Chapter 5

Today's the day Drake's gonna be back and I'm scared shitless. I told Ryder yesterday and it slightly creeped me out how he wasn't even bothered by it. Not even the slightest bit. No questions asked. Just a simple 'okay'. Nope, not weird at all.

But just to fill everyone in, I’ll give you a recap. Here's what happened:

"But Ryder, you don't seem to get it. My brother wants to meet you," I told him, stressing out the 'brother' bit.

"Yeah and I'm perfectly fine with that," he said nonchalantly as he plucked a grape off its branch.

It was lunch time and we were sitting at the school's backyard after getting some fruits from the cafeteria. I told him I needed to tell him something and dragged him out here. We were sitting under the big oak tree. Ryder was leaning his back on the tree's trunk and I sat beside him, trying to gauge any reaction that I would find familiar to the usual reactions I have had to deal with when I told people my brother wanted to meet them.

I mean, I don't mind him not being afraid of my brother and all because frankly, it gives me hope that he'll still want to be my friend after this and as much I hated admitting it, I loved hanging out with this grade A jerk, he’s nice. He’s a nice jerk. But as much as I liked the chill vibe he was giving off and as much as I fancied the idea that he was actually willing to meet my scary ass big brother, I just felt like he was in dire need of a massive heads up on how my brother tends to be a bit.. overwhelming.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean I can just tell him you have an important family gathering or something. You really don't need to do this. I'm not pressuring you or anything. You can just back out anytime you’d like." I told him as I listed off the reasons I have in store to cover up for him against my brother.

"Luce, hey. Take a chill pill, would you? Why are you so peeved about your brother meeting me? Are you embarrassed that I'm your friend or something? I'd love to meet your brother. It would shed some light on your background and it helps me get to know you easier." He shrugged and I sighed, knowing I was just stalling.

"I know, I'm just scared Drake will scare you off and you won't be friends with me like those other guys I was friends with once." My head drooped in defeat, finally admitting the fear that's been bothering me.

Ryder being Ryder, tried lightening up the gloomy mood with his humor. "You sure it wasn't your freakily high IQ?" He joked and I laughed with him, punching his arm lightly.

"You don't need to worry, Luce. I'm not like those other people, I'm still gonna be here for you. It'll take more than some big bad brother to scare me off," He boasted jokingly, puffing out his chest and I laughed at the comical sight.

"Don't you ever - try to be cocky," I wheezed between laughter and he smiled, throwing an arm across my shoulder, pulling me to his side. My laughter died at the back of my throat and my cheeks heated up as butterflies erupted in my stomach and I can't help the grin that threatened to make itself known.

Is this..

Is this a friend thing?

Is this a friendly thing that friends do to each other?

I couldn’t be sure of the answer to those questions. Drake has managed to scare off every guy who would so much as try to get closer to me so far. And so, I had no idea if this was still just a ‘friendly’ move or something more.

“No, don’t get ahead of yourself, here, Luce. He’s just a friend. The ‘butterflies’ you’re feeling in your stomach is you being hungry.” I told myself silently in my mind, trying to convince myself that whatever was happening here was nothing worth making a big deal about.

I forced my tense shoulders to relax and let my head rest on his shoulder as we stayed like that for another minute. When we finally decided to break from the embrace, the blush that reddened my cheeks hasn't diminished yet and so Ryder had a good laugh about it before we decided to go back inside.

"Catch you after school?" He asked and I smiled at him whilst nodding. He grinned at me before pivoting on his heels and jogged to his next class while I turned the other way to mine with a slight skip to my steps.

~

And that was how I ended up being inside Ryder's car, hitching another ride home with him and realizing that I just made a huge mistake by riding with him.

Drake will not be happy about this. Tia tailed us with her own car and I dreaded the sight of my house for the first time in my whole life.

Why didn’t I just ride in Tia’s car, you ask? When you figure out the answer to that question, please enlighten me too because I honestly have got no clue. How can someone be so dumb? Did my parents drop me on my head when I was a baby by any chance?

I received a text from Drake during my Chemistry period saying that his plane just landed and it felt like a huge weight has just been lifted (I have always had a paranoia over flying in airplanes) only to have another one dropped on my shoulders when I remembered that he’ll meet Ryder today.

We finally reached my house and I unlocked and opened the front door for our guests.

"Drake? I'm home." I called out to the familiar empty and hollow house, only this time, a set of footsteps answered my call, running down the steps. Next thing I knew, a huge weight crashed into me and brought us both toppling over and onto the floor, crushing me under their heavy ass.

I winced, "You big Hippo, get off me!" I told him as I tried to push him off but failed epically.

"Aw, but I miss you, little sis!" He joked, making kissy faces and I cringed in disgust.

"I have my pocketknife with me and I'm not afraid to use it," I threatened him weakly and he smirked.

"I have mine too," he told me smugly and I groaned.

"Bitch," he started. I met his eyes, amused, knowing where this was going to lead to.

"Jerk," I played along, of course. It was like a tradition already.

"Slut."

"Man-whore."

"Hoe."

"Ass."

"Vagina." I made a face at that, earning a booming laugh from my brother dearest.

We heard an awkward cough and I blushed, embarrassed that my friends got a first-class seat in watching our dumb banter. Drake rolled off me and stood up, dusting himself off before helping me up.

"Hey Tia!" Drake greeted and Tia nodded at him in acknowledgement with a smile that looked slightly forced.

Drake turned to look at Ryder next and I gulped nervously, ready to grab him anytime and buy Ryder time to run from the frightening monster I know my brother could turn into.

"You must be Ryder," Drake was staring at him intensely, not blinking at all.

Ryder offered him a smile and an outstretched hand. I unconsciously brought my hand up to bite my nails and as the seconds go by, I raised my hand higher to cover my eyes. I always had this belief somehow that if I covered my eyes, I will see what I wanted to see when I reopen them. Alas, it never happened but you can't blame a girl for dreaming.

I opened my eyes after a second of silence and what I saw would baffled me, probably for the rest of my life. My big bad brother is shaking hands with Ryder Park and is not throwing him out of the window. In my head, I pictured my mental self dropping to her knees and raising her hands while 'sweet victory' was playing in the background.

I saw Ryder smirk at me with a quirked eyebrow, looking pointedly at their joined hands and I grinned happily at him. This boy will be the death of me.

Drake ushered our guests to the living room and we all sat down on the couch. Before an awkward silence can settle into the space between all four of us, I got up and offered to make them some tea but Drake raised his hand.

"Sis, let's not risk that," was all Drake said before forcing me to sit down. After making sure I was seated, he walked to the kitchen instead.

"And you said he wasn't nice," Ryder mocked me and I stuck my tongue out at him as a response.

"You were lucky," I grumbled but smiled anyways, glad that Drake hasn't skinned him alive yet.

"How can anyone hate this?" He motioned towards his body and I made a face and fake gagged.

"Now you're just being cocky," Tia mumbled as she looked up briefly from her phone.

Drake came back with drinks after a few minutes and started a conversation with Ryder and I prayed for his sake that Drake was liking his answers.

"So I heard you saved my sister from sexual assault?" I choked on the tea that I was about to swallow. Wow bro, way to be blunt.

I looked at Tia who was squirming restlessly and I knew she was dying to point out that she was the one who beat the guy up but I knew she didn't want to say it out loud because of my brother.

Ryder’s face turned dark at the topic and I noticed his hands furling up into fists, clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

"Oh, and Tia? Thank you." Drake said, turning to Tia for a minute longer than what's necessary.

Tia cracked a small smile, happy that her heroic actions didn’t go unacknowledged and nodded, but she still shifted closer to me on the couch. Tia has never felt bothered by anyone so far except for my brother, completely oblivious as to how my brother felt towards her – or at least how I suspect he felt towards her. But let's not get into that, I really didn’t need to think about my brother and my best friend in that way.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, pleading my brother with my eyes to switch topics.

"So, how's college?" I asked him, aiming for another direction to our conversation. My brother awkwardly scratched the back of his neck but forced a fake smile.

"Great.." He has always been the worst liar I've ever known. I gave him a look that says “we'll talk about this later” and he nodded his head subtly.

As the sun started setting and dinner time approached, Tia had to go home and Ryder followed after.

"It was nice meeting you, Drake." Ryder told him with a smile and Drake smiled back which still took me by surprise but I masked the emotion almost immediately. I didn’t want to do anything to show how odd I found Drake’s friendliness towards Ryder was in case Drake found it funny to mess with me and start pulling a 180 on me and start being a dick towards Ryder.

"It was nice to finally meet you too," he told him and by this time, Tia was already opening her car door, waving goodbye at us and I waved back at her. Ryder turned, ready to walk to his car but Drake stopped him again.

"And Ryder?" Drake called out, making Ryder look back again.

"If you ever hurt my sister, I won't hesitate to hurt you. Understood?" Drake asked in a monotone voice and I almost pissed my pants for Ryder but Ryder wore a blank face. I was ready to start fidgeting if he didn’t say anything within the next few seconds but next thing I know, with all seriousness he said, "I wouldn't think of it."

Drake gave him a nod of approval and Ryder got into his car and drove away with a final wave.

I ushered Drake in, about to chide him for his last comment to Ryder and to discuss his weird response earlier when I asked him about his college but before I could even say anything, he beat me to it.

"Definitely a keeper."

I groaned in annoyance and Drake's laugh echoed through the empty house, filling it with something homey feeling, something that has been lacking when he's away.

Everything aside, I was glad that I had my brother back home with me.