Ryker

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Here we go

Ryker

The four of us walked up to the school. Our reputation proceeded us as we terrified people. I didn’t care because it’s another reason to leave this place.

We headed to our lockers.

Someone screeched, “Ryder!”

Ugh, Melanie. Her voice always grated on my nerves. I don’t see what my brother saw in her. My cousins looked at her and frowned. They hated her as much as I did.

She jumped on him while I continued putting my books away.

Ryder said, “Hey, baby.”

Hearing them smack lips turned my stomach as the other guys cringed. It’s the first day, and I’m dealing with this nonsense. The best part is, I didn’t have to see the wretched beast since my parents can’t stand Melanie. One of the few times I agreed with my parents.

They got done swallowing each other’s faces, which wasn’t pleasant. Melanie looked at Ryder.

“I’m having a party, and I’m inviting you, you sexy thang.”

Ew, gross. I rolled my eyes at Melanie’s comment.

“Oh, baby, you know the rule. I only go if my brother and cousins come,” he purred.

Great, dude. Thanks for throwing us under the bus.

I closed my locker and leaned against it with my back. My cousins leaned on their sides, looking at them.

“Fine.”

She turned and looked at us.

“I’m inviting you to my party,” she said through gritted teeth.

My cousins looked at each other. I looked at the ceiling. Then she said other lovey-dovey s**t and took off.

“Seriously, dude. Do you need to suck face?” Evan asked.

Ryder put his stuff away.

“Hey, I can’t help it if she’s f*****g hot.”

“Hot? More like f*****g annoying,” Frisco said.

I chuckled.

“Eh, you take the good with the bad,” Ryder said.

As Ryder closed his locker, Ruby walked up to Evan.

“Evan, I need a favor.”

“What favor?” Evan asked.

“Can you let Mom and Dad know I went to Nessa’s house after school?”

“Why don’t you tell them?”

“Well, um, um.”

He looked at her and rubbed his forehead.

“You’re going to that loser’s house, aren’t you?”

She stood there.

“Mom and Dad don’t like him, especially Dad.”

“Dad is way too overprotective.”

“No, because Dad knows what a king-size loser Brent is.”

“He is not a loser.”

Ruby defended the guy. They argued over Ruby’s poor choices about this twit. Yes, her judgments were flawed. Brent was an asshole. He had no respect for women like my brother. Look at the beast he’s dating. Point made. I stood there, staring at the ceiling, wishing I was anywhere but here.

Well, that was until I saw her. I glanced to see a girl looking lost. She had shoulder-length chestnut hair with loose curls. Her hair bounced off her shoulders when she walked. Her frame was petite compared to my six-foot-one frame. She was stunning.

She walked over to us, taking us by surprise. We stood and looked at her.

“Excuse me. Can you tell me where classroom 113 is?”

Damn, her voice was even stunning. It’s not a screeching voice most girls possess.

“Are you new?” Frisco asked.

She looked at him, and a soft smile formed on her lips.

“Oh, where are my manners? I’m Valerie Wesley. I moved here with my parents,” she said.

She held out her hand. We looked at her as she pulled her hand back.

“Well, okay, then. Not much of a handshake, are you?” She asked.

We stared at her as she looked at us with her forest-green eyes. Damn, they were even stunning.

“Okay, I guess you guys are busy.”

She sighed, unsure of how to respond to us. Then she turned and started walking away. She searched for the room she asked us. I don’t understand what possessed me to do what I did next. I left and caught up with her.

“Wait!” I yelled.

I caught up with her.

“What’s he doing?” Frisco asked.

“Got me,” Evan said.

“Christ, here, we go again,” Ryder said.

They started heading to their class.

I showed Valerie to the classroom she needed. It turned out we had a class together. We walked in and found a seat.

“So, are those guys always like that?” She asked.

“Who?”

“The guys and girl you were standing with.”

“Most of the time.”

“Why?”

I looked at her.

“You have two people in your life. The ones who you fear and the ones who you don’t. We’re the latter.”

She leaned over, placing her chin in her hand.

“Let me guess. The bad boy?”

“More like the feared boy.”

I let a smile escape my lips.

“Fascinating. So what is your name, feared boy?”

I leaned towards her.

“Ryker.”

She kept looking at me.

“You don’t look scared.”

“More like curious.”

“How so?”

“What makes Ryker tick?”

I glanced at her.

“What’s your story?”

“Who says I have a story?”

“Everyone has a story, and you, Ryker, I intend to find out yours.”

She smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile. This girl didn’t recognize my story or me. I and the others didn’t intimidate her. I wanted to learn more about this girl since she piqued my curiosity.

Class started. I couldn’t help but glance at her every so often at me with her smiling. Class ended, and I showed her around the school. I felt drawn to this girl. She was nothing like the last one, which is a whole different story.

At lunch, I invited her to sit with us. She was more tolerable than the beast my brother had with him.

“So, Valerie. Where you from?” Evan asked.

“My parents moved from Vegas. My dad got a job with Cascade Casinos as a pit boss,” she said.

We looked at each other.

Frisco asked, “Oh?”

She stopped eating.

“What?”

“You don’t know? Wow, you’re dumb, aren’t you?” Melanie asked.

I shot Melanie a glare as she rolled her eyes. I turned my attention back to Valerie.

“Our family owns Cascade Casinos,” I said.

“Oh,” she said.

I couldn’t tell if it shocked her or she realized. Nowadays, you can never tell with people. Over the years, our family had to deal with secrets and lies. Their motives had made us jaded.

We looked at her.

She said, “Well, no offense. Michelle, is it?”

“Melanie.”

“Marnie?”

“Melanie.”

“Oh, that is right, Marigold. I ignore someone’s status. I care about how they treat someone. But you don’t appreciate that since you drape yourself over anyone based on who they are.”

Her tone was direct and biting. I like this girl.

Melanie stammered and turned red.

“Why you, you, you…”

“Me what? How about you retake English and learn how to speak? Then we can have an actual conversation.”

She placed her fingers on her chin. Melanie didn’t know what to say. She ran out of there, leaving the rest of us in awe.

Frisco yelled, “See ya later, Marigold!”

We busted out laughing.

“Damn, she got her ass handed to her,” Evan said.

“Aren’t you going to chase your little side piece?” Valerie asked Ryder.

“Nah, I’ll deal with her later,” Ryder said.

I looked at her.

“I like you. You should stick with us.”

“I’ll stick with you. Well, if you guys don’t mind?” She asked the others.

“Sweetheart, we’ll take you over that beast any day,” Frisco said.

She smiled.

“Yeah, as long as you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll fit in nicely,” Evan said.

She smiled and looked at me.

“What about you? Do you think I’ll fit in nicely?”

She had a flirtatious tone to her voice.

I smiled and said, “More than you realize.”

Ladies and gents, I believe I found a reason to stick around in Saintwood, and her name is Valerie Wesley.