Reckless Play | ✓

15. Whiplash

a/n: Chapter 14-15 were updated. Make sure you read chapter 14 first!

Emily at the 🔝

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"Leaving so soon?" A honeyed voice said.

Ryan stopped mid step as someone came to a stop in front of him. Standing on my tiptoes I peeked over his shoulder to find the owner of the voice and my heart came to an abrupt stop.

If the brown hair and long legs hadn't given it away, the red lipstick would have.

Rubi red.

It was her.

Emily.

The girl that I assumed had kissed Ryan that day he showed up at the cafeteria with a smudge in the very same color.

The girl I've found talking with him several times at school.

The girl Hannah had warned me about.

The troublemaker.

The sleepy cloud cleared from my eyes as soon as that word registered in my brain. In a blink I was instantly alert, my ears catching every sound around us. In all my years of school I'd learned you had to take precautions when being around people like her and letting my guard down now would definitely be a bad idea. Yes, I didn't know her, but I'd heard enough to stay cautious.

I gave Ryan's hand a squeeze and he immediately pulled me closer until my chest met his back. Halfway concealed behind his frame I watched as Emily took a step closer, smiling wide.

"Hi, Em." He said.

"Hey you." Her gaze slid away from his face to settle on mine and I was surprised to see that her smile never wavered. Oposite of sizing me up and down with a sneer as I'd prepared myself for her eyes brightened and she lifted a hand in greeting, her fingers waving in the air. "Hi, you must be Kalley. I'm Emily, you can call me Em." Her eyes smiled up at Ryan for a second before she turned to me.

Well, that was...unexpected.

I stared at her for a second weighing whether she was being sincere before I let my lips tip up on a smile.

"Hi, nice to meet you Em."

She threw her head back in a laugh, "well...I guess you've already heard about me. It's incredible the speed in which rumors fly around school, isn't it?" Talking a step closer to me she lowered her voice to a playful whisper, "Don't worry, not even half of what you hear is truth."

I blinked.

She smiled again.

Figuring out this girl was going to give me whiplash.

Straightening, she looked back at Ryan, "You are seriously leaving? The party just started."

I held the urge to point out that it had already been two hours since we've been here.

Ryan's reply caught me off guard.

"You know I don't do parties Em."

I held my breath waiting for Emily's reaction.

She pouted, "When I saw you here I thought maybe you had changed your mind." Her eyes met mine again before looking back at him.

I had everything I needed to know with that gaze.

Emily knew.

She knew why Ryan didn't like to attend parties. Somehow that made me feel like I didn't knew him at all. And if I was being honest with myself I had to admit I didn't.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable I fidgeted.

Ryan spoke again, "I didn't change my mind, when I make a decision I go all the way."

Somehow that sounded like it had a double meaning. I didn't have much time to think about it before he was changing topic.

"Did you happen to see Hannah?"

I didn't miss how Emily's left eyelid twitched. Guess the dislike was mutual.

"Yeah, she was over there with James the last time I saw her." She pointed somewhere near the patio doors.

"Thanks." Ryan said already tugging me forward in that direction.

"See you." I smiled at her in apology as we passed by her.

My, Ryan could be rude when the mood struck him.

She nodded her head and turned around, her long legs and black mid-thigh skirt melting into the crowd.

I stared straight ahead as Ryan lead us to a group of guys sitting on logs, cups on their hands. My eyes moved around the group searching until they stopped on a familiar blond-haired girl. Hannah was sitting on James lap, laughing along with the guys until her eyes drifted to the side and the smile slipped from her face.

"Uh Oh." Was the first thing that came out of her mouth as soon as she caught sight of us.

James might have heard her because his head snapped in our direction and a big smile spread on his lips. The contrast between their expressions was priceless.

"Hey man, weren't you supposed to be at home?" His voice sounded teasing.

"Save it Owen." Said Ryan coming to a stop beside them.

"Someone's pissed." He muttered. "Hey babe, did you have something to do with it?" He wondered, noticing Ryan and Hannah stares.

"I swear I was keeping an eye on her." She defended herself.

"Yeah, which of the two? Cause I couldn't tell." Was Ryan's response.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa...calm down---" James begun, trying to cool the boiling waters.

Hannah's eyes pleaded with mine, "I went to get you Kalley when we entered the house, but then I saw you chatting with Taylor and..." She trailed off. "I'd have never left you with him if I thought he'd leave you alone."

I shook my head, "It's fine."

This whole thing was ridiculous, I didn't need a babysitter dammit.

Hannah Jumped from James's lap, "No, it's not. I---" Her hand flew in the air as she tried to explain her point and knocked against a drink, the contents spilling down and staining the owner's khaki jeans.

"Whoops!" She said, her hands coming up to cover her mouth.

The guy stood up abruptly, cursing as he tried to wipe the ugly stain with a napkin----without luck----

"I'm so sorry Carter." I heard Hannah whisper.

The guy, Carter, dismissed her apology with a wave. I didn't blame him, no-one could stay mad at Hannah when she looked at you that way. "It's fine. I knew I should have sat on the opposite side."

I noticed Ryan's shoulders shake.

He was laughing.

Well...At least we accomplished something.