It all started with a game

Chapter 3.1

I knew he was bad, and that
eventually he would break my heart, but I wanted to be destroyed
a little more than I wanted to be loved.
~ a.j

A/N
I gotta say, I'm loving the aesthetic for Ryder it was fun to make. Also these songs have nothing to do with the book it's  just the one I happened to be listening to when I wrote this chapter.

Chapter 3.1
Ryder's POV
"Come on, man, you've got to try this." Mateo, my best friend, shoved a cup in my hand.

I sniffed the cup, the smell making me gag. "Mate, what did you put in this?"

He didn't back down. "Drink it."

"Nah, man, I'm pretty sure if I drink that I'll be wasted before we've even made it past the kitchen."

I was never sure what Mateo put in these concoctions of his but, then again, by morning, neither did he.

I handed him the cup back, taking a sip of my own drink.

"Man, I don't know why you won't drink this but you'll drink that nasty stuff." Mateo swirled his drink around, staring at the mixture.

"It's kombucha, it's not that bad. Plus someone needs to be sober enough to carry your drunk ass home." I was usually the driver for the night, especially with this one. Mateo liked to see how much he could drink before he passed out.

Mateo swiped the cup from me, taking a swig. He spat it back out in the cup almost immediately. "That's disgusting!"

"It can't be any worse than yours."

Mateo's eyes gleamed. He's gonna do it. The guy smirked before triumphantly chugging down his entire drink. Here we go again. Mateo stared me dead in the eyes, keeping a stiff stance.

"You're gonna throw up aren't you?" I laughed.

"No." He paused. "Yes!" He ran to the plant.

Idiot. I finished the rest of my drink, tossing the empty cup into the trash. Mateo wiped his mouth. "I need another drink."

Of course he does.

I grabbed a beer, using my metal banded ring to pop the cap off. "Here."

Mateo grabbed the drink, chugging half of it. "Help me up." He reached out.

I did as asked, heavily debating just leaving him on the floor. "Come on, I think Maria just walked in a few minutes ago."

Mateo had been pining after Maria for months. Why, I had no idea. You'd never find me simping for a girl. By the way he acts around her, you'd think the man was in love or something. I kept trying to tell him to just give up on her. He's got a hundred girls ready to break up with their boyfriends for one night with him and yet he's too busy staring at the one girl who he has to work for.

"Do I look okay?" Mateo questioned, attempting to smooth down his dark curls. They didn't bother listening to his many attempts, popping right back up.

"You look like a player." I teased.

He glared at me, clearly not satisfied with my answer. "Relax, it'll be fine."

He adjusted his shirt, unbuttoning it ever so slightly. I chuckled at the sight, remembering the last party I went to. I wasn't sure who that girl was, she didn't look familiar, but I don't think I've ever had that much fun at a party. How in the world she managed to rip a button off my shirt, I'll never figure out.

"Come on, lover boy, go get your girl." I patted his back, sending him off in the direction of Maria.

My boi stumbled, tripping on his own feet. Maria managed to catch him, rolling her eyes in the process. I didn't expect anything else.