Chapter 52 Not private anymore
Uriel's POV
"Do you really have to go? Will you come back?" My father asked me, looking at me as I zipped my bag.
"Oh let her leave!" I heard my mother yell from their room door.
My jaw clenched, my hand aggressively grabbing my hoodie - Ryder's hoodie, more like.
"Faith, please!" He hissed angrily.
Sighing, I crouched to his level. "I'm not 18 yet."
"But you'll be in 3 months." My father sighed softly, holding my hand tight. "Would you leave then? Leave me?"
My eyes stung with brewing tears. Quickly, I shut my eyes, stopping it. "I'll be back, Father." I raised his hand to my lips, placing a soft kiss.
"I'm sorry, Uriel." He squeezed my hand before slowly letting it go.
Biting my lips, I shook my head.
"It's not your fault, father. I'm sorry." I haven't been honest with you.
I didn't even know how to tell him.
"Mother, stop her. She can't go without your consent!" Emma pointed out, her face red with anger.
"Darling, let her leave. Isn't it what we've all prayed for." My mother tried to reach for Emma but she shoved her hands off, the slam of her bedroom door echoing through the hall, almost deafening us.
"That girl!" I heard my mother mutter. "What are you looking at? Go!"
My eyes slowly accessed her outfit, a disgusted frown on my face. "Where's your shame, mother?"
Her mouth fell open, her eyes frozen.
Before she could find her tongue, I bolted out of the house.
My face lit up when the cool breeze hit my face, blowing my hair backwards.
"Uriel!!!" I heard Kathie's voice from a distance. My eyes squinted, following the car that was approaching.
"Get in!" Chloe waved at me.
"Aww guys!!!" I cooed, throwing my bag in the boot first. "You really came for me?"
"Why not?" Kathie cheered. "Are you excited?"
"As long as I'm leaving my mother and sister, why not?" I chuckled, my heart swelling with joy.
"Seriously. A breather." Chloe groaned from the driver's seat. "Lance said to tell you sorry that he couldn't make it."
On hearing his name, my blood ran cold.
Every day since that day, I tried to convince myself that friends can peck each other and it didn't mean anything.
But why did it feel so weird.
"Hello?" Kathie waved her hand in my face.
I jerked back to reality, raising my eyebrow at her. "Huh?"
"Thinking about the hot things you'd do to Ryder already?" Kathie teased.
"Don't remind me of my predicament!" I groaned, covering my face with my palm.
"Predi - what? You've been given an opportunity that most Achiever's High School girls are dreaming of. Are you even human?" Chloe chuckled from the front
"H..he's not all that. The hype is too much?" My words sounded too dry, almost like I didn't even believe what I was saying.
"Girl, I want hot gist okay?" Kathie warned. "Not teaser. Actions."
"Yeah, I'll let you know how he dived into the pool and swum out our victory." A laugh cracked out of my lips when Chloe and Kathie glared me.
The tyre screeched, the car halting. "Thank youuuu. It means a lot to me."
They came down with me, pulling me into a group hug. My heart melted at this, my cheek burning from smiling so much.
I couldn't bless God enough for them.
"Use condoms!" Chloe advised.
"Chloe!" My eyes flew wide open, dragging my bag from the boot.
"What? Someone has to say it?" She shrugged, blowing me a kiss.
I waved at them, walking up to the bus.
"Get in. Fast, fast!" Coach Ben took my bag, rushing us all in. "Take your seats accordingly!"
I looked at the number that was written on my paper. "2"
My eyes landed on the empty space that laid next to Ryder.
Of course.
Sighing, I walked up to him, throwing myself on the seat. "Hey."
He didn't respond, his face thrown to the road.
My eyes raised up to his ear, noticing the earpod. I plugged them out, "I said, hey!"
"Oh, it's you. Yay." Ryder said, his face showing the opposite of what he was saying.
Nice sarcasm.
"Isn't it great to be sitting next to your favorite person?" I placed the earpod in my ear. The song suddenly got paused, his hand coming up to my ear, pulling out the bud.
"My song lists are private." He frowned slightly.
"That's a first?" I chuckled, relaxing into my seat. "It's going to be a long ride."
"Tell me about it."
"Tighten your seatbelts!" Coach Ben instructed as the bus began to move.
We stayed quiet for a while, listening to people chatter, laugh and our the car engine revving.
"Have you ever wished you were not born?" I suddenly asked, feeling the urge to talk.
There was something about being next him.
It made you... vulnerable.
I don't know how to explain it for you to understand better.
Somehow, he cracked my walls.
"Every time." He answered, surprising me
I turned to him, a small smile on my face.
I didn't expect him to respond to me.
"What's your story?" I raised my eyebrow at him. "More like, what was your childhood like?"
I caught his shoulder tense up, his jaw tightening.
Oops.
"You don't need to answer it." I said quickly, facing forward. "Mine was ... Lonely. My father loved me, no doubt but somehow, it wasn't just enough."
My eyes fell to my thigh. My throat clogged, the words heavy to let out.
"I needed my mother's love." I scoffed, shaking my head to myself. "I always wanted her validation, refusing to see that it was never going to happen."
"Why's that?"
"Because she's Emma's mother." I turned to him. His brows raised in confusion.
Chuckling lightly, I turned forward again.
He didn't get it.
"You were adopted?" He asked again, shock evident in his voice.
"Maybe." I shrugged. "It always felt like that."
"But..."
"Unfortunately, I wasn't. The album and birth certificate says so." I chuckled, squeezing my hands together.
He sighed, not saying anything for a while.
"She only cared about Emma. Maybe because she actually wanted her. I showed up 3 months later."
"Huh?" Ryder frowned slightly.
"I swear, I was equally shocked." I chuckled at him. "I'm a 12 months baby."
"Explains why you look that way." Ryder teased.
"Hey!" Smacking his chest, I laughed.
"You see, you understand. I didn't even say anything." Ryder chuckled, holding my hand on his chest.
"I... You... Nothing good comes out from your mouth."
"Actually, I was going to say you took time making sure you looked pretty." He smirked.
My heart swelled, my cheek heating up.
"So, you think I'm pretty?"
"The question should be, did it work?" Ryder folded his lips, turning away.
"You!" I tried to smack him again but his grip on mine was stronger.
We stayed quiet for a while, our hands twitching against each others.
"My childhood was lonely. Mainly because I was the only child." His tone was hard. "I'm sure they regret having me."
"Our star basketballer and soon to be star athlete? They better do a rethink." I joked but he didn't laugh.
When I turned to him, his eyes were back to icy cold. He released my hand from his grip, his legs bobbing up and down.
My heart broke for him.
It was obvious that he wasn't letting out everything. His leg movement and the way he pressed his thumb into his index finger, told me much more. I wondered what his life truly was like.
My hand moved on its own accord, resting on his legs. He tensed under my touch before slowly releasing his muscles.
"What would you do if someone you knew was secretly betraying someone you loved and you knew about it. Mind you, this person you love is really your person and has always had your back." I asked out of the blue.
Ryder's eyes met mine, locking onto it for a while. He opened his mouth, as if to tell me something but sighed afterwards, just sighing.
"I don't know."
My shoulder sagged.
"Maybe I should confront the person and tell the person to own up?" I raised my eyebrow at him.
He placed his hand on mine, squeezing lightly. "Follow your heart. Protect your loved ones. You don't want to lose them, trust me."
Our eyes met - his, sad and mine soft. "Thank you, Ryder."
He gave me a tight-lipped smile.
"Now, can you shut up and let me sleep?" He pushed my hand off his thigh.
I chuckled, "As if you didn't enjoy my company, Mr. Connell."
He rolled his eyes, handing me his earpod.
"Really? It's not private anymore." I teased, raising my eyebrow.
"Don't make me regret this, Kennedy."