CHAPTER 26: Perfect Day

“That was fun right?” I asked with a huge smile on my face.
“Yeah, we clicked around fifty pictures.” Ryan replied, looking down at the camera as we climbed the stairs. We spent the entire way home by clicking pictures of various sceneries which came along the way. College was opening the next day so we began our journey in the afternoon and reached to our apartment in the evening.

“So, which one are you going to choose?” I asked as we reached our floor.
“I don’t know. I haven’t got a perfect one yet.” he announced, looking at me.
My mouth opened a little. He didn't find a perfect picture after capturing so many pictures? How so?
“I loved the one with the blossom tree.” I pouted to myself and continued,“Anyways, will you be able to draw?” I asked, pointing his dislocated shoulder.
“Even with a dislocated shoulder, I bet mine will be better than your drawing.” he teased, nudging me.
I opened my mouth with a gasp and slapped him, “So rude.”

He stopped and his eyes widened at me, with his hand on his cheek where I just slapped, “I was rude? And what you did wasn't?”
I didn't reply, just passed him a disgusted look.
“Anyways, you have to choose anyone of these pictures as we don’t have time to click more.” I stated, stopping as I reached my apartment. I looked down into my bag, searching for the house keys when I heard a clicking sound.

The sudden noise made me to look at Ryan. He was looking down at the camera and then spoke happily,“Perfect.”
“What?” I asked unconsciously.
“I got the perfect one.” he raised the camera and spoke. But before I could see what he got into the camera, he began to walk toward his apartment.

 “I’m taking your camera, I’ll start working on the project from now.” he informed as I kept on thinking what he was going to paint.
“Yeah, sure. Good luck, I’ll come to help it later.” I smiled widely but what he said next destroyed my mood.
“No thank you. I don’t want to spoil my master piece.”

I stomped my feet on the ground loudly to get his attention to he entered his apartment, laughing.

Jerk!

As he went in, I began to search for my keys again, which was taking a long time as I couldn't find them.

“Where is it?” I muttered to myself, shuffling every item of my bag. I kept on doing so for around ten minutes but couldn't find my keys.
“Holy shit, what am I going to do now?” I yelled to myself.

And then I remembered, I accidentally left it on my dressing table back home!

Will someone do the honours to smack me on my head?

How could I be so careless? It was probably the most important thing to bring along.

I began snatching my head, thinking of some idea to settle this up and came across the best option, call Dillan.

I grabbed my phone from my bag and dialled Dillan’s number, hoping that he keeps it up.
“Hello, Dillan?” I asked as the loud music filled my ears. He was at a party? Oh fucking hell!
“No, it’s Leonardo, and you?” he chuckled, quite strangely to be honest.
“Stop joking and listen to me, can you come home to give me my keys? You must have a spare pair at your apartment, right?” I asked with extremely hope.
“Sorry but I can’t sign your movie, I’m busy right now.” he spoke lazily.
I looked at my phone with confusion and then placed it back on my ear, “Are you drunk?”
“Oh God, are you deaf? I just said I’m Johnny.” he laughed out loud after saying that which made my blood to boil. I was in such a big trouble, stuck outside my apartment at around eight in the evening, and he was joking with me?

And he was changing his name every single time? Was he that drunk? Idiot! And he called me dumb? You’re dead, brother!

“Listen to me carefully Dillan.” but before I could continue, he began to speak again, “Is this Isabel?”
Who the hell is Isabel now?
First, there was Dillan who was so drunk that he couldn't even speak properly and then the ear blasting music. It was so loud that I could clearly tell the lyrics.

Sink my heart to my feet
It's like a roller coaster
But I'm only going up
I'm in crazy stupid love

Ahh, why was I paying attention to the damn lyrics? Think straight, Jade, don’t act like Drunk Dillan!

“Stop the fuck up and listen!” I screamed at me which made his ranting stop for a minute. “Go outside somewhere quit and tell me where you are, I’ll come and pick you up and take my keys.”
“Why is everything turning blue?” he chuckled again, making me groan out of frustration.
“I hate you.” I cried out near the speaker of the phone.
“Hey Harry, this chick loves me.” his voice sounded distant now as he probably spoke out to someone.
I ended the call before my mouth would speak words which he had never when thought of!
Sooner or later, you’re going to come home, just start back counting your life, Mercer!

I took support of the wall and slipped along with it to sit on the ground. I was so helpless! I couldn't even go to Gran’s as she told me she was going to visit her niece. I wish you were here right now, Gran!
Going to Kacie’s wasn't an option as she was at her parent’s house.

Am I the only person who’s not with her family right now?

“Dad!” I cried out for help even though I knew it was of no use.

The bulb of my brain glowed up and I dialed the number.
“Hello, May?” I asked.
“Yes, who’s this?” she asked. My eyes widened a little. Didn't she have my number saved? I even say her doing so in front of me.
“Umm, it’s Jade.” I whispered unconsciously, still thinking about why she asked me who I was.
“Okay, you.” I was quite surprised to hear her tone. Her ‘you’ sounded out of so much disgust. What was sudden on his girl’s mind?
“Yeah, me.” I spoke, mimicking the same tone she did.
“Why did you call me?” she asked, quite rudely to be honest.
“I need a little help.” I muttered, looking around the corridor which was pin drop silent, making it scary for me to sit there for a long time.
“What all that you've done to me, you think I’ll help you?” she yelled out from the other side.
“What have I done to you, May?” I asked with surprise. What was she even talking about?
“Like you don’t know!” she gagged.

Her tone was pissing me off at that moment. I was  stuck outside my apartment and she was giving me tantrums?

“Well, care to enlighten me with the information?” I said in a mocking tone.
“Don’t act dumb, Jade.” she commented and then continued,”Anyways, I don’t have to give you any clarifications about this, please don’t call me again.”
My mouth as I gasped, “What? I’m not asking for any clarification, I’m just asking”

But before I could continue, she ended the call.

“For help.” I completed my sentence unconsciously as I thought of her. It was like she slammed a door on my face!

But May wasn't my priority at that moment but solving the problem was. Where was I going to stay for the night? I knew a place to stay very well but I didn't want to go there. Wouldn't it be awkward if I stayed at his apartment after encountering the event with his father?

I am not going there.

_
_

I stayed there for another ten minutes, banging my head on the wall.

I don’t have any option now, don’t I?

I sighed deeply, getting up from the floor and grabbing my bag. I looked in the direction of Ryan’s apartment and thought again, “Why am I being such a drama queen? It’s just Ryan, he’ll help me anytime.”

I rang the bell and waited for him to open up.

The door opened, revealing a confused Ryan.
“I told you I don’t need your help, Jade.” he said.
I smiled awkwardly and spoke, “I know, but I need your help.”
“Stuck outside?” he asked with amusement.
I gasped, shocked how he guessed it. I said, “How did you know that?”
He didn’t speak but just pointed toward my bag, which made it clear how he came to know.

“Come in.” he said, stepping aside to give me some room to enter in.
“Thank you so much.” I said cheerfully. Thank God that I won’t have to spend the night outside, and thanks to Ryan as well.

I looked at his couch where a blanket was laying and a big box of pizza on the table.

“Where you sleeping?” I asked, tilting my head to him as he closed the door.
“Just relaxing, tired from the journey.” he yawned, scratching his head lazily which surprisingly looked very attractive. Weird me!

I rolled my eyes and muttered to myself, “Why is he tired? I was the one driving.”
‘What did you just say?” he said, coming closer to me.
I chuckled awkwardly, “Nothing.”

Ignore it, I dropped my bag to a side and went to sit on another couch. Grabbing the TV remote, I was ready to spend an incredible night already. Don’t know why but I felt like this night was going to be perfect!

“You've already made yourself home. Good to know that.” Ryan chuckled, taking his place back on his couch and covering himself with the blanket.

I switched on to a random channel and luckily, one of my favourite movies was on.

We watched the movie in silence for about half an hour. Ryan asked if I needed anything but I refused everytime. The atmosphere was peaceful with the dim light, a little chilliness and the perfect movie with popcorn.

Perfect, isn't it?

“I’m cold.” I complained as the temperature began to decrease as the night went darker.
“Then come in the blanket.” he spoke, making some space for me on the couch.
I shook my head and asked, “Don’t you have another blanket?”
He shook his head in the same manner I did. I knew he was doing so in purpose and he even had a spare blanker but he wouldn't give it to me because of the jerk he was.

I sighed and groaned, “Fine, we’ll share.”
A big smile appeared on his handsome face as I sat next to him. His touch has always been very warm and calming. I loved it.

My mind wandered around that event again. It would be stuck in my head forever as I had never encountered such a thing. My dad has been the most loving father since the beginning, he never gave us a reason to even think that he wasn’t such a good father but Ryan’s dad, he was a monster. What kind of a father tries to hit his wife in front of his own children or even hit his own son so hard that it makes his blood come out?

Didn't he care about Ryan, Anna and his loving wife? How could he forget their sacrifices and love for him?

I guess money and power can change you forever!

Thinking of which, I remembered how bad Ryan was injured that day. I titled my head a little to look at his lips and was relieved when the mark was no longer there.

“If you want to kiss me then do, but stop staring like that.” Ryan’s voice interrupted me from my thoughts.
I passed him a death glare but didn't speak anything because I knew I wanted to kiss him so badly.
He grabbed his attention toward the TV screen again as I went to stare at him again. How could he live so freely after whatever happened? Didn’t it affect him? He was the person most engaged in that event but not even a single sign of pain or tension was visible on his face.

“Okay, I know this isn’t about kissing me anymore. What are you thinking about?” he interrupted again but this time in a much serious tone.
I shook my head and turned away. He made me turn to him and spoke, “What is it, Cupcake?”
I mentally prepared myself to speak the right thing; I knew lying wasn't an option when I was in front of Ryan. I couldn't lie to that face because it’s the lie to the person you probably love the most.

“Um, I was thinking about your dad and-“ I was interrupted by him for the third time that day.
“Pause it right there. Let’s not talk about him.” he spoke slowly.
“I was can’t take it out of my head, I was so scared when that happened.” I spoke softly, my voice cracking at the end.

“Oh, Cupcake.” he sighed, pulling me into a hug. He kissed my head as I almost cried into his chest. I didn’t want to show it but I was just helpless.

“That’s why I didn’t want you to be near me. Because if you’d be around, you were ought to see such things and I knew you get affected by it, maybe even more than me.” he stated, running his fingers through my hair as I kept my head on his chest.
“You can get too emotional sometimes, Cupcake. Keeping you away was the best option I could think of because if you’d be near me, you’re ought to get hurt.” he spoke, his words broke me even more.
“And what about you? Won’t you be alone then?” I whispered, still not looking into his eyes.
“My major priority is you, and has always been. I don’t care about myself, I’ll try learn to live alone somehow but if you get hurt and the reason is me, then I’d probably die.” he said, looking straight into my eyes.

I was speechless at that moment. I couldn’t even utter a word out of my mouth. I looked straight in to his eyes, there was sincerity and love in them but there was sometimes else that shouldn't be there, pain and loneliness.
He was a great guy and he deserved to be loved. His father may have detached him from his life but I couldn’t do that. It was impossible to forget and move on from everything. Our relationship was short but it was something which will stay in my heart forever. I couldn’t let him alone and move away, knowing that he must be broken. He was there by my side since I was six. Even though he wasn’t around me yet he helped me in some or the other way.

He waited for such a long time to be with me; can’t I wait a little to let him heal up so we could be together again?

I can! I couldn’t leave him alone again. I didn’t want to see that stress wrinkle on his face but that adorable smile.

_
_

The next morning, I was still in Ryan’s apartment as Dillan wasn’t back yet. I was up already but Ryan wasn’t and I didn’t want to wake him as he looked extremely tired.

I was lucky that I had my tooth brush as I had my bag with me so I was able to freshen up. After doing so, I sat silently on the dining table, thinking of what to do.
Ryan was asleep and I was bored and that was when my eyes went to a door. I bite my lower lip, thinking of the consequences of doing that.

Isn’t it bad to enter someone’s bedroom without their permission?

I stood up and check on Ryan, he was still asleep. He looked so cute while sleeping, innocent as well which he wasn’t, at all!

I tip toed my way toward his bedroom and entered in without making any noise.

I looked around the room and it pretty much looked like his room back home. I guess he didn’t like much change in his ways of living.
A shining object was peeking out of one of the drawers and again, I couldn’t hold back the temptation to look what it was.

I ran to the drawer and took it on my palm. I was surprised to see that it was the charm bracelet he gifted me on my seventeenth birthday. I remember that I gave it back to him when we met for the first time after our break up during my summer vacation. It all happened in that Green Apple where I went to get my mind off everything and saw him. That was when I gave it back to him.

He kept it with him?

What else was he saving with him? The bracelet and then the inhaler?

I placed it back into the drawer with care and sat silently.

Why do you have to be so loving, Ryan?

I got up and walked toward the windows of his room. Pulling the curtains aside a little, I looked outside at the dawning Sun. The warm rays filled the room.

I sighed while thinking about everything that was going on in my life and May came back in my head.

What was that girl’s problem? She was throwing so much tantrum on me when I didn’t even know what I ‘did’ to her.

Thinking of her bitchy tone from last night when she refused to even help me, I gripped on the curtain I was holding, due to which the pole of the curtain came straight down on my head, and then to the ground.

“Ahhh.” I yelped with pain, my hands went up to hold my head.

It was like a thumping sound was playing in my head. I heard Ryan’s running footsteps toward the room. A pair of warm arms enveloped me into a hug and he asked worriedly, “What happened?”
“Your stupid curtain pole happened!” I yelled out, a tear of pain running down my cheek.
Instead of any sympathetic words, I heard him chuckle a little. He kissed my forehead and made me to look at him.

“Want to go to the doctor?” he asked, rubbing my head.
I shook my head. Though it was paining terribly but I didn’t want to go to a doctor. I would only make fun of myself in front of the doctor as the girl who dropped a pole on her head.

I looked up to Ryan as he wiped my tear. We stood silently, looking straight into each other’s eyes. He smiled softly at me, which I returned with tears running down my face. His hand went behind my ear as he leaned in. And that was when I realized what was happening.

I leaned in as well and our lips met softly. My hands went upon his and pressed it a little.

I couldn’t believe it was happening. The feeling was indescribable; I was on cloud nine at that moment.

He slowly pulled apart and placed his forehead against mine and looked into my eyes.

“Is the pain gone now?” he asked, smiling.
I smiled and spoke, “Completely.”

Didn’t I say, it was going to be a perfect day for me!

*******

And there, your wish is granted! :p
Sorry that the ‘kissing’ part wasn’t described properly as I suck at writing these things! XD

The song played at the party where Dillas was present was 'Crazy Stupid Love' by Cheryl Cole. You can hear it on the side! ---------->

Hope you liked the chapter! :D