Chapter 3 Lonely Spot
Ryder’s POV
Achievers High hadn’t changed much
But I had.
The only goal I had for this last session was to finish it without sending anyone else to the hospital.
Left to me, I wouldn’t be back here but this was my punishment - this fucking school…
And the fucking people in it - I hated them.
Except Uriel.
I wanted to hate her too but when I saw her this morning looking all hot and still the same … I knew I couldn’t hate her even if I tried.
Not when those dark blue eyes pierced through my soul. Not when all i had known to torment, was her.
It really felt impossible to just ignore her, like I thought I would.
“Why are you onto that girl? Isn’t she the girl from the -“
“Shush! She might hear you.” Peter cut Mason off. They dropped their ass on the spot Uriel and her nerdy gang had left vacant.
“Are you really still going on with that stuff? You’re a real fucking gamer!” Mason whispered, clapping his hand on my back.
Glaring at him, I shook his hands away from my back.
“Right.” Mason dropped the conversation, seeing I wasn’t ready to further it.
“Yo, cap. Can’t wait to have you back on the team.” Peter cheered, stretching his arms out as he tried to change the subject.
“I won’t be joining.” I told him, my face hard.
“What do you mean you won’t be joining?” Mason and Peter asked simultaneously, looking at me like I had grown two heads.
Or three, considering I had two heads.
If you know what I mean.
“Seriously man, you’ve got to be joking right?” Peter pressed on, leaning over the table.
“Is there a joker mask on my face?”
“Holy shit. He’s fucking serious, Pete” Mason yelled only to reduce his voice later on.
Sighing, I dropped my fork, losing my appetite.
“You can’t let Chase be captain this year.” Peter said, his tone serious.
“Looks like it’s already happening.” I was so nonchalant about it and it irked them so much. I could see it in their faces.
“Is there something you’re hiding from us? Did your therapist tell you not to join Basketball again? It didn’t even have anything to do with your suspension man. You were suspended because you got into a fight about your personal life not basketball!” Mason argued.
“It’s just …. I’ll come around.” I shrugged, looking away to tell them I was done with this conversation.
“Hi!” A voice said, gaining my attention.
“Hey pretty E.” Mason smirked, eyeing the girl up and down.
Her eyes were solely on me, not even sparing Mason a glance. “And you are?”
“Emma.” She smiled brightly, her plump lips stretching. It only irked me.
Why was she smiling so much.
“Emma Kennedy.”
Uriel Kennedy’s sister?
“You are related to Uriel?” I asked suddenly, a bit attentive.
Her face morphed from irritation to confusion, before settling on a weird ass, fake smile.
“She’s my … my sister.” The way the word ‘sister’ rolled off her tongue. It was stiff.
“Cool.” Was all I said, throwing my face away.
Uriel Kennedy.
A weirdly unique specie.
She made a fucking impression on me when she asked me to move out of her seat in Marketing class.
No girl in Achievers High had ever done that.
She was well aware of my position as captain of the basketball team yet she challenged me.
It was fucking surreal and unbelievable.
My 16 year old ego couldn’t take such rejection and so when I saw the opportunity to blackmail her into being under my control….
I grabbed it.
I tormented her pretty boring life.
Not one of my proudest moments though.
I bet she still hated me for that.
“So that’s why I stopped by. Maybe we could be friends?”
I turned to the blonde hair girl, Emma, staring at her in utter confusion. I barely listened to her.
“Friends?” She gritted out, her lips slightly parted.
“I don’t make female friends.” I told her, picking up my bag.
“Sorry, he’s in a grumpy mood.” I heard Peter make excuse for me. Like he always did.
Before I could leave the cafeteria, Chase hurriedly blocked my path, standing chest to chest with me.
Unless I was quite taller and bigger.
“Ryder Connell. Is this the 3 months suspension or were you too ashamed to bring yourself back to school knowing I had taken over in just 2 months after you left.” He shot, feeling proud of the nonsense he spewed out.
Scoffing, I tried to move but he blocked me again. “Running again, are you? Come on, don’t be a pussy.”
“Excuse you?” I growled, taking a step forward. My eyes were hard and emotionless.
“Ryder.” I heard Mason call out to me. I understood he was warning me to curtail my anger.
“Just so I can say I warned you, I’ll tell you what I did during my absence. I spent my free year, breaking the bones of twats like you who think they ruled the world.” I sneered, locking eyes with his.
A hint of terror flashed in his eyes but they were gone in seconds.
“You don’t scare me.”
“Then why are you sweating already, Chase.” Scoffing, I stepped back. “You can shine for now, Chase. I’m letting you.”
He shoved me backward by my chest, his nose flaring. “No! I am at the top because I’m better than you.”
“Because I left. I made a way for you.” I corrected, raising my eyebrow.
I chose to ignore that his filthy hands touched me. I had so much at stake if I picked up another fight.
Mr. Connell made sure of that.
“Fuck you.” Chase shot at me. “You’re just a pussy. You’re scared that I’ll be at the top forever while you’d be there, like a regular team member.”
“If that’s what makes you sleep at night, Chase.” Shoving past him, I made my way to the hallway. My chest heaved up and down as I made my way to anywhere that didn’t have student in them.
Mason and Peter knew better to let me cool off. So, they didn’t follow me.
My eyes caught onto Uriel and Emma having a tensed conversation. I hid by the corner of the locker, straining my ears.
“You better not cross my path, Uriel. Don’t do what I wouldn’t like.” Emma warned, pointing a hand to Uriel’s face.
“Bla bla bla. Here’s your wallet, Princess Emma. You know why I do what I do for you. Don’t push me to the wall either.” Uriel shoved past her.
That girl.
“You will regret this!” Emma yelled, storming away.
Sibling fight?
None of my business anyway.
The bell rang immediately, making me groan out loud. That didn’t seem to last long when I saw Uriel entering my next class.
At least.
Someone to torment.
Someone that didn’t throw herself at me.
She was seated, sorting something out of her bag. The desk in this class wasn’t two in one like the last class.
I took the desk beside hers. Leaning closer, I spoke. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re stalking me.”
“Make it fair. Joyce and 10 others are stalking you too.” Uriel gave me a bored look, while I raised my eyebrow in confusion. “Because they were also there in English class.”
Oh.
I smirked, nodding my head. “Fair enough.”
She didn’t respond.
“Do you have a note …”
“Oh Universe! Why me?” She threw her head backward, whining. Then she looked at me, “I am only supposed to guide you, isn’t it?”
“And tutor me.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” She hissed, irritation etched in her voice. “There’s Lance. He’s smart.”
“I don’t want the nerd.”
“There’s Chase. I bet he’d teach you better.” She faked a smile.
“I’ll pass. I’m fine with you.”
“I’m not fine with you. I didn’t consent to this.” She threw her hands up.
“You’re being discriminatory right now, Kinky.” Smirking, I told her.
“Enjoy your seat.” She tapped at the girl in front of her. “Joyce, switch with me?”
Joyce stared at me with dreamy eyes, accepting the offer immediately.
“Uriel.” I growled under my breath, warning her not to do it.
“Joyce would put you through anything you need.” Uriel said politely, bowing down dramatically.
She was such a character.
I must’ve really done a number on her those years.
“Hi Ryder. We meet again. You ignored me this morning and -“
I shoved my EarPod in my ear, cutting her out. She wasn’t who I needed.
I didn’t even know when I zoned out during the class. It was not until one guy tapped me that I noticed that the class was empty.
My eyes fell to the seat Uriel sat on. It was empty now.
Fuck.
She was really running away from me.
I thought we were friends?
The bell rang, indicating that school was over. Mason and Peter were stuck in a sports meeting and me…
I was just going to go home and drown myself in my Music.
That was the plan until I caught onto the golden colored hair, petite girl. She was in shutting her locker for the day.
“Kinky!” I yelled, making my way to her.
She glanced at me and turned away immediately, increasing her pace.
Shit.
Pushing through different students, i ran after her. When i reached her, i used my hand to grip hers, stopping her from running.
“Seriously?”
“If you were me, you’d run too. Don’t give me those judgy look.” She hissed, snatching her hand away.
“What did I ever do to you?”
“You don’t remember?” She eyed me up and down.
I shook my head. “No.” Big lie.
“Of course!” She scoffed, turning away again.
“You have to tutor me today for the test tomorrow in Biology class!” I announced. “Mrs Biology, whatever her name is, asked that I meet you.”
“We don’t offer biology.” She deadpanned.
“I missed last year so there are compulsory classes I must take.” I didn’t like it.
Her mouth formed an ‘O’
“Tell her I’m occupied.”
“But you’re not.” I raised my eyebrow. “I can’t lie.”
“Ryder, you can and you will. If Biology is so hard, use YouTube.”
“10 marks will be added to your tutor dashboard.” I said immediately, looking at her.
Did I need her? Not exactly.
I could always understand on my own.
However, a part of me liked to see her frown at me frustratedly.
“You’re not using that on me.” She pointed at me. “I may need all the points but you can’t -“
“I’ll leave a review and 5 star?” I smiled brightly. My offer was mouthwatering. “5 star from a Basketball top player.”
“Shut up!” She hissed. Her eyes held conflicting emotions.
She knew she needed it but was she going to let her dislike for me win?
“Hey Uri! Coming?” Her friend with the dark hair called. I think her name was Kathie.
Mason told me about her once.
Can’t remember the full details.
“Uhh…”
“Just an hour only. 15 points if I talk to Principal?”
“Fuck you, Ryder.” She gritted, walking up to her friends.
Pfft.
Turning around in shame, I dragged my feet on the ground.
“Hey dimwit!” A voice called. Her voice. My lips broke into a smile as i turned. “You better not be shitting me, Ryder or else, I’ll ruin your life in this school.”
“Come on, I know a lonely spot.”