Misinterpreting Fate (Book 2)

20. Reconsideration

Chapter 20: Reconsideration

Sam

The meeting with the principal could have gone a whole lot better than it did. While I managed to get off with just a warning not to get involved in situations like these again - even though I tried telling him that I wasn't fighting - Ryan wasn't so lucky. He was sent home for the rest of the day because he already had a record of fighting. Again, the principal refused to listen when he and I spoke up about it. Ryan was only defending me, and all the other fights he's gotten into over the last two years were because he stepped in to stop bullies from picking on smaller kids. The principal just didn't want to hear it. Fighting was fighting to him, doesn't matter what side of the fight we were on.

Until it came to Grant. Grant was only in the office with us for a minute before the principal said he was free to go with just a minor warning to not do it again. It wasn't fair.

By the time the principal had basically stopped listening to Ryan and me try to tell him the full story and kicked us out of his office, lunch had ended and we were already a good fifteen minutes into the next period. The secretary gave me a pass to excuse me for being late, thankfully. Ryan, unfortunately, couldn't go back to class and needed to wait here until his mom could pick him up. The one good thing was that the principal didn't suspend him, otherwise he might not have been allowed to come back at all.

"Hey," Ryan said, grabbing my arm to stop me from leaving the office. "Do you want to come over after school?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Won't your mom ground you or something?"

"Nah. Probably not. Maybe take my phone away, but that's nothing new. But it's why I'm asking now, just in case she does. Tell Jaime and Courtney to come too. It'll be fine."

I nodded. Maybe hanging out with all of them this afternoon - outside of school - would be a good thing today. As long as it wasn't just me and Ryan, then I was fine with it.

***

I got off the bus a stop earlier than I normally do - at Ryan's stop. It wasn't the first time I've done this, but I've never done it when Ryan wasn't also on the bus with me. It was sort of weird being alone here.

Jaime and Courtney had agreed to coming over Ryan's this afternoon, which I was grateful for. The only thing was that they didn't take the same bus that we did, so they were going to have to go to their houses before biking over here. It would probably take them another half and hour or so, maybe even longer, before either of them got here.

When I knocked on the front door of the Helder house, Ryan's mom answered. "Sam! It's so good to see you again, come on in."

Mrs. Helder was an interesting woman, who has always confused me. Sometimes she can be the strictest parent ever. I've seen her blow up at Ryan for having a couple socks laying on his bedroom floor before. But then other times, she was the sweetest and most understanding person in the world, like now, when her son was literally sent home for fighting and yet she's allowing him to have his friends over.

She chatted with me as I took off my shoes, asking about my day and how my parents were doing. She really was a nice woman when she wasn't in one of her bad moods.

Ryan quickly intercepted the conversation as he ran into the room, grabbed my arm, and then pulled me into his bedroom. He let go of me as soon as we were out of sight of his mother.

"God, I've been so bored!" he complained, flopping down on his bed. "I can't believe I wanted to be in school all afternoon. It would have been better than being here with her."

"What? She seems to be in a good mood today. Be lucky she's not mad at you for being sent home again."

"Yeah, but it's too good." He patted the space next to him. "Come sit."

I dropped my backpack on the floor. I didn't particularly want to right now, especially considering how he felt about me, but I didn't have any other option unless I wanted to sit on the floor. So I sat, making sure to be as far away from him as I could without making it obvious.

Apparently I wasn't subtle enough since Ryan sat up and looked at the distance that I had left between us. "Why are you so far away?" he asked as he shifted closer to me.

"Because I am?"

"Sam..." He placed his hand on my thigh, almost high enough to cause problems.

My breath caught in my throat. "Ryan, don't."

"Shush." He leaned in closer to me, not moving his hand. "Don't keep pushing me away, Sam."

I don't know what was wrong with me, but I didn't resist. I let his lips brush against mine in a gentle kiss. And then I was kissing him back.

For some reason, I started thinking about Owen. How his kisses were so much rougher than Ryan's. How Owen only really started initiating things within the last couple of months of us being together, usually at Poppa's restaurant. How Owen hurt me more than Ryan ever would.

Ryan pulled back from the kiss and looked at me. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly, wiping his thumb gently across my cheek. "Why are you crying?"

I shook my head, making him drop his hand back down to his side. His other one hand thankfully left my thigh at some point, although I wasn't sure when.

"I'm sorry."

"Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head again. "It's not you, Ryan. I... I'm sorry." Then I did something I never expected to do. I leaned up and kissed Ryan again.

His kisses were better than Owen's. He was nicer about them - even though he's basically forced me to kiss every time in the past. Ryan was an overall nicer person than Owen. Maybe he was right after all.

My phone started vibrating incessantly in my pocket and Ryan moved back with a soft groan. I wasn't exactly wanting the interruption either, but considering it was someone calling me - which rarely happens - I probably needed to answer it.

It was Poppa and the whole conversation lasted barely a minute. He had been waiting for me to get home, but when I didn't get off the bus like I was supposed to, he called me, telling me to come home. I didn't know he'd even be there, which is why I hadn't told him that I was going to be at Ryan's house. Normally he wouldn't have cared, as long as I was home in a couple hours with enough time to do my homework tonight.

But I couldn't ignore his request, especially because he sounded kind of mad. I had a strong feeling the school probably called him after I was sent to the principal's office earlier, even though I didn't do anything. I honestly would have much rather stayed here - even staying here kissing Ryan - rather than facing an angry Poppa. But I needed to go because I didn't want to make it any worse.