Ryder McKnight
Nineteen ♠ Single ♠ w/ Ashley Jacobs
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Ryder Storm McKnight
Mood: Confused/Angry/Hurt
Crush: Ashley Jacobs
Girlfriend: N/A
Bestfriend: Ashley Jacobs
Location: Tour Bus
With: The Band Guys
Ryder paced the back of the bus, mentally kicking himself for his earlier actions. He had upset Ashley. That much was clear, written plain as day on the girls face as she had moved past him. What he couldn't figure out was what to do next. How to fix things.
Ryder slammed his fist against the window. What had she wanted anyway? A crazy moment of passion and then what? What happened after that passion fizzled out? After she realized that he wasn't the man of her dreams... That he was just Ryder. The same weird kid she'd known since middle school. She couldn't really like him. Not really. He knew that, and he shouldn't let his emotions take him so far.
Ryder breathed deeply, trying to compose himself. No Ryder. One way or another you need to apologize. Just calm down first. He tried to think positively. After all, it was him who had pulled away, not Ashley. Maybe if he just explained things straight. That he was scared. That he didn't want to put the band in jeopardy.... It would work. It had too.
Suddenly the bus was slowing, coming to a stop on the side of the road. "What the...?" Ryder looked out the window, searching for a street sign to tell him where he was. He found he didn't need it. The area was familiar. It had been over a year since he'd been to Cumberland Gap but he'd recognize it anywhere. I didn't realize we were this close. A car had stopped behind them. Reporters? Ryder thought, but as the driver stepped out Ryder's heart dropped to his stomach. Rowan stood tall and composed next to a pretty girl. Ashley was running towards him, wrapping him in a hug. Ryder watched the conversation, though he couldn't hear it, and grew more and more confused.
To him, it didn't look like Ashley was treating Rowan as just a friend. He admitted to himself that jealousy, fear, might be overshadowing his judgement but for a moment he didn't care. Had she just been playing him the whole time?
Then Ashley started to get into Rowan's car. Ryder swore and started towards the door. Upon opening it, however, he found the two other guys already there to greet him. The lead guitarist shoved something into his chest, glaring threateningly. "Mind explaining what gave Ashley the idea to write these lyrics and this note saying she would be back later? Knowing Ashley she doesn't write lyrics like this and hide them away in a notebook and she doesn't just write notes telling us she's going out. What did you do Ryder?"
Ryder took the notebook from the guitarist and read quickly, his stomach knotting tighter with each word. Finally, upon reaching the note, he looked back up at the guitarist. "I didn't know about the lyrics, or her getting off in Cumberland Gap... I just..." He groaned, covering his face with his hands in shame. "She was upset because of something her stupid foster dad said to her, and I went in there to see if she was ok and then... I told her I loved her." Ryder paused, letting the weight of the words sink in, realizing how fully how stupid he was being. "... I mean, I told her I liked her. And it almost seemed like... like she might like me too. And then she started texting Rowan about something... a date of some sort... His voice was cracking slightly now, but he kept it under control. "And then I messed it up. Said something about not wanting to hurt the band. I just... I need to go tell her I'm sorry." He looked out the window just in time to see Rowan's car drive away. "And now she's gone. What is she thinking going off alone?!? Ryder shook his head, looked up at the guys. He was sure he sounded like a complete basket case at this point. "I shouldn't have ever said those things to her... any of it" Ryder hung his head.
