Page 36 of I Don't Need Your Love

He laughs softly. “You disciplined in schoolwork? That’d be a first.”

He also remembers that I’m not disciplined? For a guy who always complained that I “tagged along” with him and my brother, he sure does know a lot about me.

He squints his eyes as he watches me. “Why’s your dad on your case? Your parents are very cool and great.”

“Yeah, but he wants me to…why are you even asking me that? Why do you care?”

He shrugs. “Curious. Your dad doesn’t support your dream to be a dancer?”

“No, of course he does. He just wants me to have something to fall back on. Hence the advanced class.”

He continues to watch me. “That’s smart. Your dad really loves you. Both your parents do.”

Call me crazy, but there’s this tone in his voice, something I can’t pinpoint. And his eyes look so sad and alone. Now that I think about it, I hardly know his parents. I mean, they were our next-door neighbors and I encountered them here and here, but I neverknewthem. And come to think of it, Ryder hardly talked about them.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask him, but I don’t for two reasons. One, he looks like he wants the subject dropped. Two, I don’t know what Ryder and I having such a conversation would do to our dynamic. Would he confide in me and I would in him, and then I’d wake up tomorrow feeling insecure because my enemy knows what lies in my heart? Like how I worry if I can actually make it as a successful choreographer. Or that I’m unsure how the dance team will turn out. What if we make fools of ourselves in front of the whole school? What if we become the laughingstock of the entire elite world that I’m not part of? Harrington Bay Academy can’t have its image tainted.

Ryder bends close. “Your wheels are spinning.”

Gone is that forlorn look on his face. His eyes are back to their cheery selves and he’s wearing that lazy grin on his face.

“Sorry. What did you ask me?”

He shrugs. “I just said that your parents love you. And Blake does, too. You’re lucky to have them, that’s all.”

I study him, trying to get a sense of what’s bothering him, but he laughs.

“I’ll let you get back to your assignment.”

“Yeah. You can’t keep those girls waiting.”

He turns around like he’s seeing them for the first time. Did he forget about his fans? “Mhm, kid. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous.”

I scoff. “Right. Jealous. Sure.”

His eyes dance. “What else would you call it?”

I tap on my laptop keys as I continue my assignment. “Do you mind? I’m trying to work.”

He stands and bends close to whisper in my ear, “Okay, I’ll leave. But you’re still jealous.” He grins again and walks off.

“I’m not,” I mutter after him. Whatever. I don’t really care what he thinks. If he wants his head to grow and grow until it explodes, that’s his problem.

Jealous…that he and his friends will have to finish the assignment tonight along with the rest of their homework? Ha. We’ll see who the jealous ones are.

For some reason, I find myself watching him chat and laugh with his friends. And as if he can feel me, his head lifts in my direction. A slow, wide smile forms on his face, like he’s proud of himself. Ugh. He thinks I’m watching him because I’m jealous.

After rolling my eyes at him, I focus back on my homework. But I can’t stop myself from glancing at him every so often. And each time I do, I find his eyes on me.

Chapter Fourteen

Ryder

I have some time before the football game and sit down on my bed with my phone and video call my best friend.

Blake takes a little long to answer, and I hope I’m not disturbing him. He’s got a game as well. I know how nervous and stressed out he gets.

When his face pops on the screen, he smiles. “Ry! How’s it going? Been forever, hasn’t it?”