•Chapter 14•
"So, you were suspended for three days for fighting... and you missed the last day of soccer tryouts." Coach Miller reminds me, pacing back and forth around the soccer field.
I let out a disappointing sigh and nod my head. "Yeah..." I trail, not wanting to admit it, because I knew it would affect my spot on the team. There was probably a fat chance I was gonna make the soccer team now, so I didn't even know why I bothered coming to ask Coach Miller about it.
"I shouldn't let you on the team." Coach Miller states, stopping her pacing and looking down at me.
"I know," I responsibly agree. "And if you don't put me on the team, I completely understand." I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
Coach Miller looks at me for a while before sighing. "I'm putting you on the team."
I instantly put a bright smile on my face, which is honestly the biggest smile I've put on my face this whole week. "Really?"
Coach Miller nods her head in reply. "Mrs. Dwellings said you've never been in a fight before and this was your first time ever getting suspended."
"That is true," I add.
"And not only are you a great student... I was looking at you those other two days of tryouts, and you were the best girl on the field out there. You've got the potential to be our number one player."
I keep the huge smile on my face for a few more seconds before jumping in excitement and lightly hugging Coach Miller. "Thank you, thank you!" I squeal before quickly skipping off to my next class before I was late.
•••
"So, how have you been doing, you know... ever since you beat Natalie's ass?" Ryder asks as we slowly walk down the sidewalk, on our way to work.
"I've been doing pretty good... I just made the soccer team." I inform, putting a small smile on my face just thinking about it.
"That's awesome," Ryder states, nodding his head in interest.
"Yeah..." I trail, leaving out the part that I was still pretty sad. I try not to think about the situation, but it was like whenever I thought about something else, Aunt Taryn just popped right back up into my mind. Especially since I was always wearing the ruby necklace she gave me. It was like a constant reminder of her, just bringing me back to the accident. I thought about taking the necklace off so it wouldn't keep reminding me of that night, but I just couldn't find it in me to ever take it off.
Ryder and I then lapse into a comfortable silence, and it stays like this until we reach the ice cream shop. We both enter the shop and immediately get behind the counter and start working.
Ryder didn't have to wear the Cherry On Top uniform anymore because my mom came to the conclusion that it was "unfair"... So it was the end of me getting in a few laughs at how stupid he looked in it.
Ryder and I were pretty productive today, getting a lot of customers in and out. I was actually enjoying the day. With Natalie being out for the injuries that I caused her, and Coach Miller giving me the news that I'd made the team, the day has been much more bearable.
Well... that is until Layla suddenly storms into the shop.
It never mattered how good my day was going, one member of the FFF Squad always had to ruin it for me.
I roll my eyes to the back of my head in an aggravated manner and let out a huge groan. "What are you doing here?"
"What is up with you?! First I don't make the soccer team, then you beat up my best friend?" Layla yells in incredulity, storming up to the counter.
I let out a small chuckle at her words. "It's not my fault you didn't make the soccer team."
"Whatever, you still didn't have to right to beat the crap out of Natalie."
"You want me to do it to you?" I challenged, forcefully throwing down the rag I was using to clean the counter with.
"Riley!" I hear the voice of my dad call from behind.
Ryder and whipped around in the direction behind us to see my dad standing at the door of the back kitchen, giving me a stern look with his arms crossed over his chest.
I watch my dad as he walks over to me and grabs me by the wrist, lightly pulling me to the corner of the room.
"Riley—" My dad begins before I interrupted.
"Dad, you heard her. She was—"
"It's okay, Riley. I think you need to go home and rest." My dad suggests in a calming manner.
"No, I can—"
"Riley," My dad begins, resting both of his hands on my shoulders. "Just take a nice walk home, get some fresh air, and get some rest."
I look at my dad for a few more seconds before giving in and signing. "Fine,"
"Thank you," My dad says, kissing me on the forehead before going back into the kitchen.
I take one more look at Ryder — who is looking at me with a blank, yet pity look — and Layla — who is looking at me with a stupid smug grin — before I roll my eyes and storm out of the shop.
I the begin to walk down the sidewalk, just taking in the silence as I feel the warmth of the usual Miami weather and look up at the various palm trees I pass by.
Walking alone also gave me a lot of extra time to think, and I start to think about how messed up and weird things are getting in my life. I start to notice that every member of the FFF Squad is making my life a living hell except for the main member... Ryder. This wasn't how things were supposed to work. Ryder was supposed to be the main jerk of the group, the main one who bothered me throughout school and immensely agitated me to my greatest extent.
I mean, he did act like an asshole sometimes at school and around his stupid friends, but it was like most of the time now he's been all... nice... Inviting me into his house, asking me to help bake a cake for his little sister, coming to visit me while I was in the hospital. All of it just isn't adding up.
After realizing that all this thinking was hurting my brain, I shake the thoughts from my head and continue walking to my house.
When I finally reach my house, I turn the corner to my driveway and step up to my front door. I fish my house keys from my back jean pocket and unlock the front door before slamming the door behind myself and immediately trudging into my living room, collapsing into my leather couch.
"Ow..." I quietly mumble when I realize falling onto the couch the way I did wasn't such a good idea since it just worsened the pain my rib cage.
I let out a slightly agitated sigh before reaching over to the wooden coffee table and grabbing the remote to the flat screen TV.
I press the power button and watch as the screen lights up, giving me the News Channel.
"Ugh," I say in disgust before flipping through the channels until I land on SpongeBob. I didn't really want to watch that, but it would just have to do because I didn't have the energy to flip through anymore channels.
I throw the remote somewhere in the couch before settling in and gluing my eyes to the TV.
I was engrossed in the SpongeBob episode for about a whole thirty minutes before the ringing of my doorbell made me jump in surprise.
I'm not expecting company... It could be a killer for all I know. Or it could be Ryder since he's seemed to be showing up at my house a little more than expected this year.
I use my sore arms to lift my back off the couch and I turned my head towards the front door. I give it a look of suspicion before getting up from the couch and walking over to the door.
I put my hand on the door handle and twist it, opening up the door to reveal an unknown man.
I jump in surprise at the person who is standing before me and back away a little from the door, making sure I was near the kitchen so I could be prepared to grab a knife if I needed to. "Who the hell are you?" I asked, my voice cracking a little, due to my disconcerted state.
I observe the man with all the power I have in my eyes just in case I need some physical features for the police. He has dark hair, hazel eyes, pale skin, and I notice that he has a few freckles dusting his nose and cheeks. I look at his apparel to see that he is wearing a faded blue t-shirt and a pair of black, baggy jeans. He looks like a middle aged man about the same age as my father.
"Relax," The dark haired man says in a calming tone, raising both of his hands in signal for me to clam down.
"Who are you?" I repeat, my voice raising in volume. These are times I really wish I weren't home alone.
Thanks a lot dad, if I were still at work I wouldn't have to be going through this right now.
"I'm Greg Martinez, Ryder Martinez's dad."
My eyes almost bulge out of their sockets at his words. I knew this man looked a little familiar. This was Ryder's dad, the one we saw that day when we were walking to work. He didn't look like such a bad guy up close, but I know never to judge a book by its cover. All I wanted to know was how the hell he got my address and why the hell he was at my doorstep.
"How did you get my address?" I ask him with clenched teeth.
"I saw Ryder come here a couple weeks ago—"
"You're stalking him?!" I yell in disbelief. "Are you stalking me?!"
"No, I'm not stalking anyone. I just want to know where my son is, that's it." I look at Ryder's dad, giving him my full on attention as he speaks. "I promise I'm not here to cause any trouble, I'm not here to stalk anyone... I just want to know where my son is." I listen to him carefully and take in his words. Part of me didn't trust him because... it's the 21st century, you can't trust anyone these days.
But another part of me wanted to believe him...
"So do you know him or not?" He asks curiously.
I look at him for a few more following seconds before letting out a small sigh. "Yeah I know him," I admit I'm a quiet tone.
"Do you happen to know where he is?" He asks just as I expected.
"Um..." Oh, what do I say?! "Uh..." I stutter before shrugging my shoulders and shaking my head. "No, I don't know where he is. Sorry..." I lie, anxious to see his reaction.
To my surprise, he was actually pretty calm. Ryder's dad slowly nods his head. "Okay," I watch as Ryder's dad shoves his hands in his jean pockets and backs away from the house. "The next time you see Ryder can you tell him I'm sorry... for everything?"
I lightly raise my eyebrows at his words and slowly nod my head. "S–sure," I stutter, my curiosity building up a hundred times more than it was before.
"Thanks," he says before walking away and down the sidewalk.
I peek my head out of the door and watch until his figure is out of eye sight.
Why was he always walking? Did the man have a car?
I stare at nothing particular outside before taking a deep breath and slowly closing the door. I turn around and lean my back on the door, taking in the events that just unfolded.
Things are getting way too fucked up for my liking. This week has been the absolute worst week of my freaking life. And to end it all off, Ryder's dad — who is a little suspicious due to the things I've heard about him — just showed up at my doorstep, asking for Ryder.
I don't exactly know what just went down, but if I knew one thing, it's that I need answers, and I need them now.
_