Brothers Best Friend

The Diner

As I was getting ready, Matt came upstairs to ask where we were going.
"Hey, where are we going"
"Oh to a diner. You know I love their food."
"Yeah okay, are we leaving soon?"
"Yeah, Ryder texted me he will be here in like 10 minutes"
"Alright I'll be waiting in the living room"
I could tell Matt still didn't feel comfortable about the idea of going with us. However, I knew that deep inside he wanted to hang out with his best friend again and I knew that when Ryder was in the hospital he had been super worried, even if he tried to play it off.
I quickly put on some black leggings, a cropped hoodie and my doc martens. I was wearing all black, except for my cherry red docs. I had recently started wearing a lot of leggings because one they were comfortable and two I just liked how they look. I got a text from Ryder saying he was outside. Usually,
He would just walk right in, but since the incident he felt like he couldn't do that anymore. I walked down stairs to open the door.
"Hey Matt, he's here"
I opened the door and Ryder was standing there looking so good. He was wearing his leather jacket. I loved it when he wore his leather jacket. I thought it made him look so hot.
"Hi baby, you ready?" He said. I still hadn't told him Matt was coming because I didn't want him to say no.
"Yeah but there's this thing that I didn't tell you"
"What?"
As soon as he asked this Matt came to the door and said "are we leaving yet?"
"Well. That, Matt's coming"
"You haven't told him I'm coming yet. That's just great. Yeah I'm not going"
"Oh yes you are. Plus Ryder's okay with it. Aren't you babe?"
I gave Ryder a look and he immediately responded with a very insincere but more forced
"Yeah sure"
"You see now come on let's go"
"Fine" Matt walked out and headed to the car.
"We will be there in a second. Just get in the car" I said to Matt as he walked out. I needed to talk to Ryder for a second and see how he was really feeling about this.
"Ryder..."
"Yeah?"
"Are you really okay with this?"
"I mean this is going to be awkward but I do miss my best friend. However, if you tell him that I will kill you."
"Mhm yeah sure you will. Just try to be nice okay. Trust me it'll be like how when we used to hang out."
"But better." He said
"What do you mean?"
"Well now I don't have to pretend that I'm not completely in love with you."
As soon as he said this, I blushed.
"Stop. I hate you"
"Oh is my babygirl embarrassed."
"No"
"Right, right. By the way your ass looks really good in those leggings."
Again. I blushed but also felt a wave of something else if you know what I mean.
"Ryder stop it."
He laughed but bent down to give me a quick kiss as we headed to the car.
"Okay let's go then" he said smirking.
The drive to the diner was quiet and awkward but once we got there I was so excited because I had been craving a grilled cheese, with fries and a milkshake for so long. We walked over to a booth and me and Ryder sat on one side with Matt on the other side. After a while of silence. A waitress finally came over to take our orders. She immediately focused on Ryder and I knew she was going to try and flirt with him. I mean I couldn't blame her he looked so good today but like come on I'm sitting right here. It didn't help that she was gorgeous. She pulled down her dress a little and proceeded to stand too close to Ryder.
" So what would you like?" She said only looking at Ryder. I was a very jealous girlfriend and Ryder knew that but I would never admit it. I answered first.
" Can I get a grilled cheese, with a side of fries and a large chocolate milkshake?" I said as I scooted closer to Ryder. He smirked knowing exactly that I was jealous.
"And for you?" She said redirecting her gaze at Ryder. She smiled and was being overly friendly.
"I'll have a burger and a Coke" replied Ryder keeping his eyes on the menu but trying to contain his smile.
" and you sir?" She asked Matt never looking away from Ryder.
"I'll have the same he's having." At this comment Ryder looked up at Matt and they quickly both looked away.
"All right I'll get that for you. Anything else you want just let me know."
As she was leaving she brushed her hand on Ryder's arm and I scoffed. Once she was gone Matt started laughing, and I was so confused. Ryder couldn't help but laugh either and I felt like I was missing out on the joke. However, I was glad that they were laughing together.
"What! What's so funny?"
"You oh my god. It looked like smoke was about to start coming out of your ears. You looked so angry and your face oh my goodness it was so red. I don't think I ever seen anything so hilarious in my life. Said Matt still half laughing. And then his Idiot of a best friend chimed in.
"Jamie I thought I was going to have to hold you back from a fight. Baby there's no reason to be jealous you know."
"I... I was not jealous. She was just being too much. If there's anything else I could get you" I said mocking her voice while blinking my eyes in an exaggerated manner. I did not like where this conversation was going but I was glad that it seemed like Ryder and Matt were clicking already even if it was at my expense.
"Yeah ok little sis, whatever you say." As soon as this was over Matt realized that he had been laughing about me and Ryder that he had actually not been disgusted by us as a couple. He was about to say something when the waitress came back with our orders.
"Here's the grilled cheese and the milkshake for you, here's your burger, and here's" as she said this she leaned down getting too close to Ryder "your burger and coke"
"Thanks that's all we need for now" I said very rudely. She ignored me and decided to talk to Ryder.
"Hey if you are ever in need for a good time you should call me?"
"Umm No thanks." Said Ryder
"You sure about that?." Oh my god she wanted to die this girl had a death wish.
"Yeah I'm sure and Im pretty sure my girlfriend here is also sure" that's right stupid girl I'm his girlfriend I thought not brave enough to say it out loud.
"Omg I'm so sorry I thought she was your little sister." Said the waitress in the fakest voice I have ever heard. "She just doesn't like she would be your girlfriend you know. I mean it's just your so hot and she's well you know ."
"No I don't know. But thanks we won't be needing anything else from you tonight." Said Ryder getting irritated. I on the other hand was self conscious and my mind immediately went to the thought that maybe she was right. Maybe he was too hot for me maybe he should be with someone more like her. I kind of looked down and she noticed. She was doing this on purpose but it was working.
"Well if you ever change your mind you know where to find me"
Ryder didn't bother answering her and she walked away. Surprisingly it was Matt who spoke up.
"The nerve of that girl. And you" he pointed to Ryder. Ryder looked nervous because he had no idea what Matt was going to say and honestly neither did I.
" I'm sorry." We both kind of looked at him in disbelief.
"What?"
"Oh come on man don't make me repeat myself. I said I'm sorry. I was wrong and I realize that now. I should have never gotten mad at you for being with Jamie. Shes my little sister and I don't want her to get hurt. But, I realized just now watching that encounter that you really do lover her."
"Matt it's okay I..."
"No let me finish. Before, you would have not looked away from that girl and dude she was gorgeous. Sorry Jamie but my point is that you didn't even look at her and you defended my sister and I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too for not telling you sooner and I do really love her Matt. I always have but I couldn't just tell you that I had a crush on your sister because our friendship is also important to me and I'm sorry that I ruined it."
"Hey listen we both made mistakes. Let's try to put that in the past and just move forward."
This encounter was making me so happy and it had even made me forget about what had happened five minutes ago.
"Omg would you two just kiss already" I said making them laugh. " I want to eat my food while it's still good. Thanks Matt. For understanding"
"No problem little sis but please keep the PDA to a minimum" he said earnestly. I was happy it seemed like they were finally going to be friends again and it seemed like everything would go back to the way it was, the way It had always been... but better. We finished our food and headed back home where the atmosphere for once was not awkward or weird and that made me happy. And I was happy in this state until I remembered the diner and self doubt kept creeping back in. What if she was right? What I wasn't good enough for Ryder? A lot of what ifs had been running through my head. And as the day ended and I went to bed, a lot of what if's were left on my mind.