A/N: This chapter was interesting to write. Please let me know what you think and where you are hoping Ro and Ry are headed!!!

Also: SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE!!! This chapter is dedicated to @Hey_Hugh !!! She is an incredible writer and an equally great supporter and friend. She has two beautiful stories that you should check out! They are incredible and showcase both her talent and dedication to writing!!! Send her some love <3

Okay now, let's get into this chapter!!!

Ryder's pleading eyes looked down at me, begging me to give him a chance. His arms were snaked around my waist, as I awkwardly balanced against him, struggling to stand still. Definitely too close for comfort.

"Please Rosie, just please..." He practically begged again, for the third time. And again a tense silence filled the air as he and I both waited for my response.

How I ended up here, in a coat closet, pressed against Ryder, barely catching my breath, deserves an explanation...

Only hours before...

The sun had just risen, but the cool air and clouds refused to let the heat scorch us.

I was telling Linda and James about finding Evalyn's paintings, Cas's upcoming dance recitals, Julie and Lannie and their craziness, and Mo and the diner, careful not to bring up Ryder and any of our recent encounters. I wasn't sure what he told his parents about our relationship, but it didn't feel like my place. Plus the moment was light and happy and I needed that, even if just for a few minutes...

James laughed as I said, "I even found that old painting that you and Evalyn did together. Remember that muddy blob, barely resembling a football?"

"Oh god, I really sucked," he admitted. "But to be fair, Evie did say-

I cut in and quoted the words I heard song long ago, but would do anything to hear again, "'Art is supposed to be beautiful to you, it's not for anyone else.'"

James had a surprised look on his face, as I said with a sad smile, "Yep, I got the spiel too."

"Okay Rosie, I wanna hear more about you. What have you been up to? Are you singing again? Please say yes!!" Linda questioned.

"Actually," I began, "I've been playing the guitar again. It's small really nothing, but I perform down at Eddie's place in the nights."

James animatedly said, "That's so great Rosie. I'm so proud. You must be the new talent everyone's been raving about!"

"Yeah...um...no... Definitely not me. The crowd isn't exactly getting wild."

"Regardless, I'm glad you're singing again. Your voice should be heard." Linda said.

"We'll be there, starting a riot!" James yelled, pumping his fist in the air, while Linda egged him on.

"Thank you, but y'all are both as crazy as I remember," I teased.

"I like to think we got better with age," Linda mocked elegance, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

And the morning went like that. Laughs, smiles, and the joy that Linda and James Daniels always carried.

But then Linda started, "So...."

"So...." I mimicked.

"Is there a significant, special, someone that brings you joy and happiness that we should know about?" Linda asked.

I giggled at her lack of subtly. "Yeah, well there is..." I said baiting them and I watched as James's eyes bugged out a bit and Linda waited anxiously before I said, "....he's kind and loyal and sweet and gives the best hugs..."

"Who?!!!!" Linda begged like a teenage girl.

"Okay, it's a new relationship, but I think I'm ready to tell you," I paused dramatically before giggling, "It's Stitch." I bent down and smothered the pup in kisses as he licked my face.

"Rosie, you're such a tease." Linda began gently smacking me. I just shrugged my shoulders and winked.

"Gotcha. But seriously, I've got no love life. I can't even remember the last time I went out on a date," I admitted.

James started to say "Well thank god, I thought you were serious. Because Ryder-"

But before he could finish, the shrill ringing of my phone followed the high pitched, overly-cheery rhythm of the Little Einstein's theme song interrupted him.

I sheepishly smiled as I picked up the call, anxiously wanting James to finish his sentence. "Hey Cas, Little Einstein's, really?"

"Yes Ro, just wanted you to always think of adventure when you thought of me. CAUSE LIFE IS A WILD RIDE!!" She screamed into the phone as I pulled the speaker from my ear. Linda giggled, hearing her too.

"You better change the song. You're crazy, you know that right?" I teased, chucking.

"Yeah, yeah, you've said. But anyway, can you give me a ride this morning, Mom needed the car and I could take the bus but..."

I cut her off and said, "I'll be there soon Cas. Don't worry."

I quickly hung up the phone and turned back to James and said, "So you were saying something..." I was trying to subtly get some information, but Linda was one step ahead. James was ready to spill, but Linda gave him a pointed look and he quickly shut up.

"Oh he wasn't saying anything honey," Linda spoke throwing James another glare. "But can you come over for dinner tonight Rosie? It's been so long..."

"Yeah! I can fire up the grill like old times..." James pleaded.

Old times. Old times was all of us, everyone together, the laughter, the noise, and the memories. It wouldn't be like it was...

But maybe this could be something new...

I gave them a small smile, nodding yes.

****

So after a crazy day at work and then a few songs at Artist's Prison, I was standing on the front porch of the Daniel's residence, pressing the doorbell.

I looked a little less ratchet than this morning. I was wearing a chunky striped sweater with some jeans and high tops. It was a simple outfit, but comfortable, and damn would I need to be comfortable that night...but I didn't know that quite yet...

Linda opened the front door, an apron tied around her waist and flour-dusted on her cheeks. She was chattering away, ushering me into the living room as James waved through the open backyard door, while he stood at the grill.

"Food will be ready in a few, just wait here hon," Linda said before heading outside to help James, leaving me alone.

I awkwardly stood there for a good five minutes, realizing that I was a stranger in a place that had once been my second home. Everything was familiar- the periwinkle walls, the mahogany stairwell, even the slightly tilted frames along the walls.

I walked around and found myself gravitating towards the piano that sat in the far corner of the room. It creaked open, as I slowly lifted it up... Memories of sitting here at this keyboard and the painful ring of the wrong note resonating in my ears as Ryder and I continued to butcher the song. It was a small Yamaha U1, but it still had the most beautiful sound and was always my favorite place to play...but that may have been for other reasons.

I ran my fingers across keys and fingered a melody, careful to muffle the sound as I pressed on the pedals. I continued playing developing the chorus more, building to the bridge, and just as I was about to sing along, a voice interrupted me.

"So you've been practicing," someone cockily said from behind, but right away I knew it was Ryder. "Not too shabby Rosie," he mocked.

I quickly spun around and glared as I said, "What are you doing here?"

"You do realize this is my house," he nonchalantly said back, leaning against the keyboard.

I was literally so stupid. Of course, he was home, in his house, with his parents. How did I completely forget that very important fact? I never would have come over if I thought he would be here? James and Linda never said anything either... The whole situation felt like an ambush, as I quickly grew uncomfortable under Ryder's gaze.

"Uhhh...yeah...I forgot..." I stuttered out, now completely confused.

"What are you doing here?" He questioned back, but before I could answer, Linda and James burst in with happy smiles.

"Hey Ry honey, thanks for keeping Rosie company before dinner," Linda cheerily said.

"Ma, you never mentioned that Rosie would be coming over," Ryder tried to say politely, but his gritted teeth and tight smile were a dead give away, that he was as thrown by this nearly as much as I was.

"Just wanted to surprise you Ry," James responded.

"It's so good to see you both together," Linda began. I was getting confused now by what they were saying, but Linda continued, "playing the piano together."

"We weren't playing together," Ryder and I said in unison.

But he didn't stop there. "I was actually about to give Rosie some pointers," he said smugly smiling.

"Like I need help from the likes of you," I snarked and then whispered "Butterfingers," in a rather machiavellian way.

"Take that back!" he screamed clearly triggered. Ryder could never grip the keys on the piano, his fingers slipping onto the wrong notes, always a little bit flat. The first time he played hot cross buns, it sounded more like, a rotten melody of expired bread. He eventually got it, but still a bit insecure it seemed.

I laughed and continued to tease him as our bickering grew louder and more muddled.

We forgot we had an audience until James faked a rather aggressive cough and said, "It's so good to see you both together, still bickering and laughing..."

"...and good friends..." Linda added, with a sincere smile.

They were so happy, watching a moment that they thought was real. Watching a friendship that didn't exist. And for a second, I thought about letting the fantasy continue for a moment, let them believe...

But then, common sense reared its ugly head and I opened my mouth to share my truth and shatter the scene. "Actually-" I began, but before I could continue, Ryder grabbed my wrist.

"Can I borrow Rosie for a second," he said, pulling me down the hallway. "Important top-secret business!" he screamed as he practically pushed me into a dark room.

"Subtle," I coughed as Ryder fidgeted around looking for a light switch. And after what felt like hours of searching, he finally pulled a string and a single light bulb turned on, dimly lighting the cramped closet Ryder had dragged me into.

I was ready to give Ryder a piece of my mind, beyond frustrated, but when the lights turned, I quickly became aware of how close I was him. There was barely any room for one person, much less too. Our bodies were pushed together, the only thing separating us were our gazes.

Ryder was watching me, trying to read me and anticipate my next move, maybe to see if I would flinch or push him away. His smirk gave him away, as he gently grabbed my hands steadying me. He seemed to think he had an effect on me- and he did, but I didn't show it, as I let him hold me.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Okay, I have a small, really tiny favor to ask Rosie?" he began to say. "And before you shoot me down, just hear me out."

I already didn't like where this was going, but I instead said, "Fine."

And then he started talking and my blood boiling. "Okay, I know you owe me nothing, but can you not tell my parents that you hate me and that we haven't spoken in two years. I just want them to be happy and not be disappointed in me and they really love you..."

I was barely registering what Ryder was saying as I went through a massive number of emotions, beginning with sadness. Sadness that he too knew how much time had passed since we grew apart, but he never reached out after ruining us. Then anger, the same anger I had begun to feel since his return. Frustration at his selfishness, realizing that I was still wanting to fix us.

And in the back of my heart, I felt a little bit of hope, hearing that in some way, I was still important in his life, but it was a small sliver, if any, of hope.

Ryder didn't register my rage as he continued, "It's just, I don't want to fuck anything up..." but then I heard him barely whisper "again" barely loud enough for me to hear. "There's no point in reliving the past. This could be better. Can we just pretend that nothing has changed? That we're the same..."

I stumbled just then, falling onto Ryder's chest. How cliche right? He grabbed my waist and balanced as he begged, "Please Rosie, just please..."

And there, I stood in a coat closet, pressed up against my teenage crush, hearing him say all the things I never thought I'd hear.

This time I just stared back at him. The sincerity and desperation in his voice as he looked down at me, almost made me want to say yes, and give in. But even Ryder's presence wasn't enough to make that stupid decision. I backed away from him, or as far as I could, the tiny space, trying to create as much distance as I could before I went off.

"Let me get this straight," I began, "You want me to lie and pretend to be your friend to cover up for the fact that you have been an asshole, all to make who exactly happy?" The question was meant to be rhetorical, but Ryder clearly confused made a move to answer it, further aggravating me as I immediately went to cut him off. "You!" I whisper-yelled. "You left me and now I'm supposed to smile and pretend that everything is okay because you held my hands and you smiled." I felt myself growing bitter as continued, "You're right about one thing," I seemed to have drained the hope out of him, but his eyes glimmered with these words, "I don't owe you anything. I'm not going to pretend that everything is okay, because it's not."

I had been telling myself that I was broken, for nearly two years, but at that moment, as I pushed the closet door open, Ryder seemed to be the broken one. He seemed alone, with a shattered look on his face, his ever-present smirk gone and the light in his eyes dimmed. And I broke again, as he looked lost.

I was beginning to feel something for him, a possibility of a second chance. But, he seemed to think of only himself, and that wasn't the Ryder that I remembered. Maybe we had changed too much to pretend.

And if that was true, what was I holding on to?

I needed to leave, my breathing becoming thick and heavy. I hurried back to the living room, searching for Linda and James to say goodbye and escape this night, until I saw the picture.

Sitting on the countertop was a small wooden frame with a picture of Ryder's piano and me and him. It was the day he got it, nearly ten years ago. We were pushing it up the front porch stairs, me at the front, steering, and Ryder hunched over the bottom end. Out of frame, Linda was watching us, laughing instead of helping as two nine-year-olds tried to live a 400 lb piano. And from what I remembered, James was behind the camera, capturing the shot.

And after hours of labor, we eventually got it up the two measly stairs.

I felt Ryder approach from behind me. "It was just us against the world," he said, sadly smiling as he looked down at the picture. He didn't say anything more, but we stood there for a moment, silently sharing the memory.

Linda walked in just then saying, "Dinner's ready!"

I was ready to leave, let go and move one. But instead, I yelled back smiling, "I'm starving!"

I guess I was holding onto that small piece of hope that maybe, if we just pretended, at some point it would become real.