Chapter 15.

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"Alright! You have 15 minutes till we start do drive again! So make it quick!"

I jolted awake and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I looked up and saw our coach walking out of the bus with the rest of the team. There was a gas station with a small store outside. I thought I was the only one left on the bus until I heard some shuffling next to me.

I looked over and saw Ryder get into a more comfortable position while still asleep.

Hmm...

I quietly stood up and leaned over him.

If we weren't ever going to be together I might as well show him what else I have up my sleeve.

I cleared my throat quietly.

"Ryder, wake up! There's a fire!"

He jumped and snapped his eyes open. He looked around hectically to see were the fire is. Once he came to the conclusion that there was in fact no fire and I was just lying he glared at me.

"You couldn't have just shaken my shoulder?" he asked with an annoyed tone and yawned.

"Nope!" I said and skipped out of the bus.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath. I let the fresh air go through my lungs as I walked towards the store. Most of the guys were buying some food or just looking around. They were flipping through magazines or arguing about which flavour ICEE is the best.

I laughed quietly at them and walked to the bathroom.

When I came back to the front I saw all of the guys including Ryder outside of the store and playing with a soccer ball.

I decided to buy myself an ICEE and then headed out of the store. The sun was already very high and so it was really warm. I took off the thin jacket I had on, showing the crop top I wore.

I took a sip of my ICEE as I walked over to where the guys were playing. A guy, I think his name was Dave, was trying to keep the ball in the air by bouncing it on his foot while the others tried to get it.

I moved quickly and managed to steal the ball from him, careful not to spill my ICEE. I bounced it on my knee but stopped when I saw the boys staring at me.

"What?" I asked and held the ball still.

"How were you able to take it from him that fast? We've been trying to take it from him for a solid five minutes!" one guy said in astonishment.

I just shrugged and took another sip of my ICEE.

"Ryder was right. You really are an amazing soccer player!"

I choked on my icee when I heard someone say that and started to cough a little. Ryder was watching my reaction but I could see that he also got a little tense at those words.

"Well then try to beat me!" I cheered with fake happiness and kicked the ball in the air.

Everyone except us two immediately forgot about what had just happened and chased after the ball like a pack of dogs.

We stood there awkwardly so I tried to think of something to talk about to fill the silence.

"So do you know how much longer we have to drive?" I asked him.

Yeah. Great conversation starter, Kennedy. Good job.

"Yeah. About 4 more hours," he answered.

Okay then.

Before it could get any more uncomfortable, I was being called by some of the guys. "Hey, Kennedy! Get over here and play with us!"

Since I had nothing better to do and did not want things to get anymore awkward I set down my ICEE and jog to where the guys were currently playing.

____________________

5 minutes later coach said that we have to get back on the bus. I walked over to where I had left my ICEE. Ryder was still standing where I had left him.

"Why didn't you come join us?" I asked him and picked up my ICEE.

"I didn't really feel like it," he explained and shrugged.

I eyed him suspiciously and raised the cup to my mouth. I took a sip but immediately spat it back out.

That was not my cherry icee! That tasted like pickles.

I took off the top and looked at the green tinted water where my once red ICEE was. My jaw dropped to the floor and I raised my eyes at Ryder who was watching me with a smug expression.

"You switched my icee with pickle juice?! Where did you even get pickle juice?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"They have pickles in a bag in there," he explained and pointed towards the store. He gave me a smile and flipped an imaginary ponytail before skipping off, imitating me from before.

I stalked off towards the bus and roughly threw my ICEE cup into the trash can before getting on the bus. I shot Ryder a dirty look before sitting down in my seat.

I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. I pouted and stared straight ahead.

That was my ICEE. And he just wasted it. He probably drank it himself! And I still had the taste of pickles in my mouth. And the worst part was that I didn't like pickles. At all.

The bus started to drive again and soon we were on the road.

Blake turned around and looked to Ryder. I hadn't even realised that he was sitting in front of him until now.

He saw me and laughed. "Why the sour look, doll?"

"Doll?" I asked him and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," he said and nodded. "Because your name in Kennedy. So one of your nicknames is Ken. And Ken is the name of a barbie doll. So...doll."

I saw Ryder roll his eyes. "You're an idiot," he said to Blake.

He shrugged in return. "I think it's brilliant. So anyway, why're you pouting?"

"Why don't you ask him," I said and jutted my chin towards Ryder who was smiling, pleased with himself.

"Did you two seriously start this whole prank war again? I thought you guys were done with that," he groaned.

We were. But then things changed.

I put on my headphones and pretended to put on some music when in reality I wanted to know what they would talk about when they thought I couldn't hear them.

"Stop complaining," Ryder told him. "If that's all you're going to do, bother someone else."

"But I don't want to," he replied. "I'm bored."

"Then call your girlfriend," Ryder said.

Blake smacked him on the forehead and I let out a laugh. I quickly covered my mouth with my hands and smiled sheepishly when the two turned to me.

"Kennedy we know you're not actually listening to any music but listening to us," Blake said and gave me a 'you can't fool me' look. "Just come over here if you want to listen."

I rolled my eyes but took off my headphones and got up anyway. I go kneel on the seat next to Blake so that my knees are on the seat and my arms are resting against the back of the seat. I could have sworn I saw Ryder look a little hurt when I chose to go next to Blake and not him but he quickly covered it up with a blank look.

"Now," Blake said and looked at Ryder. "One, she's not my girlfriend. And two, she's in school right now anyway."

"Who? Isla?" I interrupted.

"Yes, Isla. Who else?"

I shrugged and leaned my head on my hand. Ryder put his feet up on the other chair and leaned against the window, but he turned his head to face us.

"Does anyone know where we're gonna be staying?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"We always go to some hotel not too far away from wherever we play. There's always two people per room," Ryder answered.

Huh. Will I be sharing a room with one of the guys or am I getting my own because I'm the only girl?

"Hey, Kennedy! Wait, can I call you Kenners?" a guy called from the front.

We all turned around to see who was calling me.

"Uh, sure?"

"Great! Anyway, Kenners, can you come here for a second?"

I looked at Blake and Ryder, asking if they knew why but Blake just shrugged and Ryder leaned against the window again.

I got up and walked over to where some of the guys were sitting together.

"What?" I asked and leaned against a seat.

"Is it true that girls prefer this sex position over this one?" another guy asked me and pointed at a page in a magazine.

"What?" I asked and furrowed my eyebrows. I took the magazine and looked at the cover. I rolled my eyes at what I saw.

"Did you guys really buy an issue of Cosmopolitan?"

They all shrugged and nodded their heads.

"Something to keep us busy," one said and the others all agreed.

"So is it true?"

"Is what true?" I asked.

"That they like this one more than this one," one of the guys said and pointed to the page again.

"Oh my god," I groaned. "Is this how it's going to be every time that we go somewhere?"

"Better get used to it," I heard Blake say and then felt him pat me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw him and Ryder sitting down in two empty seats and listening to our conversations.

"If you can't beat'em, join'em," I mumbled to myself and joined in to what the guys were talking about.

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I get woken up by the bus going over a speed bump.

I stretched quietly and looked around. The whole team was still in the spots we had been in before we fell asleep. Everybody was asleep. Even the coach.

I looked over and saw Ryder sleeping innocently in a seat.

I smirked to myself when I got an idea.

I searched for a sharpie and found one in one of the pockets of a jacket that was hanging over a seat. I walked over to where Ryder was sitting and hovered over him. I uncapped the black sharpie and softy started to draw on his face.

Once the moustache was finished, he adjusted himself and I froze. He soon stopped moving and fell back into deep sleep.

I released a silent breath of relief and kept drawing.

5 minutes later I closed the sharpie and admired my art work. I had drawn the face of a cat on one of his cheeks and a rainbow on the other. On his forehead I wrote 'your turn -K' just like he did when he took my english homework. I finished off with a heart on the tip of his nose.

No, I was not going to write or draw anything dirty on him. I'm not that mean.

I put the sharpie back where I found it and took out my phone. After taking a couple pictures of Ryder, I took a few with both of us in the shot.

I smiled in satisfaction at my work and went back to where I was sitting before I had woken up.

_____________________

"Wake up, everyone!"

I woke up with a jolt once again and saw coach yelling at everybody. He said that we had arrived and needed to get off the bus.

Everyone else was slowly starting to wake up and stretch.

I looked around and my gaze fell on a still half-asleep Ryder. Then I noticed the drawings on his face and quickly grabbed all my stuff and got off the bus before anybody noticed it.

I did not want to be there once he realised what I did and got all mad. Yes, it's a small price I have to pay but it's worth it.

I speed walked outside and into the lobby of the hotel where coach was currently checking in. I saw a fish tank by a wall and walked over to it. I admired the fish before I heard an angry voice call my name.

"Kennedy!"

With wide eyes I turned around and saw Ryder stalking towards me with angry strides.

I let out a yelp and dropped my backpack and jacket before running off and up a flight of stairs. Ryder started sprinting after me and I heard him following me closely.

When I was on the 4th floor I ran out into the hall. I didn't even know where I was going and I keep turning corners until I came to a dead end.

I quickly turned around in hopes of still being able to escape but I saw Ryder already standing in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well hello. Nice to see you again too, Kennedy."

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