Unsteady

27. More Than Words

Oh, I need you more
Than words can say
Oh, you save me in ways
That I can't explain
Always been there for me,
Now I'll do the same
Oh, I need you more
Than words can say
-More Than Words
-Little Mix
-Kamille

•••••

"I'm slowly starting to think that you two purposefully keep these things away from us," Violet rolled her eyes, stabbing her mac and cheese with her fork.

"Vi is right guys," Cameron said, "I mean you said this happened on Saturday, yet you waited till Wednesday to tell us this at school."

I bit my lip glancing sideways at Ryder, whose bruises were slowly healing but he looked way better than he did on Saturday.

I forced Ryder to stay at home on Monday and Tuesday, to prevent rumours starting the minute he walked into school. I remembered the last time Ryder fought Brandon and how every student reacted by staring at the bruises on his face like he was some sort of alien.

I didn't want him to face that again.

I covered up my bruise with foundation, thankfully it had already started to fade.

"I know I know, there just wasn't enough time. We would have told you earlier but I guess we kind of...forgot," I finished weakly, watching Violet's face drop.

"You forgot? Forgot to mention that you got beaten up by our biggest enemy, to your friends? Yeah, how believable," Violet muttered.

"Guys lay off. It doesn't matter how late they told us, at least they did," Kyle said coming to mine and Ryder's rescue.

I sent him a grateful smile.

Violet didn't look like she wanted to drop the topic, but she obeyed and started speaking about where we should travel to for our end of year vacation.

With all that had happened, I forgot we were still planning that.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Ryder, feeling extremely worried. He sat quietly, staring at his full tray of food left untouched throughout the whole lunch period. He had started acting strange after our date with Dylan.

I put it off to him feeling tired after his fight, but after his strange behaviour continued into Monday I knew something was up.

Sometimes every few minutes, I'd catch Ryder staring at me. Rather at the bruise on my face. His eyes would fill with pain and he'd look away quickly and focus his attention on something else.

It physically hurt me to see Ryder in so much of emotional pain, yet not know the reason why. The bell rung signalling the end of the lunch lesson.

Violet and Cameron left the cafeteria with barely a goodbye to Ryder and I. They probably were still irritated by the fact that Ryder and I had waited till Wednesday to tell them about Brandon and Ryder's fight.