Filling The Void | ✔️

Filling The Void | Chapter Thirty - Two | Hunger Over Slumber

"What happened to getting a blanket?"

I jump and turn away from Ryder to face my best friend who's now taken Ryder's previous position in the doorway, sporting her signature I'm-your-bestfriend-so-I-know smirk.

Kaitlyn had been the last thing on my mind lately and I felt awful about it.
To he fair, everything had happened in just the past three days.
I was still fighting back the shock everyday.

I clear my throat nerveously, "Uh...I was-"

"Will you two just make babies already?" Her smirk turns into a giddy smile, "I wanna be an aunt!"

Trying to ignore the severity of her request I chuckled nervously, "I was hungry." I say, deciding to return to her previous question.

She nods a smile on her face as she switches her gaze to Ryder, "And what's your excuse?"

I don't have to turn to know he's smirking when he says, "I go wherever she does."

She rolls her eyes and looks back at me, "Not trying to be 'one of those self obsessed friends, but how are you doing? You think you'll be mentally stable enough to make it to the Auction at the end of the month?"

I swallow hard. My house burnt down, almost along with my cancer filled father. My mom was still dead and my ex-boyfriend let me go and hasn't even showed remorse for anything that's happened.

What did she expect?

I understood, Kaitlyn had been talking about this for what seemed like forever, and in the beginning it was actually something to help get my mind off of the horrible things happening.

So if this was what was important to her I'd do my best to make it happen.

"I think I might, it all depends on what happens this week. With my dad and everything I'll just have to wait it out."

She nods and as I turn to face Ryder I find his smile has faltered a bit, "Oh don't worry. I'll make sure your eighty thousand tickets are put to good use."

His face goes white as he stares back at me, his cheeks turning red soon after. "I didn't- I-"

I laugh, "Don't even try it, Ryder. Face it, you're obsessed with me."

Without another word, I take my chances at grabbing Kaitlyn by her arm and running out of the kitchen.

➰

"So. How's your dad doing?"

I look around at the busy school hallway as Bash and I walk to lunch and sigh, "There haven't been very many updates but it's not looking too good."

When Sebastian has joined me after fourth period I'd nearly peed myself - because after a whole week of avoiding me, he was finally here. Sure, he was awkwardly making sure I was okay but an effort was an effort.

"That's great." He says, sending me a tight lipped smile, "I hope he does better,"
looking over my shoulder his eye catches something and before I can turn to look he says, "I'll see you."

I watch him walk away, his casual wear making me feel like we were back to square one. No handsome button downs and no slicked back hair.
It was weird now and I guess that was something that's just have to wear off.

"Well if it isn't my little ray of light?"

I smile and turn around, finding Ryder smiling at me, "Whatever happened to sunshine?"

He chuckles and drapes his arm over my shoulder, stealing my binder from my arm, "Well, I'm just trying to change it up a lil cheesecake."

A moment of silence passes between us as we take in what he just called me, then he furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head, "Yeah, that's not a good one."

I shake my head and laugh along with him as we head to English, and for the first time in a while all is good.

It's been four days of living across the hall from Ryder and we're better than ever.

I don't know what it is about Ryder Nicholson , but he just makes the walk to my next period seem like the longest one ever, using every second he has to tease me to no end.

"I should go inside and-"

As if on Queue the warning bell rings and with a bow he hands me my binder, placing a kiss on my cheek, "See you after hell."

I laugh and watch as he saunters away. "Yeah, see you."

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How do we feel about Bash? Let me know!