Trapped with HIM

The Wrong Idea...

As you could imagine, with only us playing and no referee it was not a peaceful game.

"You traveled!"

"So what?"

"That's against the rules!"

"I don't care!"

"It doesn't matter whether you care or not!"

"Does too!"

"Fine! Take the stupid point! I'm up by 10 anyway."

"Shut up Ryder!!"

"No thank you Kayla dear."

"You are so full of yourself!!"

"Am not!!"

"Are too!!"

Fine, I'm not giving you the point!!!"

"NO! I'm sorry!!!"

"It doesn't matter. You don't get the point."

"Tear."

"Shut up."

Most conversations got much worse. After about 10 minutes, Ryder was winning 29 to 4 and I only got the two baskets I got cheating, cheating badly. Ryder got mostly three pointers that should've counted for more than three.

Once on the side of the room opposite to his basket with me right in his face blocking him, he threw it over my head into the basket.

Another time we were halfway down court, his back was to his basket, I was right behind him, he threw the ball without turning around and it went through the net.

There were several other occurrences not quite as amazing, but still.

"You win- I DON'T CARE IF WE STILL HAVE 20 MINUTES LEFT! I'm not getting any better." I said, smiling warmly. Maybe that time he wouldn't use... that face... that face with a quiet disappointment that I couldn't say no to.

He just smirked and wiped his face with his sleeve. "I guess you're right... Wait, just 15 more minutes!"He finished suddenly.

I sighed. He didn't even have to make the face. "Fine. 15 minutes."

He threw me the ball. "Here, you can start."

I nodded and started dribbling down the court, which for me took like 3 minutes. To go halfway. That's slow, by the way. Still, the whole time, even when I messed up and had to chase the ball, Ryder didn't get it.

When I got to the basket, I stopped adjusted my position. Ryder halfheartedly swiped at the ball, but never really went for it.

I finally threw the ball. It started rolling along the rim like it does in dramatic movies, then it fell in the basket.

"Three points!" Ryder smiled.

"But I'm right next to the basket." I sighed.

"You scored it against me. In fact, that should tie up the score."

"What the heck do you want?" I sighed.

Ryder turned slightly, but it wasn't unnoticeable that he didn't want to meet my gaze. "Makayla, don't tell anyone." He whispered.

I stared at him blankly. "Uh, that I tied a basketball game with you?"

He turned sharply and glared at me. "No stupid, about my sister!" He hissed.

I realized just how stupid the question I had just asked was. He wasn't worried about his reputation.

"But, if we want to get enough money to save your sister we'll have to tell!!" I said.

"We?" He asked quietly. "No, the reason you can't tell is so no one else gets mixed up in the crap I'm in. Its my fault Amy's gone, so I'll get her back. Even if I have to break a few laws. Or a lot. Bottom line is: you can't help me."

He seemed like he had his mind set. I really didn't care. I realized that this time, I wouldn't just be able to say, "I don't care" to Ryder and be done with it. I had to convince him to let me join him. Then I thought of something else-

Why did I want to help Ryder in the first place?

Was it to help Amy, and by doing that I would have to help Ryder? No, I didn't have a reason to feel bad for Amy really, Ryder would probably cave in and ask his parents or the police to help, Amy would be fine.

Was for the fun of it? No, what about risking your life for a girl you don't know is fun?

To pass time? No, I had plenty other less dangerous things to do over my summer break.

So, it was to help Ryder.

So I made up my mind to convince him. Of course to do that I needed a brilliant idea. Something I could summarize and get him interested, but not tell him enough so that he didn't need me anymore. Or better yet a plan that I had to be involved in, and no matter how much detail I gave him, he wouldn't be able to carry out the plan without me. Then it hit me.

"Ryder, could I help you if I gave you a plan? That didn't involve us giving them $1,000,000.00?"

"...Why should I even trust you? You hate me." Ryder said quietly.

"No, I don't hate you." I mumbled.

"Huh?" Ryder asked.

"I said I don't hate you!" I repeated louder.

Ryder's expression changed from shock, to a slight smile, to a smirk that made me want to slap him. Of course several things he did made me want to slap him.

"Aww..." He whispered.

"SHUT UP." I growled.

"Oh, it's okay. I understand..."  He said quickly, the smirk getting wider.

"What!? There's nothing TO understand!!" I yelled.

"Are you blushing?"

"I'm gonna rip off that smart mouth of yours if you don't shut up!"

"Okay Kayla Dear."

"Don't call me that!"

"Whatever you say Kayla Dear."

"Ryder?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to kill you now."

I threw the basketball at him, and got even more irritated when he caught it, threw it back at me, and hit me in the face. 

"Professional basketball teams would be lucky to have a fifth of your skill." I complemented.

"Whoa. A complement. From you. To ME." Ryder gasped, covering up his surprise with sarcasm.

"Because I don't hate you, I can complement you freely." I replied dryly.

Ryder raised an eyebrow but said nothing.