GREEK TRAGEDY
::  vii. | it lights my fire

It had been two weeks since the college party incident and Ashely was much better. Everything was back to normal, Brooke and Ryland hating each other but just a little less considering what happened. Jake and Ryland were reconnecting, Ashely and Lucas were back to talking, and Chad was finally working up the nerve to talk to Peyton.

Ryland and Ashely were both at their lockers, next to each other when someone was sneakily approaching them.

"I heard someone got roofied?"

The girls both turned at the sound of his voice.

"Jay!" Ryland exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him.

Ashely wrapped her arms around him as well, getting in on the group hug. They all soon pulled away and just glanced at one another.

Ashely spoke up, "How was it visiting the family?"

He simply shrugged, "Oh, you know, family is family." His tone quickly switched, "But like seriously, who got roofied?"

Ashely slowly rose her hand in embarrassment, "Me."

He cupped her face, "My poor Angel."

Nobody noticed luke and Chad approaching them when their backs were turned. Chad tapped jay's shoulder, resulting him into turning around. A smile spread across jay's lips when he saw Chad's face.

The two guys hugged each other with a pat on their backs. After they broke away, Jay passed Lucas a slight head nod. Lucas returned it before going on his way and leaving Chad with the rest of the group.

Jay swung his arm around Ashely and ryland's shoulders, beginning to head to class with Chad following behind. They were all happy to be reunited. Jay was like the glue of their small group — Chad, Ashely, Ryland, Haley, Lucas, and Alexa. They all been really good friends since the beginning and more for others. However, there was one rule in that friend group and that was to not date each other or another person's crush. Obviously, there were already three breaking that rule but no one really knew it except Ryland.

• • •

The school day quickly wrapped on that Friday. Everyone were rushing out of the classrooms. Some just left, others were at their lockers. It was a normal Friday, nothing too exciting happening in Tree Hill that afternoon. That's if you count the redoing of Peyton's room and maybe Ryland seeing Jenny for the first time.

Only a couple of hours after school let out, Ryland was on her way to Jake's and Chad along with Brooke was on their way to Peyton's.

After everyone pulled up to their destinations, Ryland was just approaching Jake's front door. She knocked it and just only a moment later did Jake answer the door. He let Ryland in with a smile, then closing the door behind her.

"Glad you came."

She's been to his house before but hasn't since Jenny came. She remembers that day like it was yesterday and she knew nothing of what was happening. She asked Jake if she could come over, he said she couldn't, then he broke up with her. It happened so fast but now, it seemed as if they were in a better place or getting there.

He guided her up to his bedroom where Jenny also stays.

"She's so cute!" Ryland set eyes on Jake's daughter, "Looks just like you."

"She does, huh?" He lightly chuckled, "Thanks."

Ryland began playing with Jenny, while she was in her crib, standing up. The blonde was on her knees as she took Jenny's small hands in her's. Jenny began laughing which made Ryland smile, then Jake who stood behind them watching the interaction.

As he stood there, he couldn't help but think of how bad he screwed up. If he just came clean, Ryland could've met Jenny way before and it seemed to him that she would've been great having around in the beginning. Then again, the past is the past and there's no changing it.

He soon approached the two and squatted down next to Ryland to join in on the playing with his cute, precious daughter.

• • •

Peyton had gotten a call only just a second ago. It was about her dad and that something happened to the boat and his team. She couldn't believe her ears as the man spoke on the phone. Her dad was lost and they had people on working trying to find the boat and everyone else.

When Peyton returned back to her room, Brooke and Chad immediately knew something was wrong.

"Hey." Chad placed the paint brush down before making his way to Peyton, "What's wrong?"

She looked between her friends, "It's my dad. It's bad. There's a body and I have to identify it."

"You want to leave right now?" Chad asked.

Peyton nodded, then glanced at Brooke, "Could you stay here in case there's a call?"

Brooke quickly nodded, "Of course."

Chad and Peyton rushed downstairs and out the door to peyton's car. As Brooke stood on the porch waving, they soon pulled out the driveway and hit the road. Brooke ended up walking back inside and sat in the living room. She didn't want to be alone so she pulled out her phone and gave Ashely a call.

• • •

As time progressed, Jake and Ryland sat in the living room next to each other. They were both staring at whatever was in front of them. It was like they didn't know how to interact in that moment or do anything almost.

Jake then glanced at her whispering, "Want some water?"

"Sure." She whispered back, letting her eyes follow Jake out the living room. They just sat there, waiting till Jake came back in sight.

She was happy to be back there and to finally meet Jenny, but she wasn't sure of what she really wanted to happen. Did she want him to kiss her? Did she want to get back together? Those were questions she just didn't know the answers to yet.

Soon enough, Jake came back into view and approached Ryland who sat on the couch with a glass of water in one hand. He handed the glass to her with a slight smile as her eyes connected with his.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, Ryland." He then sat back down next to her. He watched as she brought the glass up to her lips and took a sip of the cool water.

She felt his eyes on her as she swallowed the water down. Ryland's head turned towards him, "What?"

"Nothing." He spoke softly, "You just gotten more beautiful from the last time I saw you."

Ryland playfully rolled her eyes, "You're just saying that."

"Maybe." He simply shrugged, "But it's true."

Her eyes stayed glued to his. Maybe her eyes glanced at his lips for only second, then back to his eyes. And maybe, he wanted the same thing — whatever it was they were feeling in that moment.

He slowly began to lean as did she, meeting him halfway. Their lips eventually connected and it felt like everything was right in the universe again. His palms were growing sweaty and her chest was heavy — exactly how they use to feel around each other in the beginning of their relationship.

It felt as if they were doing it all over again.

to be continued . . .

a/n:
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