I'M NOT PERFECT

Part 27: Ryder

I heard someone knocking on my door. I get up and open the door to see Noah standing there. I ask him "Is Bella alright?" 

He nodded and said "She is on the terrace and wants to see you there." I was confused and ask him "Why?" He just shrugged and went away.

I wore my T-shirt and went up. The lights were off and their was darkness around. I mumbled "This girl is mad. What is she doing in the darkness alone here." 

I went inside to see fairy lights around a table and a couch. I walk there to see Bella sitting there. When she saw me, she got up and pulled me near the couch.

On the table was a cake and a gift. Then I understood what she was doing. I ask her "Why did you do this? I don't like to celebrate my birthday." 

She said "Happy Birthday Ryder. I wanted to do something special for you." She handed me a knife and said "Blow the candle and make a wish. Then cut the cake. I made it myself."

I smiled at her, I was happy that she missed the school for all this. And here I was thinking maybe she liked Noah more than me. I wished for Robert to be here with us and cut the cake. I feed her a piece of cake and she gave me other piece. 

After that she said "Let's take few pictures, I want to always remember this birthday." We took a few pictures in her phone. And then we sat down.

She ask me "Others told me you don't celebrate your birthday why?" I knew it was time to tell her about me. It is the story only Blake knew and no one else. I knew I was falling for this girl badly.

I tell her "Robert and I were twins, I have always celebrate this day with him. Even when we were going through hard times, we were together. He was 4 minutes older than me. We loved and cared for each other a lot. When we were 6 years old, we were kidnapped from a park. We lived in the bad part of the city. Our parents were alcoholic, they did not care about us. The people who kidnapped us, kept us in a house worst then ours. They used to hit us and make us do their work. They were a group of 5 men. They have kidnapped many other kids also with us. We lost all the hope of even getting out. But we stayed strong for each other. When we turned 19 we planned to run away from there and in few months with help of cops, we will save others. One day all the men were out for some work. Robert knew where they kept money so he stole all their money and gave me. We were running away that day, but when we reached gate one of the man returned and he had a gun, now pointing towards us. Robert pushed me and told me to run away. The man shot Robert and he died within seconds. I some how managed to run away."

By now Bella had tears in her eyes. She stayed silent and I continued "After Robert's death, I became an alcoholic and started to drink and sleep around. I wasted all the money, and forgot the promise that I made to Rob about saving others. We had planned so many things, the house we will have, the cars and what not. But I lost him Bella. I miss him so much. I wish he was here."

By now I was also crying then I told her how Blake came into my life and how we formed gang and saved others. Many of them are still working with me in the gang. I told her how Blake helped me getting admission in university.

She asked me "So how did you completed the high school?" I told her "I went to a public school. It was not a nice school all the children there were either the kidnapped one or from bad side of the city."

She hugged me and said "I'm so happy that Blake found you. If it weren't for Blake I would have never had you. Anyways no more sad talks, here I brought you something."

I opened my gift, it was a locket not just a locket but a couple locket. I said "Couple locket! Thanks it's beautiful. Which one is your and which one is mine?"  

She said "We are not couple, we just told each other that we like each other. We never went on a date."

I ask her "I know we never went out, let's consider this moment as our 1st date. So will you go out with me?" 

She nodded and said "I was waiting for you to ask me for so long. Anyways yes I would love to."

I smile at her and gave her a key locket and said "I want you to be my girl. I want us to be together forever. I know we both have a bad past and bad memories, but if we are together we can make happy memories. So will you have the key to the lock of my heart." 

She giggled at my proposal. I know I was bad at it. I never had any girl in my life before her.

She said "I will be your girlfriend and have the key. I will never open that lock. I don't want your heart to go away to someone else." I ask her "Can I kiss you now, if you don't mind?" She just nodded.