On the road with Ryder Crawford (Haylor Fanfic)

XLVI - Manipulations

We arrive at the hotel and Scoot helped me up to my room, the whirlwind event still throbbing inside my head.

Flashes of images of Ryder with another girl haunts my vision.

"Here's tea to calm down your nerves" Scoot says as he hands me a cup of tea.

"Thank you Scoot, sorry for running out like that." I replied with a sad smile.

Scoot was about to say something when the door bursts open.

"I killed him. I did it. I kicked him in the shin, I killed him." Abigail yells in the door her eyes on me but then slides to Scoot.

Scoot chuckles and I heave a sigh.

"You kicked Ryder in the shin, thanks Gail." I said actually slightly laughing.

Only Gail can make me laugh at moments like these.

"And left a gaping bruise for sure, I mean have you seen my platforms?" She says lifting her shoe to show me.

Then she walks towards me and hugs me tightly.

"Thanks Gail, sorry I had to ruin it for you too" I mutter against her shoulder.

"Stop saying sorry, he's the one who's gonna be sorry. He's lucky Crystal went back to Arizona we could've totally shown him the Arizona wrath" she says through gritted teeth.

I look at Scoot worried he might think my best friend is a murderous serial killer but he actually looks amused.

The three of us continue on our tea and soon enough we're conversing about things far far away from what happened in the party.

'What's with parties and Ryder sending me out crying?' I thought to myself.

Abigail frowns while looking at me.

"Stop thinking about it" she hisses.

Scoot turns to look at me with worried eyes.

"I can't" I answered quietly. It was
a good try from both of them and I'm so grateful but my mind is screaming one name and it breaks my heart.

What did I run away? Why didn't I ask him what's going on?

"Scoot do you know who that girl was?" I asked shyly.

Scoot furrows his eyebrows and looks at me.

"Which one?" Abigail asked sarcastically and then rolls her eyes.

I've put my head down in defeat, she's right.

"Look I'm sorry. It's just you can do better than him-" Abigail continues.

I sighed and let her statement sink in, do I think the same way? Is there someone better for me than Ryder?

Already my heart knew its vote.

"Before this goes anywhere else, will I get killed if I try to communicate Ryder's side?" Scoot says eyeing Abigail with his hands held up in front of him.

Abigail narrows her eyes at him and looks at him for a few seconds.

"Make it snappy" she replies.

"I've had a meeting with Capita for your contract. I've reviewed it and it's good, but they're pressuring us - the management to do something that involves you and Ryder's personal life." Scoot begins.

I look at him confused but waited for him to go on.

"Capita knew about you and Ryder the only reason they didn't put a stop on it was because they had changed their plans. They want you and Ryder to be a couple and feed you two right in the media's faces" he continues on with clench jaws.