𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 | ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩 𝟏𝟒

I've lied awake, staring at this unfamiliar ceiling for hours. I've heard Ryder leave, I heard him return, I heard him walk down the hallway and walk into his room, closing the door behind him. Yet, I still can't get myself to fall asleep.

No matter how much I tossed and turn, I can't seem to find a comfortable position. The sheets twisted around my legs, the pillow felt lumpy beneath my head, and the mattress seemed to be conspiring against me.

I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling the frustration building in my body. It was going to be a long night.

I give up, reluctantly standing from the bed and pulling out Luka's box and pulling out an old t-shirt before climbing back into bed. Despite how upset I am with him, I can't deny the fact that he's the only one who could calm me down, even just his scent was enough.

Lying my head back down on the pillow, I pull the shirt up to my nose, with his familiar scent instantly flooding my nose. It takes a few minutes, but eventually, my eyes grow tired and I'm finally falling asleep.

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As I slowly opened my eyes, I was greeted by the soft light filtering through the curtains. For a brief moment, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. But as I began to take in my surroundings, the reality of my situation hit me like a tonne of bricks. With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly slid out of the sheets, my bare feet making contact with the cold floor.

I head into the kitchen, where I found Ryder sitting at the kitchen island, his eyes glued to the screen of his phone while he shovelled a spoonful of cereal into his mouth. I help myself to the coffee, pouring it into a mug before turning around and leaning against the counter. I bring the cup to my lips as I take a sip, wondering how long it'll take for him to acknowledge my existence.

I stare at him as he keeps his head down on his phone, continuing to eat his cereal. He must be the most ignorant person I've ever come across, neither of us is happy with this situation, but there's no need to be a straight-up dick about it.

"I thought you'd like to know, I won't be around much." I cleared my throat, hoping to catch his attention. However, he remained fixated on his phone, not even bothering to lift his head.

"I'll probably spend most of my time at my boyfriends, so you'll still have your place to yourself." I add, which seems to get his eyes to flick up to my face. A spoonful of cereal floated in front of his face. He took a bite and mumbled, "Good to know." before returning back to his phone without a care in the world.

He really couldn't care less about me or my life, and I've come to the belief that I could drop dead on this kitchen floor and he wouldn't even blink an eyelid, let alone stop what he's doing on his phone.

I bat my eyelashes in disbelief before putting my mug back down on the counter and heading back to my bedroom. I can't stand being around him, he's insufferable. As I stepped back into the room, my eyes immediately fell upon Luka's shirt, crumpled up and lying on my bed persuading me to go see him. I need to talk with him sooner or later, he's my best friend after all.

I begin to get ready to see him. I plan on showing up unannounced, I don't want to talk to him over the phone. I slip into something comfortable yet public-appropriate before grabbing my purse and walking out of the bedroom.

Without stopping to say anything to Ryder, I head straight for the front door, pulling it open and walking out before pulling it shut behind me with slight force. If he's free to leave without saying anything, I'm free to do the same. With that phone glued to his face, I doubt he would have noticed anyway. I took the lift down to the reception and after telling Benny my new address, I waited for him to come pick me up and take me to Luka's.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

He eventually pulled up outside his house, and after thanking him and climbing out, I made my way up to his door. I stood outside, taking a deep breath before using the spare key. With a gentle turn, the door creaked open, allowing me to step inside.

I don't know what I'm going to say, but he's the one who needs to do explaining, not me. I head up the stairs, but when I reach the top, I don't see him. I call out his name in confusion, my voice echoing through the quiet hallway.

Movement comes from his bedroom, and then he appears around the corner. "Vivienne?" He makes his way further down the hallway, becoming more visible. I remained silent, my eyebrows arching in the hope of an explanation.

"I'm sorry." The weight of his croaky and tired words hung heavy in the air, and it felt as if that was enough for me to forgive him. I close the distance in between us, moving closer towards him before wrapping my arms around his chest, His familiar heartbeat and scent, instantly making me feel at peace. I close my eyes as he wraps his arms tightly around me, knowing that everything is settled already. We were never the type to argue.

"I couldn't do it, Viv." He says into my hair, his grip getting tighter. "I couldn't watch you walk down the aisle to someone that wasn't me." I buried my face into his jumper, indicating that I understand. With a deep breath, he nodded, feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders, before leaving a kiss on my head.

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AN/word count - 1000