Falling For The Bad Boy || Completed

Chapter 4

  RACHEL P.O.V.

My cousin had left around 7:30 p.m. and my brother got home a few minutes after.
  I acted like a mom when he got home.
  "Where have you been?" I ask with my hands on my hips. I can feel Chase's presence behind me but I hope he stays behind the corner so Ryder doesn't see him.
  "I was with Penelope," he shrugged like it was no big deal.
  "And you didn't think to text or call me?" I ask and he drops his head.
  "I'm sorry Rachel Okay? I didn't mean to leave you alone. I-"
"No it's . I've had Chase here to keep me company but it just scares the shit out of me when you are gone," I cut him off and Chase thinks that's his cue to come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist and lean his head on my shoulder.
"That," he motions to me and Chase "is disgusting," my brother says.
I stick my tongue out at him and say "So are you and Penelope."
He doesn't have a comment. He just goes up to his room and slams the door.
  Chase softly laughs behind me.
  "What's so funny?" I demand and he motions for me to come to him with his pointer finger.
  I scoff at him and go to his arms.
  "You."
  "Am not! I'm just putting Ryder in his place," I protest.
  "And it's funny," he chuckles and I give him a playful glare.
  "And cute," he adds, staring deep into my eyes.
"Do you find everything about me cute?" I ask playfully.
"Mmhhm," he mumbles as he backs me into the wall behind us.
"Including me in my Victoria secret bra?"
He blushes a deep red and tenses up.
It suddenly gets awkward. I'm not sure what to say or do. I mean, we aren't in a relationship; we've just kissed before. I guess we act like we're in a relationship but we aren't. At least, I don't think we are. Are we?

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Chase had left through the window later in the evening. Ryder and I had made up, both of us apologized for imputing our unwanted opinions, and moved on with our lives. My mom had arrived home and was starting dinner. Our dad didn't live with us anymore. He had bad 'history' with our family and now we had a restraining order on him. He moved to Washington anyway with his girlfriend.
"KIDS!" My mom yelled up the stairs. "DINNER!!"
I opened my door and jogged down the stairs, Ryder right on my tail.
I reached the kitchen first so Ryder had to get drinks. That was a dumb rule we came up with as little kids and it just stuck.
When Ryder handed me my drink, I smirked at him and he stuck his tongue out at me.
"Ryder, be polite," my mom says, smiling at me. She knows why he did it and she's on my side. Hah.
"But-"
She gives him the look and he plops down in his seat, deciding not to argue.
"So, how was school?" She asks.
I swear, I almost forgot we had school today. So much had happened today.
"Detention was boring," I muttered.
"That's what happened when you punch someone."
"Yeah, I know."
"For the record, my day was great!" Ryder chirped in, taking a bite of meatloaf.
Mom looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.
"And why was that?" She asks, holding her fork in between two fingers, holding it kinda weirdly.
He blushed and looked down at his food.
I laughed and covered my mouth since I still had food in my mouth.
"Shut up Rachel," Ryder muttered and my mom softly slapped his hand.
"Be respectful," she warned.
I tried not to laugh again so I grinned widely.
"Rachel has been making out with our neighbor," Ryder mutters but our mom catches it.
"Rachel!"
I throw my hands up. "He's cute! And he dared me to let him try and make me fall for him!"
"So you have a make out session with him?" She asks, clearly not getting it.
"Thanks Ryder," I yell, motioning my hand towards him.
I abruptly get up from the table and run up the stairs to my bedroom.
I slam my bedroom door and run a hand through my hair and glance out my window.
I see Chase pacing around his room with his hands in his hair. He looks stressed, severely.
I text him.
CUTE NERDY GIRL: What's wrong?
I know he reads it because it says 'Read: 5:58' but there is no response.
Why won't he answer? What's going on with him? I knew I shouldn't have let him into my heart! He's just going to shatter it. And I let him. I let him crawl his way into my heart and now he's going to shatter it.