The Good, The Bad and The Broken

go die in a hole

'Ever looked at your ex and wondered "was I drunk the whole relationship?"'

Ryder POV

I looked at the girl in front of me as she got off the phone with her mum. Panic had invaded her eyes the second she saw that it was her mother calling. And I wondered why. Her mum didn't seem mean from what I saw of her the day before. But for some reason, Alyx was scared. "Why did you lie to her?" I asked.

She suddenly looked frightened again and I felt bad that I was the reason. Alyx wrung her hands, "She doesn't like me hanging out with guys." She was obviously shaken so I didn't push her further, even though I could tell that she was lying.

Instead, I walked towards her and leaned in so that we were so close that I could kiss her. I towered over her and her hair brushed on my shoulder. "I don't know how to figure you out, but I will." I whispered very quietly. I wasn't even sure if she heard me.

But it was the closest I was going to come to admitting my feelings for her at the moment. I got up and prepared to bowl again. With one smooth shot, it slid down the alleyway and knocked down nine of the pins. There was one more pin, determined not to topple, but it too was wobbling, uncertainly.

Alyx and I both watched the pin expectantly and soon, it succumbed to physics. I punched the air. Another strike for me. Alyx burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" I demanded. It kind of stung that she found me so amusing.

"Look at the screen." She pointed. I tilted my head up to see what she was talking about. I had accidently bowled for her. It all came back to me at once. She never got a chance to bowl because her mum called. I groaned. "Thanks for the strike." She giggled, wiping away a tear.

"Never mind, I was getting bored of bowling anyway. Do you want to go back to my house and chill out?" I offered. She gave me a look of disgust. "Not like that. I can't believe you think that low of me." I quickly placed a hand over my heart when I realised that she took my proposition the wrong way.

She blushed and shrugged. "Sure, if that's not what you meant." I didn't know that I could find someone blushing so attractive. That moment, I found out that I could. After she agreed, I grabbed her hand and we walked back to my parent's car.

I opened the door for her of course. On the way back to our houses, I turned the radio up. The song 10,000 hours by Dan and Shay and Justin Bieber was playing.

I'd never really paid attention to the lyrics, but that day I realised that the song was made for Alyx and I.

I'd spend ten thousand hours and ten thousand more

Oh, if that's what it takes to learn that sweet heart of yours

And I might never get there, but I'm gonna try

If it's ten thousand hours or the rest of my life

I'm gonna love you

Every word was true. Alyx was the only girl for me, and all I could do was hope that I was the only man for her. I dropped her off at her house, a safe distance away so that her mum wouldn't see me. She gave me a small wave as we both walked into our separate houses.

Almost as soon as I stepped foot into the house, my mum rushed up to me. "Oh, Ryder, you're back. Come, we're going to the Young's' house for dinner." Well that was convenient. My dad appeared at the doorway and the three of us went over to Alyx's house.

The doorbell rang once. The effect was almost instant as Alyx opened the door within milliseconds of my dad pressing the doorbell. She gave me an awkward smile as her mum came into view and ushered everyone into the house.