Page 22 of His Shy Girl

I hear another sound and call out for him again.

“Ryeson! Open up the door! I’ve been standing out here for five minutes freezing my nuts off.”

“Go to the front, man! I’ll come let you in.” Finally.

My phone buzzes with a text as I walk back around to the front.

My girl:It’s not that I don’t want to go. I’m just already getting nervous. I really don’t do well around strangers. I’m nervous I won’t be able to speak at all and I don’t want to embarrass you.

How could she think I’d ever be embarrassed by her?

Me:You would never embarrass me, babe.

I don’t ever want her to doubt that. If my friends had a problem with her, which would never be the case, I’d be embarrassed for them, not her. I’d be pissed is more like it. But I would never be embarrassed by my gorgeous girl.

Ryeson finally opens the door and lets me in from the cold. His hair is dripping wet, and I’m not sure how he’s not shivering.

“Sorry,” he says, sounding like he’s just been swimming laps. His voice is raspy and ragged. His eyes look a bit waterlogged too. All blurred over. And his cheeks are red. “We took a study break and went for a quick swim in the pool. Come on in.”

I follow in after him, looking around for Baylor, but he’s probably getting changed into dry clothes.

“So, how was detention?” he asks.

It was the longest three hours of my life.

“Man, Mrs. B is such a bitch. She held me for an extra hour because I rolled my eyes at her.”

I’m not even sure how she caught me doing it. It’s like that woman has eyes in the back of her head.

“Dude, that sucks.” He walks to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. “You want anything to drink or eat?”

“Hell yeah, I’m starved.” I haven’t eaten since lunch and I’m a growing boy. “You want to order pizza? I could go for a large pie with extra sausage.” My stomach rumbles at the thought.

Rye’s shoulders stiffen like he’s not a fan of the topping. Fine by me. He can get whatever he wants because I’ll be taking down an entire pie by myself.

“Yeah, I’m good with pizza. Let me go get my phone and check to see what Bay wants.”

Baylor comes walking into the kitchen right as Ryeson says his name. “Hey, man!” He comes over and gives me a fist bump.

“We’re ordering pizza,” Rye tells him. “What do you want on yours?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Bay shakes his head. “I need to get home for dinner. I promised my mom.”

Ryeson tenses up, looking pissed that he’s leaving. I get it. Baylor’s been attached to his girlfriend’s hip lately and hasn’t hung out with any of us in ages. He and Rye used to do everything together. They’ve been best friends since grade school, and you’d never see one without the other. But now, Baylor spends all his time with Taya, and I think Rye’s getting fed up with the fact.

“Well, tell your mom hi for me,” he tells Bay as he walks right out of the room. He’s definitely annoyed. Baylor stares at his retreating back, looking confused. He shakes his head then turns back around and tips his chin. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

You know, I can see both sides. All my time has been wrapped up with my girlfriend lately. It’s hard to be away from the one you’re in love with. Though, I don’t know how Baylor even has feelings for Taya. She’s a bitch and a half. He needs agirl like my Willow: sweet, nice, pretty. Someone who’s not going to get pissed at him for talking football with his buddies at lunch.

God, I’m so thankful for my girl. I check my phone again but she still hasn’t responded.

Me:There’s really nothing to be nervous over, babe. My friends are all going to love you.

They’re going to wish they’d met her first. But she’s mine.

“Pizza is ordered. It will be here in twenty.”

“Sweet.” I look up from my phone as Rye walks back into the room. “Just shooting my girl a text. She’s worried about Friday. I think she’s trying to back out of going to the party with me since she won’t know anyone there. She’s really shy, man.” I leave out the part that she’s nervous about her speech impediment. I haven’t mentioned that she stutters because I don’t want to make it into a thing. “Hey! Any chance you’d be up for a double date on Friday? That way Willow could invite one of her friends along?”

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