Gift

Chapter 22

Ryder

When I get to Blake's house Thursday morning, he's already waiting by the driveway.

I reach over to open the door for him then say, "Hope you haven't been waiting long."

"No, not at all," he says. "Hey, can I come over after school and stay for a while?"

"This is the fourth time this week. I hope you know that. There's nothing wrong with that, but I'm just a little worried."

"Yeah," he somberly sighs out. "I'm sorry if I'm causing an inconvenience at home."

"No, no, that's not it. Besides, my parents said they'd love to have the chance to get to know you... just to see what they can find about me."

"Hey, they're making an effort, at least."

"They are." I nod. "They are."

Those end up being the last words of our conversation. Shy attempts about our weather don't go anywhere, even though he's been all excited for the snow since before this whole ordeal started. Throughout the drive to school, he stays distant and silent, and it's counterintuitively distracting. How could I not worry about him when he's going through the same thing I did? And unfortunately, he's the one who got the short end of the stick.

I really wish driving and parking didn't require two hands right now. I want to hold his hand and reassure him that everything's gonna go fine.

"Can we go to the cafeteria?" he asks as soon as the car's parked.

"Sure. What for?"

He turns away his head. "I'm hungry."

"Did you have a light breakfast?"

"Uh, sure."

Obviously that's not the case, but I don't want to worry him by acting all worried. So we go straight to the cafeteria before classes start. He heads for the food when I spot Mikaela at a table. I energetically lounge beside her and catch up with her.

"Are you done packing?" I ask.

"Yup," she yips. "We're all set to leave after Christmas."

"I really wish you could stay."

"I do too. But there's a whole nother world out there, Ryder. We can't let this opportunity go to waste. Plus, I don't think I got much of a say in it anyways." She comes in for a hug, so I hug her back. My cheek hits her age-old ribbon, and her hair smells of apples and cinnamon. So it is her shampoo. "I promise I'll come visit sometime."

"I'll go and visit you too."

We let go and she sighs, her eyes dressed up and faking the eyeshadows' smile. "So how are things with Blake? Awesome, I hope."

"Better than I could've hoped for, honestly. He's been coming over the past few days and we've just been chilling." Literally, too.

"Still can't believe you were worried about your parents for nothing."

"It's not nothing, okay?" She giggles, and I throw a pity laugh out there anyways. "But still, every time he comes over, he's all sad. I really wish that there's something I can do to help."

"There's not a lot we can do. It's between him and his dad. But there's always other ways to help, if that makes you feel any better."

Blake arrives at the table with a small sandwich. He sits down and I wrap my arm around him while he eats. The look on Mikaela's face says that I'll be alright. And that she's enjoying the sight. I am too.

Instead of paying attention to classes, I spend the whole day coming up with a plan to make him feel better. And I figure something out.

After school ends, I text out a flurry of messages to Blake.

"Change of plans"
"Meet me at my house"
"Sorry, ur gonna have to walk"
"I need to go somewhere real quick"
"Might take a while"
"Mom should b home to let u in"

Then he texts back, "Where are you going?"

I thought he might ask, so I send out a lie. "Im picking up ur present"
"I dont want you to see it yet"
"You could stay over if you want <3"

He's only stayed until dinner, so this might be stretching it. He'd say that it's not a good idea and we'd have to sort things out and stuff. But to my surprise, he says that he'll think about it.

I pull up Mom's number, which might as well have digital cobwebs on it because I feel like I'm exploring a part of my phone's dungeon that I haven't gone to in ages (hint: because I haven't), and send her a few texts as well.

"Blake's walking over"
"Open the door for him"
"BE NICE"

Suddenly, I think it might've been a mistake to let Blake stay the night. Mom'll bring up the spare bedroom and then he might say that he's okay sharing a bed with me because we've already done so.

It doesn't matter. There are more pressing issues than my mom lecturing me about... snuggling? I get behind the wheel and drive. At the intersection, the lights stop us and pull attention to the gray clouds that shed miracles down to the streets.

Damn. And I left Blake alone, too. If we were walking together, I would've stopped us dead in our tracks to enjoy the moment. The look on his face would've been more precious and priceless than any work of art out there. I could've kissed the fluttering snowflakes off his face and felt him heat up from them. Then we could've held each other for the longest time.

The stoplight turns green, and my hands hurt because of the hurt of the wasted experience. This is something I have to right.

I drive through the seasonal markings. Several melt on the windshield. When I arrive, it looks the same as it was before. The difference is it's snowing, there's one more car, and it'll stay that way until everything is good again.

The doorbell gives me away, but it won't be who he's expecting. My palms are strangling a fish, my heart could be part of a rock concert, and I'm going to to need dentures after all this. The door unlocks and swings open. Summer air inside quickly swaps with the snow-traced breaths and steels my body's resolve.

"Mr. Pechman, we need to talk."