Lucky Me (COMPLETED)

Chapter twenty-four

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late upload. I was going to on Sunday but there was a blackout. The electricity is still down until now so I may upload late.

Anyone who's living in Toronto and there's black out due to the ice storm, hope you are at home safe and sound. God bless everyone.

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Chapter twenty-four

Andrea knew she had to tell him. They did have a deal. And that was if he tells her about what was going on between him and Steven, she has to tell him the truth.

Andrea took deep breaths as she eased her mind and readied herself. 'You can tell him, Andrea. He trust you so you should trust him.' She told herself.

"I promise not to tell anyone. You can trust me." Ryder said squeezing her hand in encouragement.

"It's not him." She whispered barely audibly but Ryder heard her faintly.

"What's not him?" He asked in confusion.

"It's not him." She repeated. "James is not my dad." She confessed causing Ryder's eyes to widened.

"Is he your step-father?" He questioned.

"No, he's my foster father." She said looking down at her hands by the table. She was playing with her fingers and fidgeting in her seat. She felt really small at the moment.

"Even Karen?"

"Yeah, they're my foster parents. They adopted me when I was twelve." She quietly spoke bowing her head. She never told anyone about her real parents and her foster parents. She was scared that if they found out that he really does belong at the bottom of the food chain, they would judge her and bring her down.

"What happened with your real parents?" He asked. "If you don't mind me asking." He quickly added not wanting to force her to tell him her life story.

"My mother died giving birth of me. Since then, my father had been taking care of me. But when I turned eight, he was transferred at work. He left to go to Afghanistan. He stayed there for a while then he visited me every once in a while. I lived with my aunt when he left. Then, when I was eleven, they called my aunt saying that they had a bad news." She said tears filled her sorrowful eyes.

Ryder gave her hand a squeezed as she kept her head low so he wouldn't notice the tears that welled in her eyes. "He d-d-died." She announced her voice cracked at the end sounding hoarse. "He was in the military and they said that he was killed by a land mine."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ryder said.

"That's not the worst part." She shook her head making eye contact with him. He could see the sorrow, pain, and hurt in her eyes. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to ask her to tell him the story. Surely, it was painful for her to tell. "My aunt died a week after." She blurted out bewildering Ryder.

"Woah." He whispered feeling bad.

"She had a car accident and since I had no other relatives that I know of, they put me in a foster home. A year later, James and Karen adopted me. I am really grateful for everything they're doing. I don't know where I will be if it wasn't for them. They gave me back the life that I was supposed to have. They treat me like their own daughter. I owe them that much, Ryder."

"That's why I need the scholarship." She quietly said fidgeting her fingers with Ryder's. "They did so much for me, I owe them my life. The least thing I could do is make them proud. I love them like they're my own parents. I would do anything to make them happy." She explained. She didn't even notice that Ryder was now beside her.

He scooped her and placed her on his lap as he rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm sorry I accused you of being a spoil brat. I'm really sorry." He apologized as he pulled her closer resting his chin on her head.

She felt comforted, loved, and cared for. His strong, yet sweet, muscular smell traveled her nose as she sniffed some more. It was intoxicated. She couldn't help but feel better.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again kissing the top of her head.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes until Andrea pulled back wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She smiled at him and shook her head. "No more tears. No more stories. I think that's enough information for the day." She stated chuckling as Ryder joined her.

"Agree." He said nodding his head.

"Why don't we finish eating and go back to school? I really don't wanna miss my afternoon classes. I need to catch up, Mr. Lucky Student." She teased causing him to snicker.

"Alright, we'll go back to school right after we finish eating."

~ * ~ * ~

Rina was so bored that she decided to go to school and pay a visit to her friends. When she came, it was lunch time and she made her way to the cafeteria, where her friends were gathered around a table eating happily.

"Hey guys." She greeted sitting on an empty seat beside Scott.

"Hey." Everyone replied.

"What are you doing here? Does Ryder know you're here?" Scott questioned her.

"Last time I check, Ryder's not my father and he is not accountable of me. I'm not his pet, Scott." She said rolling her eyes in process.

"You know Ryder, so protective." He stated.

"Where is he anyway?" She asked looking around the cafeteria. She looked at them as they have her a shrug. Except Katie, who was giggling and smirking.

"Katie...." Rina started. "I know you know something." She said eying her suspiciously.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." She said casually going back to her lunch.

"Tell us!" Liam demanded.

"She's with Ms. Nerdy, am I right?" Scott shook his head in disbelieve as Rina squinted her eyes in confusion.

"Who's Ms. Nerdy?" She asked.

"It's Andrea. You know she has a name, Scott." Casper informed him.

"Whatever." Scott said getting up and making his way out of the cafeteria.

"What's his problem?" Rina questioned.

"Just ignore him." Lily said.

"So, Andrea? Is she the girl I met yesterday? The one that was sitting with Steven?"

"Yup, that's her." Katie answered.

"She's really pretty and by the looks of her, she seems really smart." Rina commented.

"Yeah, but she's still at the bottom of the food chain. But I knew there's a pretty girl hiding behind those thick glasses." Liam stated popping a grape in his mouth.

"Guys, can we please stop bullying the girl and cut her some slacks." Casper defended.

"Yeah, Casper's right." Lily added as Casper slung his arm around her shoulder.

"Nobody's bullying her, only Scott." Katie stated. "Besides, have you seen that girl. If I get the chance to do her a make over, I'm sure, every guy would fall to their knees and kiss the ground she walks on."

"Not every guy." Casper said kissing the top of Lily's head earning an 'Awww' sound from Rina and Katie.

"Of course, except Casper." They laughed together and Rina felt back home once again.