Playing the Playboys

Chapter 43: The Ice Cream

'Cause a girl like you is impossible to find
Tonight will be the night
That I will fall for you over again
Don't make me change my mind

"Everyone, get to place!"

My friends scrambled around to get to their positions. Zoe, Jade, Logan, and Ivan held up the one-fourth illustration boards that spelled 'PROM?' while I hugged the illustration board with my terrible drawing of Zachary and I to my chest, waiting for him to arrive.

Ryder had just texted me that they were on the way to the roof top. I blew out a gust of air as I stared at the door expectantly, my heart beating erratically.

I had no idea why I was so nervous, it wasn't like he would say no. Well, we weren't official because he said he wanted to take things slow, but I was sure we'd go to prom together whether I asked him or not.

"Where are they?" Ivan asked. "My arms are getting tired."

Just as he complained, the door of the rooftop burst open, revealing an apologetic looking Ryder.

"We were on the way here when his phone rang," he explained in guilty tone even though he did nothing wrong. "Duty calls."

"So he just ditched his supposed punishment for being tardy to class?" Jade inquired, offended that Zachary disregarded the rules.

Ryder told Zachary that Mr. Florence asked the both of them to clean the roof because of their tardiness, which actually happened often.

"Duh, it's Zach we're talking about." Zoe shook her head in disappointment, dropping her board. "What do you mean by 'duty calls' though?"

Ryder, Logan, Ivan, and I shared looks. Lately, Zachary had been busy with his 'hitman' job. He had been coming to school all beaten up and often had no time to hang out with any of us, especially me, after school. I barely even see him nowadays, which was actually what propelled me to do this stupid cliché thing to him at the first place.

They tried to evade Zoe's question while I distanced myself from them, checking my phone. I sighed when I saw there were no messages from him. When he said that the reason why he was so beat up the night he confessed to me was because a relative of someone he beat up found him and called for backup to kick his ass, I asked him if he could text me before and after doing the deed just so I'd know he was safe.

At first he would, but after a while, he stopped.

And I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to act like a clingy girlfriend since I wasn't even his girlfriend.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Ryder asked, pulling me out of my train of thoughts.

"Nothing." I crumpled my drawing and surveyed rooftop. The place was cleared out with only Ryder and I left, as if no one was ever here.

He shot me a pointed look.

"I'm fine, Ryder," I waved off. "Don't worry about me."

"You know I can't do that," he tutted, raising an eyebrow at me. "Now, come on, spill the tea, sis."

I burst out laughing at how ridiculous he sounded. "No."

He smirked at me, nodding. "Yes."

As I was calming myself down, he sat on the floor, patting the space beside him. I followed after his suit, tinkering with the ball of paper.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?" he drawled, grabbing the paper from me and playing with it himself.

My eyes followed the ball as he tossed it up and down. "That sounds so damn cheesy, but yes. I think he's been pushing himself too hard, getting too beat up. It's not right."