Chapter 14: (Mia's POV)

Ryder and I were currently sitting next to each other, both of us leaning our backs against the headboard while I was reading an all time favorite book of mine, When We Collided while he was on his phone. We had been sitting like this for roughly 30 minutes until he interrupted my reading and fangirling over Vivi and Jonah. "Mia, put your book away." he demanded as he put his phone on my nightstand. "Why?" I whined since they were just about to kiss on the page I was on. "Because I'm bored." he complained. I knew arguing had no point so I just groaned and said, "Fine," before I got up and put my book on my desk, I need to finish that chapter later.

I placed it there and sat back on my bed, this time in front of Ryder, facing him while I sat cross legged. "What do you want to do?" I asked as I played with the hem of my shirt. I changed into my pyjamas before I started reading and he was sitting shirtless in the sweatpants that he had on today. "Kiss you." he said bluntly, look me in the eye dead serious.
"Ryder..." I whine as I fought back a smile and blush, I saw him smile to himself before he grabbed my wrists, and pulled me closer to him, straddling him. "What do you think you're doing?" I arched an eyebrow at him daringly. "I'm doing what I want to do." he shrugged as he wrapped his arms around my waist, locking me in that position. I felt my face burning up and turn red as I began blushing from the fact that we were that close and I was straddling him.

I knew I was playing along with the 'deal' that he offered me. I was practically his at night but I couldn't help myself. It was all just happening. "Ryder, let me go." I pleaded as I tried to get away, but he only tightened his grip. "Mm-mm." he shook his head and pulled me closer if that's possible. I placed my hands on his bare chest, trying to push myself off of him, wrong move. He let go of my waist and pushed my hands off of his chest, causing me to fall even more into him. I quickly caught myself and placed my hands on either side of his head, kind of trapping him between the headboard and me. I groaned in frustration as put my hands back on his chest. "I will slap you." I warned. "Oh, hostility." he said as he faked a terrified expression, making me burst out laughing.

"Ryder-" I began but he cut me off and pulled me hands off his chest again, making me once again fall further into him, but this time, he had grabbed my hands and intertwined our fingers. The further he stretched his hands out, the closer our faces inched. "I'll kiss you." he said being very serious. "You're seriously batshit crazy." I scoffed as I tried to back away but he kept pulling me closer to him. "It's taking everything in me to not kiss you right now. I'm being serious." he let go off my hands and placed his on my waist, holding me there.

He wasn't going to stop until I kissed him or I let him kiss me. I knew it. I knew him too well.
"What if I kiss you right now? Or let you kiss me? Will you let me go?" I asked, contemplating whether I should let him kiss me so he would let me go. "Yes I will." he said yes but he shook his head no, making me smile. "So you will?" I asked, just to confirm. I was hoping he'd stick to his words, not his actions. "Yes, I will." he once again said yes but shook his head no.

"Fine." I sighed and quickly leaned down and pecked his lips. I immediately pulled away and stopped myself from smiling. "There. Let me go." I huffed to which he simply smiled and shook his head no. "Not yet." he said as he grabbed my shirt from either side, using it to pull me into him and kiss him again. He kissed me again, a little rougher this time. More desperate this time. Like he needed me. He let go of my shirt and grabbed my waist, pulling me closer. My arms found a way to wrap themselves around his neck. Once that happened, I realized what I was doing and immediately broke the kiss, instantly regretting it. "Stop it. Stop making me fall for you harder and harder each time." I said through gritted teeth.

He chuckled and said in response, "Sorry, no can do." before grabbing my shirt again and crashing his lips on mine. I pushed myself off of him and got off of him, still sitting in front of him. "Ryder, I'm serious. You can't be doing this. You just kissed another girl in front of me today. Don't kiss me again until we're together or until I kiss you. I mean it." I huffed as I looked him in the eyes, dead serious.
"You mean that?" he asked as he looked over at me after I went back to my seat next to him.
"No. But I am saying it. So try and stick to it." I hesitantly admitted.

"Ok. I'll try." he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, pushing the few loose strands of hair out of his face, but another strand just fell over his eyes as he played with his thumbs.

"Push that strand of hair out of your face please? It's kind of annoying." I muttered loud enough for him to hear. "No I actually think I'm good." he shook his head and chuckled.
"You're so annoying." I groaned as I reach out and pushed that strand of hair out of his face.
"You're welcome." I smiled as I went back and grabbed the book I was reading again and sat back down. I was too intrigued by the book that I had no idea what he was doing until his phone started ringing.

I was about to put the book away but then I saw the caller ID before he answered, it was Bella. So I just continued reading. I don't think he realized that I could hear everything very clearly. "Babe where are you?" she whined... God how I hate that bitch.
"What do you mean?" he lowered her voice as he got up and walked over to my window, trying to get me out of hearing distance. I could still hear pretty well. I guess I have really good hearing. "You were supposed to be here an hour ago." she complained. He was going to go see her after everything today?

"No I wasn't. Are you forgetting everything that happened today?" he let out a sigh in frustration.
"No I'm not. Which is why you should probably come here before I tell her everything." she threatened. Tell me? Tell me what? "You wouldn't." Ryder said in just above a whisper.
"I might not. But Jeremy would on my command. He'd do anything for me and you know it." she challenged. Jeremy? As in the Jeremy that I knew? My dad's friend's son Jeremy?

"Fine, I'm coming." he sighed and then hung up. I quickly shifted my gaze back to my book before he could turn around and catch me eavesdropping. Was I really eavesdropping though? I mean he was talking in my room. Who am I kidding? I was. "Everything ok?" I asked, pretending that I didn't just hear his whole conversation which I know I wasn't supposed to hear.

"I um- I have to go. It's urgent." he lied straight to my face. He was really going to try and act like it was really something urgent and he wasn't just going to see Bella?
"You can tell me that you're going to see Bella. You don't have to lie to me." I sighed as I kept my eyes focused on the book, as the letters in words began to jumble up in my vision.

"You won't understand." he sighed as he put his shoes on.
"I never understand. Isn't that right?" I asked bitterly.
"It's not that." he argued.
"Is it not?" I asked challengingly, making him shut up with an expression of guilt.