Ryder

thirty one

I thought I'd mentioned this earlier, but I didn't because I'm airheaded that way. This book contains a few pretty dark themes that may be triggering for some. So please be aware of that. I am so sorry for not mentioning this sooner. Let me just go back and add the warning in.

Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter and let me know how much you liked/disliked it :)!!

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The sky had gone completely dark by the time Ryder and I left the quiet and peace of the park and the snow.

It had also grown a little too cold by then and the jacket and sweatshirt I was wearing seemed to be trying its hardest to warm me up--and failing. My teeth were starting to chatter.

I grinned, sniffled, and looked up at the sky. The snowfall had lessened just a little but not entirely. I was almost certain I'd already caught myself a cold and a runny nose. Paired with a dull concussion headache, I was well and truly fucked. But it was snowing and Ryder was here and he'd watched the entire pretty sunset with me and I was quite possibly the happiest I'd been in weeks.

I stole a small glance at him as we walked side by side before looking down at my shoes as they sunk in snow-speckled grass. A small, content smile formed on my lips.

It was also when I caught a sparkle of light from my peripheral view, and tipped my head up to look at the night sky properly, that a loud gasp left my lips.

Ryder didn't seem to notice it--he didn't see it, so I came to an abrupt halt, eyes wide as I unconsciously grabbed his arm. "Ryder, look!"

I felt him tense so suddenly as he stopped alongside me.

"What?"

"Up there," I whispered in awe, sidling near him until our arms brushed against each other. "A shooting star!"

It was the tiniest of stars but so bright and lively and pretty, running across the vast darkness of the sky and stealing my breath away. I had never in my entire life seen a shooting star before.

Ryder looked up, then at me, and then back at the sky. I couldn't help but look at him then--because I couldn't ever help but look at him when he was so near me--and nearly grinned at the bewildered frown on his face.

That, sadly, also meant that when I looked back up at the sky, the shooting star had already winked out. I didn't let that dampen the sheer bout of happiness I felt right then though.

"Quick." I gave his arm a gentle tug. "We've got to make a wish."

Ryder let out an aggrieved sigh and the frown left from his face. "I am not making any wishes on a star of all stupid things, Alice."

I tugged on his arm again, grinning because I'd never really thought I'd be finding it amusing to mess with Ryder of all people.

"Oh, but we have to! I think it's considered bad luck if you don't make a wish when you see a shooting star."

He stared at me incredulously and a bubble of laughter escaped my lips.

"Are you going to demand I make snow angels with you next?" He asked.

"Yes."

He narrowed his eyes at me before giving his arm a sharp pull--which, since I was still holding on to it, accidentally managed to pull me along until I quite literally stumbled into him. The blue in his eyes glinted sharply and I had a feeling there was nothing accidental about what he'd just done.

"We should totally make snow angels," I whispered to him.

He pinched the fabric of my right glove and pulled it up until it was covering the chilled, bare skin of my wrist.