Only Summer Loves October - Ryden

Chapter Nine (Part Two) - It Will Happen Again... I Swear

I cough to make the two of them aware of my presence. "Sorry to interrupt this little meeting, but Zack asked if you want to come for lunch with us."

Both their heads flip round to face me, clearly startled. Ryan looks smug when he realizes it's me, but Lucy looks devastated. She ducks out from under his arm and rushes back inside, sniffling. The door shuts behind her, and I stand still, glaring at Ryan.

"Yeah, lunch sounds cool. Let's go." He says casually, heading for the door.

I push him back; I'm not done yet. "Wait a minute, what the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Jealousy isn't a good trait to have Brendon, let's go to lunch." He tries again for the door and I push him for a second time.

"I'm not jealous you dumbass. I just want you to explain what you're doing, hiding out here with another girl when you're in a relationship. A relationship with my best friend." I demand. It dawns on me that the reason I recognized Lucy is because she looks almost exactly like Sophie, making this situation even more difficult to accept.

"Oh yeah, that. Because Soph's feelings were definitely in the forefront of your mind the night of my party. And the morning after too." Ryan raises an eyebrow at me, when I don't give him a response he tries again to leave and I don't stop him. What else can I do?

I decide it would be best if I don't join the guys for lunch. After giving myself a few minutes to calm down, I head out the front, walk up to the car and tell them I'll make my own way back. Zack squints his eyes and looks confused, I think he's about to ask me why I've changed my mind but when he sees me glance at Ryan he rolls his eyes as and starts the engine, as if to say 'I don't want to know'. If I've learnt anything about Zack over the last few weeks it's that he can pretty much tell you exactly what he's thinking through facial expressions alone.

The car pulls away and for some reason I watch until it turns the corner and it's out of sight. Guess I better go home, finish packing and try and forget any of this ever happened.

I wish that Emma was here so at least I would have someone to talk to, I feel so lonely and I hate it. Then again, it's probably best she's not here because I'm awful at hiding things and I don't know if I could keep what I've just witnessed between Ryan and Lucy a secret. If Emma found out then Soph would be sure to know within minutes, and it would break her heart if she found out any of what Ryan has been up to. She didn't hear from him the whole time he was out of town and she's pretty bummed about it, according to Emma anyway. Sophie speaks to me less and less about Ryan lately and I don't know if she just doesn't want me to feel awkward because I'm in a band with him, or because she's suspicious there's something I'm not telling her.

I get into a taxi and stare out of the window, trying to think about how to fix things with Ryan but quickly getting distracted by the driver singing along to the radio. He's reciting every lyric to 'End Of The Road' by Boyz II Men perfectly. This song has been in the charts for weeks so I'm not surprised he knows it by heart, I'm just amazed by how into it he's getting, like he's giving me a private concert. When the song finally ends I feel rude for not applauding.

"Do you like music?" The driver asks as he turns the radio down.

"Yeah, I guess. This isn't the kind of music I usually listen to though."

"No? What do you like then?"

"Err, The Beatles, Billy Joel, there's too many to name to be honest. Have you heard of The Weeds?"

"Oh yes, my daughter is obsessed with them. She won't stop talking lately about how they have a new member, Bradley or Brett or something like that. She's sure they're going to announce another tour soon and I'll be the one having to take her to the concert. I hope the tickets aren't too expensive because I know that'll be all she wants for Christmas this year."