Page 93 of I Don't Need Your Love

He nods and gives me another smile. “Ready, Captain.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Carly

While hanging out with my friends and Caleb on Sunday afternoon, just when we’re about to watch one of Raven’s favorite epic fantasy movies, my phone buzzes with a text. My stomach tightens when I see it’s from Ryder. The memory of yesterday’s incident flashes in my mind. How we camethisclose to kissing…

I shake my head, shoving the memory away. Things aregoodbetween us because we’re both acting like it never happened. So there’s no sense allowing it to enter my mind and mess things up.

Ryder: Hey, can we squeeze in another practice today?

Carly: You worked your butt off yesterday. You deserve the day off.

He’s quiet for a bit before his next text comes.

Ryder: That’s kind of you, Captain, but I want to get it done before tomorrow’s practice. It’s cool if you have plans, though.

When I lift my head, I find all four of them watching me.

“It’s Ryder,” I tell them.

“No, duh,” Sophie says with a giggle. “Your whole face is lit.”

Ignoring that comment, I say, “He wants to practice today. But I’m going to tell him I made plans with my friends.”

“Uh, no you’re not,” Addie says.

“Yeah, are you seriously picking us over a guy?” Sophie says.

“Yes. You know you guys are more important to me than anyone else at this school.”

“We know that,” Raven assures me. “But…” She holds out both her hands. “Boy…” She raises her right palm. “Or friends.”She raises her left palm. Then she weighs them like on a scale before lifting her right hand higher. “I think we know who the winner is.”

“But we’re watching your favorite movie, Raven.”

She waves her hand. “We can watch that anytime.”

I twist my nose. Of course the prospect of hanging out with Ryder excites me, but I want to spend as much time with my friends as possible, too. I’ve been so busy with dance that I feel like we don’t hang out much outside of school.

“Take it from someone who pushed people away,” Caleb says. “You don’t want to have any regrets.”

He’s referring to his relationship with Addie. If he remained stubborn and hadn’t opened his heart, he and Addie would never have gotten together. He would still be a teen bodyguard and away protecting another person. Who knows if the two of them would ever meet again?

Ryder and I are friends now and we have fun hanging out, especially when we dance. Maybe a part of me is scared to get closer to him because of all the heartache I went through when I was younger, but I need to leave all of that in the past. I don’t want to regret missing out on a potential amazing friendship.

“Maybe we can continue the movie after I get back?”

“For sure,” Raven says with a smile.

“Okay. I’ll text him to meet me in the gym.”

Once I do that, I change my clothes, wish my friends goodbye, and make my way down the stairs and to the door. They’re going to try a new TV show that just came out. I do feel a little FOMO, but it’s easily replaced by my anticipation to dance with Ryder.

When I step out of the girls’ dorm, I stop dead in my tracks. Ryder stands outside, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He smiles and nods to the random girls and guys who say hello to him as they pass by or leavethe building. When his eyes land on me, he straightens up and smiles. “Hey.”

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Yeah. Since we’re headed to the same destination, I figured we can walk together.”