✔︎ | Gold Digger

Chapter 16 - Underneath

Chapter 16 – Underneath

When my lunch hour is almost over, I get everything I need from my locker because I don't want to go back to it when it's time to leave. I'd have to find Ryker and make sure he doesn't leave without me because I hate taking taxis to his house, and he probably will try leaving school without me.

I begin walking to my next class, and turn into a hallway where the blonde girl from my Spanish class is leaning against her locker with a few of her friends. I try to avoid them, but she walks towards me, blocking my path. Her friends don't come over but speak quietly while watching her do whatever she's planning on doing.

I'm not scared of her, but I don't want anything to with her and her Ryker drama.

Unfortunately, I doubt I'm going to able to stay out of it.

"Jessie, is it?" She asks with her eyebrows furrowed. I nod, and she says, "not that I care. I was just wondering who you really are. I mean, Ryker's never mentioned you before. Are you like, his slut?"

I'm offended, but I don't show it. I shake my head. "No, I've never slept with Ryker."

"I have," she says, "He's amazing." I'm confused, because by saying that she's practically admitting that she is Ryker's slut. Whatever that's supposed to mean. Before I can say anything though, she tells me, "I dated him too. And I like him a lot, so I'd appreciate it if you would leave him alone. He doesn't need you."

I don't ask her how she knows what Ryker really needs, because I doubt she does and it would only make her even more upset. I can tell by expression on her face that she's already quite pissed off. "I'm only trying to help him. I care about him."

"He doesn't need your help."

I sigh, shaking my head. "But he does, alright? And if you actually liked him, you would realize it. Do you even know anything about him?"

She gasps, slapping the palm of her hand against the side of my face. I wince, and my cold hand flies up to my cheek, holding it to try to ease the pain. "You have no right to ask me that! And you have no right to be in Ryker's life. Like I said, he doesn't need you. And he doesn't want you. He wants me. You have nothing to offer him."

I want to hit her back so badly, but that means that I'm giving in, and I wont do it. Her words hurt me more anyway. "I'm not trying to offer him anything. I don't care if he doesn't want me. I'm just trying to help him, and to make him see himself for who is and not who other people think he is. He's a good person, and all of you people are screwing him up. He's obviously over flowing with pain and you're stupid for not realizing it."

I walk away then, and she doesn't follow. All I can think about is Ryker this morning, screaming his dad's name as his nightmare brings back the memories, whatever they are. I can relate to it, and although lately my memories have been fading, they're still occupying a place at the back of my mind.

Ryker's ex-girlfriend should really think more about Ryker than about herself if she wants things to work out with him. She seems to be clueless to the fact that Ryker needs someone that cares about him instead of someone he can sleep with. I'd like to believe that person is me, and whether Ryker shows it or not, I will always pretend I am.

I try to shake the thought of Ryker from my mind for at least a little while, but it's impossible because I almost walk into him.

He is definitely startled when I walk out in front him as strolls around the hallways doing nothing in particular and I have to stop myself from giggling. "Woah," he gasps, taking me by the shoulders before his body crashes into mine once again. "Hey there, Princess."