WEIRD FIGHT
When did Ryder notice Jason?
Me: Jason Byrne. I went to his mansion today.
Ryder: Oh, really. You went with that nerd.
Me: Don’t call him a nerd. Besides, I’m a nerd too. You probably know that.
Ryder: Yeah, yeah. Come to your window. I want to see you.
My head beats faster. I don’t think my appearance will be good when I’m in the home. I’m already on my nightdress and loose hair. I went to the window and opened it. Ryder is already standing at the window. He’s not wearing his shirt. His tattoos are exposed again. I blinked a few times and texted him.
Me: How many time are you going to stand without a shirt in front of a girl?
I stared at him waiting for his reply. Then my phone beeps.
Ryder: Until that girl stops admiring the view.
Me: I AM NOT
Ryder: Yes, you are, sweetheart.
Me: Uhh, no. See you tomorrow. I’m sleepy.
I closed the curtains and gone to sleep after that.
The next day:
” How are you holding up, Pearl? I regret not being with you when you needed me the most,” I told Pearl while walking on the garden on our way to the class.
” It’s okay, Em. You spend more time with me till evening. But where did you go at night? I called you but there’s no response.” she asked me. The next minute I filled her with everything. The time I spend with Jason and the day when Ryder sneaked into my room. I may have not told my mother about the kiss, but I told Pearl. Right now, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.
” Seriously, tell me you are kidding? From all the friends I ever had, you are the one who never talked with a single boy. How can something happen within a day you stepped your foot on Edgewood high?”
” I don’t know. It just… I don’t know. Don’t ask me any question. I told you everything.”
” Don’t ask you any questions? You kissed Ryder and Jason. Isn’t it…” I shut her mouth instantly.
” Why are you talking loudly? You are going to get attention from whoever crossing our path now.”
” Fine. I was so surprised. I wish I were in your place. I was happy when I came to know Jason is going to study here. When it comes to Ryder, I admired him from afar. It was years ago when I was in 6th grade. But it’s not easy to get his attention and he gets in trouble for uncountable times.”
” I don’t think so,” I said, not accepting her words. He only skips class. What else is he gonna do?
” Maybe you will accept what I’m saying if you turned your head,” she said, staring behind me. p We both stopped walking. What’s she talking about? Nothing’s wrong going to happen the moment we talked about Ryder.
I looked back. something’s wrong. She’s right.
I heard Ryder’s angry voice over the other side. His hand is on some other guy’s shirt. He doesn’t beat him. Till now. Then he did. Why is he fighting in the entrance of the school?
” Hey, let’s go. We will get caught if we watch the fight,” Pearl tried to drag me away from the place.
” No, no. We are not going anywhere. It’s Ryder. I want to know what’s happening?”
” Don’t talk like an idiot, Em. You don’t know the guy who’s standing next to Ryder. It’s Patrick. Since, Patrick’s back to Edgewood high, Ryder is having a vengeance. Who would know what he will do when he lost his temper? He may even hurt him or kill him and end up in jail. This is the last thing I could think of. Come on, let’s get out of here.” Pearl dragged me impatiently.
How can I go after knowing that Ryder will be the trouble? He will be in trouble by hurting that guy. Two days ago, Ryder’s friends informed him about someone’s back in the city. It must be him.
” What are you going to do, Emily? Watch the fight? Or stop him?” she glared at me. Stop him. I want to stop him. I don’t know why do I even care? But I care for him.
” Stop him. Why can’t anyone do that? Everyone always likes to watch any fight. But nobody ever wants to stop the problem. If someone thinks like that, there won’t be big trouble. Am I right?”
” Oh, Um… I’m don’t want to say this. But you are right. People always enjoy seeing a fight.” Pearl said. Within minutes, there’s more crowd near Ryder and Patrick. I can see two boys next to Ryder encouraging him to hurt him badly. Some girls are admiring Ryder at this time. How can they like it when he gets in trouble? I want to step forward to stop him. I would have tried to do it, no matter who’s in that place.
“This isn’t good. Incharge is on her way here. Ryder’s gonna get detention again.” Pearl whispered to me. While on my other side, some girls are whispering something.
” Look at him. He’s so hot when he’s furious.” a girl
” He’s always hot. There’s no doubt in it. But I wonder why does he desperately want to have revenge on Patrick. There have to be some hidden secrets behind this.” another girl replied.
” Yeah. I’m also wondering about one thing. Will, he ends up getting detention or end up in jail as it happened a year ago,” the same girl said.
I couldn’t watch it anymore. That guy, Patrick is on the floor with his nose bleeding. Ryder is injured too.
” I should have killed you a year ago, you asshole,” Ryder snarled one last time. And then I did something out of my control.
” Stop it, Ryder,” I shouted and I’m no longer standing in between the crowd. I stepped forward. Pearl is still behind me. She must have thought I don’t really dare to stop the fight. Well, I did.
” Emily? What are you doing here? Why are you defending him?” Ryder got distracted by me and Patrick punched him in his face. The next moment, the incharge madam made an entrance.
” You troublemaker again. Three of you follow me to the principal’s office,” she ordered furiously. What? Three of you? Why do I even get caught in between this?
” Mam, you misunderstood. I didn’t do anything. I was…” I tried to argue.
” I’m not hearing anything. Say it to the principal.” she snapped and waited for us to follow. This is a weird situation I have never seen in any movies or imagined it. I can no idea what’s going to happen next.