in?”
She turned on her heel and led us all to the delicate dining table. Nix sat down and the rest of us followed suit, except for my mother who disappeared into the kitchen to make drinks.
“Ivy is going to have a glass of water,” my mother announced from the other room. “Would you like one, Ryder?”
“Yes please,” Ryder called back.
“So what class do you have together?” Nix started the conversation going. He was pushed away from the table with one foot causally resting across his knee. One hand rested on his bent knee, while his other arm draped across the back of my chair. My nerves were strung tight this close to him, but even more so because of Ryder watching me from across the table. It was like he thought he would finally get his answers here. I had just admitted to a bad home life not ten minutes ago and now he had a front row seat to find out why.
Except he wouldn’t get answers tonight. Just more questions.
Probably starting with why he thought I lied to him.
“We’re not actually in any classes together,” Ryder answered.
When Nix stayed silent, obviously waiting for more I volunteered some information although I knew it would cost me later. “I’m dating one of his really good friends, Chase.”
“So you’re a senior?” Nix pressed like he knew all about Chase. I shiver slid across my skin while I wondered exactly what he did know.
“Yes, he is,” I answered quickly.
“No, I’m not,” Ryder corrected. My head snapped up to meet his eye then. I realized I always assumed he was a senior but never actually knew whether that was true or not. I felt really stupid. “I’m a junior like Ivy.”
A fire of indecision spread through my veins. I had been assuming he would graduate and leave after this year. I hadn’t realized how much I was looking forward to being away from him and all the confusion he brought with him. At the same time unexplainable joy followed quickly in its wake. We would be together for another year. And even if our friendship ended after Chase and we never talked again I knew just being in the same school as him would mean something to me.
“Honestly, we’re only friends through Chase,” I said quickly, hating how callous I sounded. “Ryder was just nice enough to give me a ride after mom texted.”
Ryder looked at me like I just shot his puppy so I sent him a pleading look not to say anything differently. His gaze intensified at the same time his mouth pressed into a grim line. This was important. He needed to leave.
My mom came back in the room and when Ryder stayed staring at me instead of looking at the perfection that was my mother, I felt Nix tense next to me. Men weren’t supposed to be able to help but look at my mother.
“What do your parents do?” My mother asked, feeling the same absence of attention Nix noticed.
Ryder accepted his glass of water from my mom, and then explained, “My mom passed away when I was a baby actually, but my dad is a professor at UNO.”
“Oh how sad,” my mom gasped with the appropriate amount of sympathy even though I knew she felt none. “Did Ivy tell you her father also passed away when she was a baby?”
“She did,” he answered simply.
“Really? Ivy isn’t usually so open about her past,” Nix’s tone was clipped and reprimanding and I felt every one of my privileges slipping out of my grasp.
“It’s just something we have in common,” Ryder replied more politely than ever. My eyes flickered over to him and I could tell he was just barely holding onto his control. Something set him off and I had to wonder if it was me or Nix.
The iciness of controlled anger settled into the atmosphere around us. I hated having Ryder here, having him face my mother and Nix. This was a place I didn’t want anyone to see, least of all him. And when his expression turned from fury to wild concern I wanted to push him out the door and make him promise to never have anything to do with me again.
At the same time I wanted him to never leave.
“Ryder has curfew,” I blurted suddenly. “He should probably go.”
I stood up before anyone could challenge me and walked straight for the door, hoping Ryder would follow. I pulled frantically on the handle and held it open until