Page 11 of Loathing Ryan
It was a Bennett Boy. But nottheBennett Boy.
“Oh, sure, that would be great,” I responded with a smile, turning to look at Juliet, who was watching me like a hawk, an amused expression lingering on her face.
The guy shuffled sideways, letting me into the space he had created. He grinned at me, and my heart fluttered. This boy was cute. I couldn’t believe I had never interacted with him before. Maybe he was newer to the class. He looked like he was an athlete, too, with strong forearms and broad shoulders. He wasn’t as tall as Ryan, but he still seemed to tower over me.
He held out his hand once I shifted into my new spot. “I’m Mark.”
“Izabel Sanders.” I took his hand, looking up into his warm eyes.
Mark’s eyebrows lifted in surprise at the sound of my name. “You’re Izabel Sanders? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
My smile melted off my face, and I rolled my eyes as I swiped my hand back. “I bet you have.”
“Not all bad things, though!” he added quickly.
“Somehow, I don’t see how that’s possible,” I told him begrudgingly. “I’ve got a kind of rivalry with your top dog.”
As if I had summoned him from Hell, Ryan Miller chose that moment to swoop in out of nowhere and drape his arm around my shoulders. His quick approach and the weight of his arm over my shoulders sent my heart into overdrive. I looked up at him, speechless for a moment as I processed what was going on.
“Yep, me and Bells here go way back,” he said with a smirk. I noticed there was a slight glint in his eyes that I had never noticed before. He looked displeased to catch Mark talking to me, to say the least. “Probably don’t want to get in the middle of the crossfire, Marky Mark. Best to keep your distance.”
I took that opportunity to jam my elbow into Ryan’s side in an attempt to get him off of me. The bastard didn’t even flinch.
Mark looked between the two of us. Ryan with his arm around me, and me glaring daggers in his general direction. He raised his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, man, didn’t realize she was yours.”
“I don’t belong to him!” I snapped, as Ryan simultaneously announced maybe a little too defensively, “She’s not!” I tried my best to wiggle out of Ryan’s death grip, but he was too strong. Mark gave me a pitying look and walked away to join some of his other friends.
Ryan used his free hand to give Mark a little wave as he walked away. Once he was out of sight—sucked in by the crowd of seniors—Ryan let out a whoosh of air and his arm fell from my shoulders.
“Geez, I thought he would never leave.” He ran his hand through his messy blond hair and gave me a smirk. “You can do much better than him, Bells.”
I shoved him away from me with both hands. He only stumbled back a few inches. The guy was a brick wall. “Why would you do that?” Then, as if remembering, I added, “And for the millionth time, it’s Izabel!”
Ryan made big puppy dog eyes and stared at me helplessly. “If this was a movie, Izabel,” he said as he stepped closer to me again, “this would be when I tell you I’ve been madly in love with you since the first time I saw you step off that bus in the sixth grade. We are destined for each other, Bells, you and me. I couldn’t stand to see you with anyone else.”
At his words, my heart stopped beating, and I stared at him without saying anything for a moment too long. My brain went into overdrive, working through the implications of what he could mean.
Ryan laughed hilariously and rubbed his eyes, pretending to wipe away tears. “Woo, I really got you there.”
I shoved him again, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Aw, come on, Bells. I was only teasing,” he said to me, still laughing.
“Leave me alone, Ryan. I hate you.” Turning away from him, I hoped he didn’t see the evident flush of my cheeks. I didn’t want him to know I was embarrassed by falling for his words yet again. I cursed myself for being so gullible this summer—what had come over me? Typically, I was sharp, and aware of any and all moves Ryan could make. But for whatever reason, he switched up the playbook, and I was shooting blindly.
“I’m just saying, Bells. I think you could do a whole lot better than him,” he said again, pointing his thumb in the direction Mark walked away in.
I spun back around to face him. “How so? With someone like you?”
Ryan shrugged and made a face. “He’s in the band.”
“I have lots of friends who are in the band.” I roll my eyes. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“What’s going on over here?” Juliet questioned, stepping up to my side.
“I just saved Bells from making a huge mistake with her life,” Ryan said proudly. “She was trying to hook up with one of the guys in the band.”
I threw my hands up in frustration. “I was not trying to hook up with him! He was just being nice!” I pointed my finger at Ryan’s smug face. “Something thatyouwouldn’t know anything about.”
