Free Secrets Behind Those Eyes by S.M. Donaldson

went to school with to
     Judd. She seemed to really like him and he was over the moon for
     her. One night we were all hanging out, and she and Judd went off
     to make-out. Well, in the meantime, I guess she, Dustin, and
     Brandon had cooked up this situation to embarrass Judd. I figured
     it out and ran to get Judd but it was too late. They had already
     busted some windows and spray painted some shit. Judd was just
     standing there. He had
tried
     to talk them into stopping, but they did exactly what they’d
     planned and ran off, leaving him to get the blame. I told him to
     get the hell out of there. He ran off and before I could leave, the
     cops showed up. I got sent to juvenile detention for the summer.
     Judd felt bad that I got the blame. Dustin and Brandon laughed
     about it. When I came back to town, their parents had told them I
     was a bad influence and they couldn’t hang out with me anymore.
     Dustin’s mom even said that maybe if my mom had been alive, she
     would have raised me right.” He shakes his head. “My dad believed
     us when we told him what really happened, but that didn’t really do
     any good. So see? I do know what it’s like to deal with those two
     and their parents.”
    I put my hand on his. “I’m sorry
     Ryder. Who was the girl?”
    “A girl named Kelsie
     Carlisle.” My mouth falls open. “Do you know her?”
    “Until recently, she was one of my
     closest friends. I met her and Annabelle when I was working
     downtown at a clothing store.”
    “What did she do?” Hmm, that’s a loaded question . He was honest with me, though, so I take a deep
     breath.
    “I’ve only told my mom, Gable, and
     Annabelle this.”
    He leans back against a shelf.
     “Shoot.”
    I launch into the story and, after I
     finish, he laughs. “What the hell? You laugh at my
     story?”
    “I mean, my thoughts were always right
     on those guys. I can’t believe...” He has to stop because he’s
     laughing again. “So you walked in on that? Did they even offer an
     explanation?” He puts his hands up. “I really am sorry for what
     happened to you, but you have to realize how funny this all
     sounds.”
    I can’t help but laugh, too. “No
     explanation. I told you Brandon asked me to join. Kelsie was crying
     and Dustin chased after me. Well, until I took that axe handle to
     his car. Then the three of them started screaming.”
    “I really hate you had to
     go through all of that, but I have to say, it sounds like something
     straight off of Cops . Were y’all saying stuff like, ‘He took my cigarettes’ or
     ‘But I love him?’ Did anyone have curlers in their
     hair?”
    “Um, they really didn’t have much on
     to start with. So no. No curlers.” I look out the small window on
     the side of the building. “Damn, it’s really coming down out
     there.”
    Ryder stands up behind me. “Shit,
     yeah. I may have to call someone to bring me my jeep so we can go
     home.”
    My heart races as I
     realize how close we are to each other. The nerves in the pit of my
     stomach flutter and ache, all at the same time.
“Why? I think we are fine right
     here.”
    He cocks an eyebrow and leans into me,
     pushing my back to the wall next to the window. “Oh, really. You
     think we are fine here?”
    “Yeah, unless you’re scared there
     might be a ghost or something.”
    He places his lips on mine, nipping at
     my bottom lip and getting me to open and give his tongue access.
     His hands slide down under my ass. “I don’t think ghosts are what
     we should be worried about.”
    I smile against his lips. “Oh really?
     What should I be worried about?”
    “I’m really trying to be a standup guy
     when it comes to you. But I don’t know how much I can control
     myself. When I’m around you, I feel this overwhelming sensation to
     wrap you up and own you,” he says.
    “Maybe I don’t want you to
     stop.”
    He lets out a groan. “Shit, Scarlet.
     You can’t say things like that.”
    I