could take it back. That I could yell do-over and get a chance to say yes to Ryan.
I was covered in my notes so I didn’t answer the phone when it rang. I knew it couldn’t be who I wished it was; I’d run him off.
“ Hey Annie .” It was Lindsey. I would call her back. “ Why exactly is Ryan Mullins parked in your driveway ?” I didn’t hear anything she said after that. I scrambled to my feet and ran straight to the front door. I swung it open so hard that it hit the wall with a loud crash and then everything stopped. My heart, my breath, my momentum.
David was parked on the street, getting out of his car, his head snapped up, hearing the commotion I’d caused, drawing his attention away from Ryan, who was leaning against his car, watching me.
Why were they both here? At the same time.
David walked slowly toward me, glancing back at Ryan, who looked only at me, as if he hadn’t noticed my boyfriend had dri ven up.
“What’s going on, Annie?” David asked.
I had no idea, and didn’t know what to say. “This—is Ryan—from school,” I stammered.
“I know. We’ve met.” I’d forgotten that Justin had intr oduced them at my ball game. “What I want to know is why he’s here.”
My stunned brain was too cloudy to comprehend his que stion and generate a straight answer, but I also didn’t have one. I walked between the two of them and turned to Ryan, staring blankly at him, waiting for an explanation. He smiled at me, and for a moment, I forgot what was happening.
“ What is he doing here, Annie?” David ordered, whipping me back into reality. I twisted to face him, still without an answer. Ryan gently slid his arms around my waist, taking my breath as he tightened his grip on me.
“I’m here, because I want her .” His tone was rough, but the words still made me dizzy.
David huffed, shaking his head. “Get your damn hands off of her. She’s mine,” he said stiffly, glaring at us. I would have a rgued with David for thinking of me as his possession, but I couldn’t speak.
“No. She’s not,” Ryan corrected grimly. “She’s wanted to tell you, but was afraid of hurting you.”
“Annie,” David breathed, his voice becoming weaker as he realized what Ryan said could be true. That I wasn’t his anymore.
“Is that true?” I swallowed hard as I looked up at David. His brown eyes, full of hurt and confusion gazed into mine, wai ting for me to say that Ryan was wrong, but I couldn’t. I was in Ryan’s arms and that was where I wanted to be. David’s soft expression began to harden, his teeth gnashed and his hands balled into fists. “I guess that’s it then,” he growled.
I suddenly felt terrible. I should have said something. Anything. I barely managed to push his name past my lips after he walked away, but nothing else. David disregarded my inadequate attempt to stop him, got in his car, and drove away.
All the blood drained from my face knowing I’d let him go that way, that I’d hurt him. I should have been furious with Ryan, but I wasn’t. I wanted to think that maybe I was still in shock, but deep down I was relieved it was done. I blinked my eyes hard a few times, trying to snap out of my daze, rewinding and replaying what had just happened.
Ryan’s hands moved from my waist, gliding down my arms, stopping at my hands, which he held gently in his. Blood hurriedly r eturned to my face, burning my cheeks.
When my eyes met Ryan’s, I expected smug and brooding after what he’d done. He’d broken up with my boyfriend while I stood by and let him.
“Please don’t be upset with me, Annie,” his tone persuasive and soft, like his eyes. “I knew you weren’t going to go out with me as long as David was around. I was right in thinking your relationship wasn’t serious.”
“What made you think that?”
“You did. When I asked you what was keeping you from me, you didn’t mention him. You didn’t mention him when I asked you out, and you didn’t stop
I was covered in my notes so I didn’t answer the phone when it rang. I knew it couldn’t be who I wished it was; I’d run him off.
“ Hey Annie .” It was Lindsey. I would call her back. “ Why exactly is Ryan Mullins parked in your driveway ?” I didn’t hear anything she said after that. I scrambled to my feet and ran straight to the front door. I swung it open so hard that it hit the wall with a loud crash and then everything stopped. My heart, my breath, my momentum.
David was parked on the street, getting out of his car, his head snapped up, hearing the commotion I’d caused, drawing his attention away from Ryan, who was leaning against his car, watching me.
Why were they both here? At the same time.
David walked slowly toward me, glancing back at Ryan, who looked only at me, as if he hadn’t noticed my boyfriend had dri ven up.
“What’s going on, Annie?” David asked.
I had no idea, and didn’t know what to say. “This—is Ryan—from school,” I stammered.
“I know. We’ve met.” I’d forgotten that Justin had intr oduced them at my ball game. “What I want to know is why he’s here.”
My stunned brain was too cloudy to comprehend his que stion and generate a straight answer, but I also didn’t have one. I walked between the two of them and turned to Ryan, staring blankly at him, waiting for an explanation. He smiled at me, and for a moment, I forgot what was happening.
“ What is he doing here, Annie?” David ordered, whipping me back into reality. I twisted to face him, still without an answer. Ryan gently slid his arms around my waist, taking my breath as he tightened his grip on me.
“I’m here, because I want her .” His tone was rough, but the words still made me dizzy.
David huffed, shaking his head. “Get your damn hands off of her. She’s mine,” he said stiffly, glaring at us. I would have a rgued with David for thinking of me as his possession, but I couldn’t speak.
“No. She’s not,” Ryan corrected grimly. “She’s wanted to tell you, but was afraid of hurting you.”
“Annie,” David breathed, his voice becoming weaker as he realized what Ryan said could be true. That I wasn’t his anymore.
“Is that true?” I swallowed hard as I looked up at David. His brown eyes, full of hurt and confusion gazed into mine, wai ting for me to say that Ryan was wrong, but I couldn’t. I was in Ryan’s arms and that was where I wanted to be. David’s soft expression began to harden, his teeth gnashed and his hands balled into fists. “I guess that’s it then,” he growled.
I suddenly felt terrible. I should have said something. Anything. I barely managed to push his name past my lips after he walked away, but nothing else. David disregarded my inadequate attempt to stop him, got in his car, and drove away.
All the blood drained from my face knowing I’d let him go that way, that I’d hurt him. I should have been furious with Ryan, but I wasn’t. I wanted to think that maybe I was still in shock, but deep down I was relieved it was done. I blinked my eyes hard a few times, trying to snap out of my daze, rewinding and replaying what had just happened.
Ryan’s hands moved from my waist, gliding down my arms, stopping at my hands, which he held gently in his. Blood hurriedly r eturned to my face, burning my cheeks.
When my eyes met Ryan’s, I expected smug and brooding after what he’d done. He’d broken up with my boyfriend while I stood by and let him.
“Please don’t be upset with me, Annie,” his tone persuasive and soft, like his eyes. “I knew you weren’t going to go out with me as long as David was around. I was right in thinking your relationship wasn’t serious.”
“What made you think that?”
“You did. When I asked you what was keeping you from me, you didn’t mention him. You didn’t mention him when I asked you out, and you didn’t stop
Similar Books
