Year of Goodbyes [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 9 - Get a hint!

"No, finish this worksheet"

I had gone over to tutor Ryle since we had an upcoming final, he was fooling around and asking stupid questions instead of doing his work. "I will if you answer" he teased with a smirk. I groaned and rolled my eyes, "Go to a drive-in cinema, watch the sunset at the beach and go to Greece"

"You've never went to a drive-in cinema? I thought that your bucket list would be to meet Beyoncé or some shit" he asked, by now we had the house to ourselves since his siblings were away with his parents, "No, my dad meant to take me for my thirteenth birthday but... stuff happened" I shrugged, not wanting to remember those painful memories.

"What stuff?" he sounded worried, as if he actually cared for me. "Just... stuff" I shrugged again.

A weird part of me wanted to tell him, that same weird part of me felt... safe? with him? I think. It's weird but he... he does this little things to show that he cares for me. Oh and not to mention the time when he thought that I was asleep and tucked a fucking strand of my hair behind my ear, whispered; 'What are you doing to me' and tried to pick me up. That left me... confused, to say the least.

"More family stuff?" he asked with a light chuckle, I nodded my head. The atmosphere wasn't awkward and I hated it, well, it's not very difficult for me to hate something.

"Do you have and AC or a fan?" It was getting pretty hot since summer was starting back up. I was sweating, a lot.

"Let me check" He stood up and his leg brushed against mine, that made me stiffen and he noticed, thank fuck that he didn't say anything 'cause that would've been embarrassing.

A few minutes went by and I checked the time, we had like ten minutes left. That was what we agreed on at least, I would go to Ava's where me and the girls would have a kind of pool party-sleep over and then go to school together the next day. EJ and Noah would both be home to take care of Soph, that's why I had decided to go out.

"Fucking shit's broke" he scoffed in annoyance and his pool was very tempting. "Finish the goddamn worksheet so I can go to Ava's" I rolled my eyes and rose my tone slightly. Ryle chuckled, sat down, grabbed his pen and started reading the worksheet.

As Ryle was starting to complete it, he got curious, again.

"Why are you in such a hurry to go to Ava's?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Because why would I purposely want to stay here? And... because she has a pool" I don't know why I said that last part, a month ago I would've laughed at the thought of telling Ryle West absolutely anything about myself.

"Mm... so you do have a swimsuit here..." by his tone I knew that something was up, "Yeah..." I spoke hesitantly. "Do you have it on?"

I did, but I just was conflicted about telling him, "Finish that goddamn worksheet, Ryle. So I can go" I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

"I'll finish it if you answer my question" he said with a teasing smirk which caused me to roll my eyes again, "Yes, Ryle. I have my bikini on. Now can you please finish doing that so I can enjoy the rest of my day?" I sighed and rubbed my temple.

"You shouldn't have answered that" his eyes darkened and mine widened, I knew what he was gonna do as soon as he stood up. "Ryle..." I stood up and extended my arm in front of me, when he walked towards me I backed up, that playful grin never left his face.

"Don't you dare, Ryle" I warned him

He chuckled and relaxed, "I won't, I just want that" he pointed towards the kitchen island behind me, I turned to look at what he was pointing out, there wasn't anything there, he tricked me and took that opportunity to throw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"You're a dickass, Ryle West!" I yelled as I punched his back, trying to save myself from the doomed fate ahead of me. He chuckled, "I know, Phoebe Monroe" and despite the fact that I could not look at his face I just knew that he had that teasing smirk plastered on his face.

I groaned and rolled my eyes, "I hate you, imbecile!" I spoke out of frustration in defeat. "We both well know that you don't, in fact, quite the opposite"

I didn't have time to overthink about what his words actually meant because I was thrown into his massive pool, but I wasn't going down that easily.

I always loved acting, so I acted as if I was drowning, "I can't swim!" I lied and fake drowned, worry overtook him as he took his shirt off and jumped into the pool for my fake rescue. He looked puzzled as I started to float all by myself.

"Ha! Got you, dickass!" I laughed loudly while pointing at him, "You- You lied!" he was still in shock, poor him. I took off my wet clothes and threw them outside the pool, that way they would start to dry.

"And you threw me into the pool! That means I won!" I started laughing like crazy, my proud smirk would not leave my face, no matter how hard I actually tried.

As soon as I regained composure, out of the corner of my eye I caught Ryle looking at me with... loving eyes?

I cleared my throat, I exposed a part of myself that only my friends and siblings see to him. He barely knows me and for all he cares I'm only here out of obligation. I wanted to get on my bike and drive far, far away. Away from everything and everyone, with the wind blowing my hair away from my face. Me, my bike and I, wherever that would end us up at.

"I have to go" I started to swim away, "Why?" he asked. "What?" I chuckled in disbelief, did he just ask me why I was leaving?

"You heard me. Why? Stay here in the pool with me, we can order in whatever you want and then watch some movies"

Was he serious? "Ryle, I'm only here to tutor you, don't get it twisted. I have a life that you don't know shit of, a life that I can't give up for you." I walked out of the pool and despite the little stunt I had just pulled, I felt how Ryle's eyes devoured my body.

"So tell me, Phoebe. Tell me of this mysterious life of yours." He walked out and I never knew how well-built he actually was, his muscles shimmered with the water and I don't know how I pulled my eyes away from them.

"Ryle, can't you get it? First of all; you're just a boy that I have to tutor and second; you wouldn't get it"

"So make me get it, Pho. Let me in" he practically begged, Ryle touched my hands but I pulled away quickly, he looked hurt and a part of me cared. A part of me actually fucking cared.

"For fuck's sakes, Ryle. Get a hint! I don't give two fucks about you!" I yelled. That hurt look returned to his face and it made my heart twist and churn in regret for my words.

"I... I have to go" I whispered as I grabbed my clothes off the floor. Ryle walked past me and handed me a towel.

"You can grab some of my clothes if yours are wet" he muttered through gritted teeth with a clenched jaw, I nodded.

I had an extra set of shorts packed just in case and thank god that I had them, I put those on and a white crop top, the wet bikini made it see through. I packed everything away and quickly looked at his worksheet, he had a few mistakes but there where definitely some improvements.

Before leaving I wrote down a few tips and graded said worksheet, only because it's what I have to do... right?