The silence in the car was deafening with only the lights of the dashboard casting any kind of illumination through the small space we found ourselves trapped in. The usual easy atmosphere between us was replaced by a tension that made the air feel thick and heavy.Glancing over at Ryder, I noticed his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly."Are you okay?" I asked, repeating the question he had asked me only minutes ago."Yeah," he said, his tone a little dismissive. "Just got a lot on my mind after tonight."His eyes flicked to mine briefly and a shadow passed over his face that told me there was more to this that he wasn’t saying.The ride continued in silence, each of us lost in our own troubled thoughts about the disastrous dinner with his parents.When we pulled up in front of my aunt Mara’s house, I leaned over to kiss him goodbye, but the kiss was different tonight. Lacking. Void of its usual warmth and passion.Pulling back, I searched his face, "Is there somet
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, streaking my face with light. I could hear the familiar sounds of Aunt Mara busying herself in the kitchen, her morning routine underway already.Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I swung my legs out of bed and stumbled my way half-asleep to the kitchen in hopes that I could catch her before she left for work.Aunt Mara was at the kitchen counter, buttering a piece of toast when I entered the kitchen. "Morning," I mumbled, my voice still thick and groggy as I put the kettle on for a much needed cup of coffee."Good morning, hun," she replied with a smile before she bit into her slice of toast."How was your date?" I asked as I turned around and leaned against the counter, watching her curiously.Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly before she replied, "It was good thanks," but then she quickly shifted the focus back to me. "How did your dinner at the Valentines' go?"I sighed heavily, the memories of the previous evening flooding back. "It
The sun retreated, casting the sky in dazzling tones of orange and pink as we sipped on our coffees. The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans filled the air and even though the thought of Ryder filled me with unease, I managed to push it to the back of my mind as I looked at Tyler's smiling face.He reached across the table and took my hand gently. His touch was comforting and my heart swelled with affection for him.We talked about more trivial things, just enjoying our time together, until he glanced at his watch and sighed.“I need to get going,” Tyler said, a hint of regret in his voice. “Can I give you a lift home?”I nodded, thankful for the offer. It would mean a few extra minutes together. “That would be great, thanks.”The drive home went too quickly. When we arrived, Tyler pulled up in front of the house and we shared a passionate kiss goodbye.“I love you,” he murmured with a warm smile.I couldn't help but smile in return before I went back in for another kiss. "I love you
The sobs that wracked my body seemed to echo through the house, my pillow only able to muffle so much of my heartache. I was drowning in a sea of misery as I recounted the conversation with Ryder. His words harsh and hurtful in a way I'd never expected... Not from him.A gentle knock on my bedroom door forced me to retreat further into my pillow.“Kate, honey? Are you okay?” Aunt Mara's voice carried through the closed door, her tone laced with concern.I didn't reply. I couldn't. The sobs left me breathless and even if I could speak I didn't know what I would say. I could scarcely believe what had happened myself - to try and explain it to someone else would make it too real.The door clicked open softly and slowly and I felt Aunt Mara's weight settle down beside me on the bed."What happened, honey?" she asked gently, her voice brimming with worry and sympathy.“Ryder,” was all I managed to choke out, my voice muffled by the pillow I sought sanctuary in.She rubbed my shoulder sooth
Tyler and I stepped out into the cool night air. A fresh breeze was blowing through the trees and I was grateful I'd brought a jacket.The street was quiet and dark without a soul in sight, but Tyler held my hand and led the way. I didn't know if he had some predetermined destination in mind or whether he was just winging it. To be honest, it didn't matter.The air was fresh and my mind began to focus on my surroundings rather than thoughts of Ryder. Perhaps this had been just what I needed."You know," Tyler began, breaking the silence, "I understand that you don't want to discuss Ryder with me, and I get it. I respect that and I understand your reasons, but I just want you to know, that from my side, you can. I'll listen and do my best to remain impartial. I just want you to know that. That you don't have to deal with everything alone."I know he meant well, and I was grateful for the offer, but this was something I was pretty steadfast on. There was no way I could tell him. The cha
When I woke up, I could tell I had slept in. Sunlight streamed through a crack in my curtains, casting a warm glow over my room. The house was eerily quiet, which meant Aunt Mara had already left for work. With a yawn, I stretched and reached out for my phone on the bedside table.There were two messages from Tyler and one from Aunt Mara. Nothing from Ryder...I opened Tyler’s first.Tyler:Sorry I couldn't stay longer, I wish I could. Hope you're feeling a bit better now. Have sweet dreams ❤️ I love youGood morning ☀️ Did you sleep okay? I miss you like crazy ❤️His sweet messages brought a smile to my face as I typed back a response.Me:Morning 🙂 I slept much later than I planned to. Only just woke up now. I miss you too ❤️ What are you doing today?Love you ❤️ Next, I opened the message from Aunt Mara.Aunt Mara:Morning, honey. I didn't want to wake you, I know you had a rough night. Just wanted to let you know that I'm here if you want to talk. I love you.She was so sweet an
There was an awkwardness that hung in the air between us. A lingering tension that neither of us knew how to address.Trying to gloss over it, I offered him something to drink. "Want a soda?" I asked, heading toward the kitchen as he hovered in the entryway."Yeah, sure," he replied, his eyes glancing over at the TV, which was still on."What are you watching?" he asked, walking toward the TV now."Just some show about conspiracy theories," I said, grabbing two sodas from the fridge.He chuckled. "Are you into that kind of thing?""Some of it is interesting," I admitted, handing him his soda. "I like hearing the theories. Obviously, I don't agree with everything they say, but some topics make me think, and I like that. What about you?" I asked as I took a swig of my drink."Not really my thing," he said, taking a sip. "I've got enough problems in my own life to worry about. Spending time wondering whether the government is listening in on our phone calls on top of that is just a littl
As I looked at Ryder, I could see the sincerity in his eyes. From what I could gauge, he genuinely seemed to want to fix things, and despite my lingering anger towards him, I couldn't deny that I still cared deeply for him.I decided to change the subject, not wanting to talk about my parents anymore."So, what are you up to today?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I brushed the final remnants of my tears away with the back of my hand.Ryder seemed to relax a bit, grateful for the shift in conversation. "Nothing really. Figured I'd clear my calendar to spend the day begging for forgiveness," he replied, his tone lighter now.We chatted for a while, catching up on lighter topics, until Ryder's phone rang.He glanced at the screen. "It's Ash. Do you mind if I take it?""Sure," I replied.I could hear the muffled voice on the other end, sounding urgent. Ryder listened for a moment before replying, "I'm kinda busy right now."The voice continued, the tone rising slightly. "Can't it wait