||Warming: this chapter may trigger some readers. If you don't like anything about blood, do not continue <3 it's nothing bad, though, this is just a warning||

Chapter 3

I glide across the freshly-mopped floor like a hockey player on ice. My rainbow fuzzy socks allow me to slide over the wooden flooring and around the leather couches that take up most of my living room's space. There wasn't a round of sliding when I didn't fall, probably leaving yet another bruise on my hip, but I got up and kept going. Not because I was strong and refused to give up but it was because I was bored out of my mind and had nothing else to to except for childishly pretend to be ice skating in my fuzzy socks. Yeah, I know, I'm so mature.

Pasta was boiling on the stove while the dishwasher was running. I finished my homework with Ryland a few hours ago and my room is spotless. I'm just waiting for something to happen. That one speck of dust to fall on the coffee table so I could clean it, the pasta to be finished so I can wrap up dinner, maybe even a vase to fall so I can clean up the shattered glass. It was times like this that I beg for something to do. Others, though, all of this would be available to do and I'd wish they'd all go away.

I considered going for a walk but pasta is boiling on the stove and I'd rather not burn down my house.

Another reason, though, is that my parents are on their way home from a business trip and my brother, Everest, is on his way home for the week from college. He's a sophomore at the university north of the state but it's only on a rare occasion he comes home nor does he even decide to call me. Being a senior in high school and two year younger than my brother, I've given up on trying to get his attention; my parents' as well.

This is why I've made pasta, waiting extremely impatiently for them to come home just to leave again. Just for them to pay no attention to me, use me for whatever they want because they know I'll do it and expect me to be okay with it- which, I always am. Why? Because I want nothing more then someone's love. That's all I ask for is, just once, I'll be waiting at the kitchen table with ready for them to be there and they'll actually care about my day. That one day my parents will care about my grades and that one visit my brother will want to know how his little sister is.

I slay myself over to the kitchen and stir the pasta in the pot one last time before shutting off the stove and draining the water away from the pasta. I open a jar of Alfredo sauce, pour the sauce in then toss the items together. Using the wooden spoon I had to stir, I scoop up four plates of pasta and place them on the table.

I glance over at the clock on the microwave, seeing I have 5 minutes until they said they'd show up. So, I sit myself at the table and wait. I just wait... and wait... and wait... and wait. I just wait until I'm tired of waiting.

Anger boils in my blood along with embarrassment. They didn't fucking show up, but I actually believed that they would. I actually believed my mother, father and older brother would come see me. I'm such an idiot.

Over and over and over again, I mentally slap myself. Fucking. Little. Stupid. Idiot!

My hand, balled into a fist, flies through the air and into the wall. Soon, the deep burgundy that once covered the wall was now white. An uneven circle carves into the wall while my hand just sits there. It's only after a few seconds the pain from the punch struck me. I fight back my tears, the salty water blurring up my vision. The physical and mental pain like lightning struck me hard and soon, it was hard to fight back the tears bombarding my eyes.

I whimper to myself, hating the sound I've started to make, allowing the tears to just fall, smashing against the wooden floors.

Then, suddenly, there's a knock at the door. My hopes rise higher than skyscrapers. I promptly pull my hand out of the hole, covering it with a family portrait, and dust myself off. My hoodie is covered in white dust, like snow, from the wall while my leggings were totally clean, the ends of them hidden under my high-top converse.

I use my fingers to brush my hair back out of my face as I walk over to the door, and quite frankly, I was scared. No, I was more anxious than scared. My fingers shook as I brought them closer to the doorknob.

All of my hope is flushed down the toilet and I immediately slump back down in disappointment. Why was he here?

"Hey," he says before looking down at my hand that I'm hugging my torso with. "What happened?"

I slowly look down at my hand and examine the skin. It's broken apart, split like an earthquake, covered in a new color of vibrant red instead of my usual olive tone. It is bleeding through my hoodie sleeve so I remove the fabric from sticking on my hand and roll it up so the stained part isn't in contact with my skin.

"N-nothing." I shoot back defensively. "It's none of your business."

"It is now," Ryland reaches out for my hand but I let him touch it. It scared me more than actually punching the wall.

He walks into my house, closing the door behind him. "Are you sure it's okay? It looks pretty bad."

I yank my hand away from him, he looks suddenly taken aback. "I-I'm fine. Why are you here?"

"I was taking a jog, then I heard a loud thump come from your house. I thought your brain might've exploded from too much thinking." Ryland remarks, shooting me a quick smirk.

And, for a moment, I though he was actually caring for me. Damn, I should've known better than that! No one cares about me. I'm mentally smacking myself again. I keep falling for stupid shit today... what's wrong with me?

I use my normal hand to shove him when I realize he's still shirtless. His six-pack is defined as perfectly as his jawline and his joggers hang low, they sag just a bit. I'm not completely sure is that's intentional or not but the plaid from his boxers with the waistband covered in "CK" was hard to miss.

"Givin' me a once over, huh blondie?" Fuck, I was caught.

"Get out of my house."

"Aww, but why? You're my favorite neighbor." Ryland whines ever so terribly while he whips his sweaty brown hair from his forehead.

"Yeah, I might move if you don't leave." I walk over to the door, open it and point outside of the house. "So, get out."

"Damn, we just met and you already don't like me? Ouch..." he puts his hand to his chest, pleading my sympathy, but I just keep my face of no emotion planted.

A laugh escapes his mouth before he takes the door and closes it. I wince at the sound of the door slamming closed. I was triggered so easily today and I have no idea why.

Soon enough, I realize he's walking close to me... like, really close to me. Ryland take his time with each and every step but I quickly back away from him. My back soon runs into a wall and I'm cornered. There's no where left for me to go.

Ryland's only a few inches away from me before he stops in front of me. I close my eyes, hoping he doesn't hurt me- I don't know my he would though, when he starts to caress me hair. My blonde, silky hair falls in between his fingers as he lightly runs his fingertips through the bundle of strands. He looks up at my complexion then slowly removes my glasses from my face. A smirk tugs at his lips before he speaks.

"You look so different without these." Ryland places the glasses on his face. "How do I look?" He asks before striking a pose like this bitch is on project runway or some TLC shit like that.

"Like a beautiful idiot." I remark assertively with the slightest smile.

"How kind of you, blondie. You think I'm beautiful?" Ryland bows like he's some Prince Charming.

"I also think you're an idiot."

"You never denied my beauty, though." He gives me the most sly smirk but I just glare at him like the beautiful idiot he is.

"You little shit." We both start laughing in unison, before he places my glasses back on my face, his hand brushes against my cheek creating a heat in my body that shouldn't be there.

Ryland brings my injured hand into his and observes it like as if it were a fossil needing professional examination. He looks at me and smiles, his finger creating circles on my skin.

"Here, let's clean this up, blondie."

I nod then make my over to the kitchen, Ryland following in my footsteps. He turns on the kitchen sink and sets my hand under the shocking water. Like a mouse in a mousetrap, my hand jumps around involuntarily in the freezing tap water.

Red stains the water as it slides off my skin, clearing my hand of all the blood, exposing my olive coloring once again. My muscles twitch in cold liquid falling from the sink. Ryland turns off the faucet then tears a paper towel from the roll on the marble counter, dabbing it on my wound.

There's a long line on the top of my hand where the skin broke apart from each other. Deep down, I know the cut will heal but I'm questioning the concept for some unknown reason. What if it doesn't heal all the way and the memory of my anger remains a part of me for the rest of my life? I would really dread that.

"There-" he begins, tossing the stained paper towel in the trash. "Clean."

"Thanks." I say sheepishly.

I'm out of words to say. We awkwardly just stand there for a while and stare at my injured hand.

Ryland Aries isn't really as much of a bad boy as people make him seem. He's actually quite nice and I've only met him today. But, I really shouldn't jump to conclusions with anyone.

"You really aren't as 'bad boy' as they make you seem, Aries." I flash him a small half-smile before taking my hand and covering it in my sleeve.

"Who's they?" He asks, his voice soft yet scratchy.

"Oh, just people. Gossip."

"Well, don't underestimate me, blondie, I can be bad. Something about you just makes me choose otherwise."

My cheeks heat up again.

Curse me for being turned on by shit as simple as joggers! Ugh!
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Well, hello there readers... didn't see ya there ;)

Yep, longer chapter <3

The picture at the beginning is what Everly looks like. :))

Comment what you'd like to see happen in this book! I'd love to hear yalls requests!

Hope y'all are enjoying the story and if y'all are ever confused of what's happening, comment or PM me and I'll answer as quick as possible!

Thanks for taking your time for reading! I love you all.

Buh-byeeeeeeee!

-BlackMidnights