hate him, but I don't." She whispers to herself, as a lone tear escapes her eye.