It's Not Perfect

Chapter 20

It felt good to see my parents again. It felt good to hug them and laugh with them and spend quality family time with them. Everything about their presence was pure and warm, they loved me despite everything I have put them through. And when that Friday finally rolled around, I found myself wishing my parents didn't have to leave. We spent the entire day on Wednesday going from store to store, eating at diners, and walking through parks. It was a lovely day that I never wanted to end. But when it finally did and I returned to my apartment to find Ryder waiting for me, it was like a dream come true.

My parents still loved me even after all the bills I piled up.

Brooklyn wasn't jealous of all the time I was spending with Ryder.

And Ryder waited up for me and cared for me even after he knew my past.

What more could I ask for? Everything in my life was perfect and everything was about to get even more perfect. But the problem with things going exactly the way you want them to in life is that eventually they have to go sour, and usually it's a lot worse then you ever could imagine. I didn't want to be that person who always waited for the other foot to drop and expect everything to crumble around me, but that's kind of how I've lived my life for the past year. Old habits die hard.

"Thanks again for coming to visit me." I managed to say through the tight hold my mother was crushing me with in our embrace. And when she finally pulled away it was replaced with yet another stifling hug from my dad. We had already said our good bye's in the taxi. Shed some tears, made some promises, but it was like we had to go through all of that again.

"Once school is over you'll come back up to visit us, right?" My mom asked for the fifth time, her eyes pleading that I didn't change my mind.

"Of course mom." I promised again.

"And you'll bring this fine young man?" My dad questioned, clapping Ryder on the shoulder. Brooklyn hadn't tagged along though she wanted to, she was with Cody who was training for the fights tomorrow. Which only reminded me that Ryder and I would also have to go to the gym right after we dropped off my parents so he could train for the fights tomorrow as well. Luckily Miguel didn't ask any questions when Ryder requested that his practice time be changed to later in the afternoon.

"Don't worry sir, wherever she goes I'll follow." Ryder flashed his dimpled smile which only made the blush growing on my cheeks that much more sincere.

"Good to hear." My dad smiled and gave me one last hug, "Alright honey, well we've got to go. Love you to bits and see you in a month or so."

When we finally sent them away and they disappeared into the airport, I nearly collapsed into Ryder's arms, "I love my parents but the last few days have been exhausting."

"Tell me about it. But I can honestly say it helped that they love me so much." Ryder smiled smugly, kissing my temple as he steered us back towards the taxi that was waiting patiently for our return. Ryder walked with his arm around my shoulders and I happily leaned into him.

We reached the taxi and slid in as Ryder directed the driver back towards our college. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarette's. I waited patiently for the taxi driver to inform Ryder that there wasn't any smoking in the taxi, especially since I could clearly see a 'no smoking' sticker slapped against the dashboard. But the driver didn't say anything, he just hummed to a song that apparently only he could hear.

I tried not to look at Ryder as he lit the cigarette and took a long drag. I shouldn't be surprised, when I first met him all he did was smoke. Just because I hadn't seen him smoking in a while didn't mean he completely stopped, only that he stopped doing it around me. Which I was grateful for, but why was he smoking around me now?