Connecting the Dots (Shane Madej x OC)

29- Vulture Mine

The night before we're set to leave for Arizona I'm in my bedroom packing, piling in as many clothes as I can to make sure I'm prepared for the 2-week trip when my phone starts buzzing. I grab it and see two missed calls from Ryan, just as I'm about to call him back his name pops up on my screen again and I answer. 

"Sophie! Finally! I'm parked illegally outside your building! Hurry up!" He says frantically. 

"What? Why are you-"

"I need to go on an emergency run to CVS! Let's go, let's go, lets go!" He says, I laugh, not even bothering to question him anymore. 

"Ok! I'm coming!" I say, hanging up and pulling on a pair of shoes before rushing out of my apartment. Sure enough, Ryan is parked illegally right outside the apartment building, as I cross in front of the car he beeps at me and I jump halfway out of my skin. I flip him off before opening the passenger side door and climbing in. 

"First of all, fuck you," I say, buckling in. Ryan laughs, 

"Are you wearing pajamas?" He asks, 

"You said it was an emergency!" I reply. I am technically wearing pajamas,  but I didn't think it was that obvious. I'm wearing a pair of cotton, gingham pajama shorts that admittedly look like boxers, and an oversized L.A graphic-t, I had hoped it would be passable but evidently not. 

"It is! I forgot to buy travel-sized toiletries!" He explains, I groan, 

"Ryan what the hell!" I say, 

"I know I know, I can't believe I forgot either, you know how crazy I am about personal hygiene-" He starts, 

"You could buy this stuff at the airport Ry!" I say, slightly annoyed that this was the emergency CVS trip he needed me so badly for, but mostly amused. 

"It's more expensive there!"

"You could buy it when we land!" I argue, he pauses for a moment, clearly, he hadn't thought about that. I laugh. "No big deal, I love CVS," I say.

"I know! That's why I brought you," he laughs. 

We spend probably an hour in CVS and definitely buy more than we had planned too, but it's no big deal. We need to be over-prepared for this trip anyway. We're standing in line at checkout, baskets full of toiletries, snacks, and a few other random items we picked up along the way. Ryan looks like he's got something to say but he just kinda sways from side to side instead. 

"Spit it out Ry," I say, we move up in the line. Ryan laughs, 

"I dunno what you're talking about!" He protests, I roll my eyes. It's my turn to check out anyways so I leave him behind and go to the register. By the time I'm done, Ryan has been rung up by another cashier and we head out to the car. 

"So," I say, as we get ready to pull out of the lot, 

"So what?" He acts oblivious. 

"Oh my god Ryan you have the worst poker face I've ever seen!" I laugh, Ryan smirks but doesn't say anything. I decide I'll just stay quiet and let his mind do all the work for me. It's literally impossible for Ryan to sit quietly when there is something going on in his head. 

After a few minutes of silence, save for the radio, and the sound of the wind blowing through the open windows, Ryan finally pipes up. 

"So you and Shane have been hanging out a lot," He says, trying to act casual. 

"That's what you've been wanting to say?" I laugh, "We've always hung out a lot." 

"Yeah but like.... hanging out alone," He explains, I raise an eyebrow,