Four Doors Down(57)

Unknown: How was the burger?

Burger? What?

Me: Who is this?

Unknown: Ryan.

Me: Jackson?

Ryan: How many other Ryan’s do you know?

Dick.

Me: How’d you get this number?

Ryan: Does it matter?

Me: Are you stalking me?

Ryan: You wish.

God, he’s so freaking arrogant.

Me: Seriously, how did you get this number?

Ryan: Guess.

He is so infuriating! He doesn’t even need to be in my general vicinity anymore to piss me off.

Me: Did Jake give it you?

Ryan: Maybe. . .

I am going to kill Jake. I have definitely told him before not to give Ryan my number.

A few minutes pass and he messages me again.

Ryan: Would it make you more or less mad to know I’ve had your number in my phone for years?

Fucking Jake! I send Jake a quick message bitching at him for giving Ryan my number and then throw my phone down in irritation.

My phone beeps again.

Ryan: I can just imagine your face right now. You’ve probably gone all red and angry. Wish I was there to see it. . .bet you’ve already messaged Jake, right?

Despite myself, I let out a small smile at this. Am I that predicable?

Me: Shut up.

Ryan: I’m right aren’t I? I know you too well, McKenzie.

I shake my head at my phone. I guess he does know me better than I thought that he did. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of agreeing, though.

Ryan: So was the burger place good?

I roll my eyes. What am I, a food blogger? If he cares that much, then he should go read a review online.

My phone beeps again. Seriously, I don’t care about the stupid burger. Oh wait, this time it’s Charlie.

Charlie: Wanna come over?

Hell yes, I do. I quickly sit up and get changed. It’s about time he got back to me. It’s only been two days since I saw him but I am definitely ready for my Charlie fix. I quickly check my reflection in the mirror and run outside to my car.





I pull into the student parking lot the next day in a good mood. Actually, scrap that—I’m in a great mood. Last night with Charlie was perfect. He apologized for not being in touch much over the last couple of days and explained that he’d just been really busy with the band and everything.

Then he made it up to me. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

I get out of my car and another car door slams just a few spaces away. I look up and see Ryan standing by his car. He’s looking over at me. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

I turn and start walking toward school. I hear footsteps behind me and suddenly Ryan’s in front of me, blocking my route. I sigh in annoyance. I look behind him and see his friends are on the steps by the entrance looking over at us, probably waiting for round seven or whatever we’re on now.

“I’m sorry,” he tells me. This does surprise me. “I’ll stop talking about Charlie. You’re right, I don’t know him and if you like him, then he must be doing something right.” I raise an eyebrow and he grins at me. “You know, since you don’t like anybody.”

I allow a small smile and we stand there awkwardly, neither of us speaking. I start to move, but he blocks my way again.

“So, how was the burger, then? You never text me back.”

Seriously? The burger thing again? I turn to face him again. “The burger was good. Really good. You should go.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe we could go after school today?”

“Today? I just went yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah. Right.”

I cock my head in the direction of his friends. “Take someone from your fan club.”

“Stop calling them that. You don’t even know them.”

“I bet Jessica would love to go with you.”

“We’re not together. I told her a couple of days ago it’s not going to happen.”

“Okay, so that cheerleader you were with yesterday?”

“That was just…nothing.”

“Look, it’s none of my business. You can do what you want.”

“I just thought, maybe you could get something else on the menu. Try it out? If you want?”

Back to the burger again? Jesus, what is he going on about? He’s not even looking at me, just kind of looking behind me, shifting his gaze.

“Look, Ryan, you don’t have to do this.”

“Do what?”

“Act like we’re friends or whatever. You find me annoying and the feeling’s mutual. You like nothing more than pissing me off, and I know the last few weeks have been weird, but all we do is argue. It doesn’t work, us being friends. We just end up fighting. Let’s just leave it, okay? Go back to how it was. In middle school. When we just didn’t talk?”

His mouth sets into a line and his eyes finally find mine. Like literally, he looks straight into my eyes. It’s a bit distracting. “Right. Sure. If that’s what you want.”

I don’t get him. Why is he being so weird? Whatever. I’m running late now and have to go. I leave him standing there and walk through his crowd into the school. Jessica shoots daggers at me and Mason wolf whistles. I flip them the finger over my shoulder and carry on into the building. I have had way too much interaction with this crowd over the last couple of months for my liking.