Summer Doesn't Last Forever | ✓

Chapter 23: I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry

The following day we’re all in Jansen’s car – he leaves it Australia for his visits apparently – and we’re on the way to the scene of the party. Well not all of us are in his car, because it would have been too tight a fit. So Ryder, myself, Faith and Jansen – obviously – are in his car. In the car behind us – which belongs to Tasha – are Matt, Cash, Marissa and Mollie.

Honestly I do feel a bit of pity for Matt because he’s all alone. Well not alone, but he’s the only one without someone. Like Mollie even told me this morning at breakfast that even if Matt wasn't her step-brother she wouldn't be interested in him. Apparently she likes bad boys. The appeal girls have of bad boys, I will never understand. Though I suppose that’s how some would see Ryder going on appearance alone, if they’d never met him. He’s just very to himself, and Ryder will not hesitate to voice his opinion. On anything.

Little did I know that this party is on a boat. I mean I don’t have a problem with boats or anything; it’s the large body of water that the boat resides in, not to mention it’s a quarter until seven and therefore dark. Now if it were daylight it’d be a whole other thing. In the daylight you can clearly see the end of the boat and the water and all of that good stuff, but in the dark? Though I suppose this party boat shall have lights on it.

        “Are you okay?” Ryder asks me, breaking through my train of thought.

I nod, looking over at him, “I’m good.” I pick my hand up and run it down the satin material of my dress, straightening a wrinkle. The dress is what I suppose could be called a lilac color. Earlier today Marissa, Mollie and I went to the strip mall and got new dresses. Ryder raises his eyebrows at me and I nod my head again, reconfirming that I am indeed okay. He honestly does worry entirely too much.

        “You not afraid of boats are you?”

I shake my head, “What? Pssst, no of course I’m not afraid of boats.”

        “You’re so unconvincing.” Ryder tells me, shaking his head and looking out of the window.

I take my phone out and see that it’s now 6:30. The party starts in a mere thirty minutes, and Jansen says we’ll be there in about ten. I put my phone back down in my lap and then tap my fingers along the top of my knee absentmindedly until the car stops. I look up and Jansen turns the car off. Everyone else opens their doors, so I assume we’re here, and I do the same.

I get out of Jansen’s car and then close the door securely behind me. My eyes widen to nearly the size of tennis balls as I turn around and see the actual size of the ‘boat’. “You said it was on a boat, not a yacht!” I whisper-shout to Ryder as he grabs my hand.

        “It isn’t a yacht; it’s just a big boat.” He replies, pulling me by hand towards the boat where the others are walking to. I gulp hoping that Ryder can’t hear or tense my nervousness. “If you are really that afraid then we don’t have to get on. We can go back to Jansen’s place if that’s what you wanna do.” He says.

I shake my head, swallowing the lump in my throat, “N-no, it’s fine. I’ll be okay.”

        “You’re sure? I don’t want you to like freak out on the boat or something.”

I nod, “Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll be okay.” I say, more to myself than to him. When we reach the end of the pier, Ryder drops my hand, and climbs over on to the boat, and reaches out his hand for me. I grab it, and he helps me over the steeper.