I bit my lip and attempted to cool down my face as I hurried into the building. Why did he have to say it like that?

"Thanks for holding the door. Heh where you wanna go first Ryder?"

"Hot topic?" He asked with a sweet smile as the door closed behind him and he stood next to me. "They have nice clothes."

I nodded happily and was half tempted to hold his hand but didn't dare. If he wasn't ready for that yet it would be embarrassing, awkward, and possibly ruin everything.

The store was only a little away from the entrance so the walk we took together didn't last long and the only conversation we really had was about shoes but at least it wasn't silence. I hated silence.

Walking into the store felt like walking into a cafe full of fresh baked cookies. Shirts with my favorite shows decorated the walls and shelves lined with hilarious knick knacks filled the place. I swore I could stay there forever.

"Should we take a Tik Tok?" I asked looking at Ryder with a knowing look. The answer was gonna be yes and everyone was going to freak out.

"Yes ma'am!" He replied with a laugh that made my heart almost jump out of my chest and hug him. He got out his phone and held it up making me look even shorter compared to him than I already was.

We only took a couple small videos together for the fans before starting to explore the magical place where the best hoodies are born.

Ryder stayed fairly close to me while we shopped and in the end I got two new hoodies. He got a hat that looked so cute on him and a phone case that had pigs eating bacon. That one I wasn't really sure was cute or not but he thought it was funny so I went with it.

"Alright where you wanna go now Ry Ry?" I asked nonchalantly trying out the nickname I secretly had for him.

He paused mid step and looked at me amused. "Candy store and did you just call me Ry Ry?"

Okay maybe it wasn't as nonchalant as I had originally thought. I felt panic run through me and I did my best to stay calm. "Yes I did. That a issue?"

"Nope. I like it. Now I need a nickname for you though. Angel? No. Bunny? No. Kitten? No definitely not."

I chuckled quietly as he went through more names. Each one sounding worse and worse. "Alright how about you call me boo?"

"Boo? I like it." He ruffled my hair and started to walk in the direction of the candy store while I attempted not to pass out in happiness.

The candy store was full of little kids running around and I couldn't help but feel a little homesick so I grabbed a candy for each of my siblings. They'd probably make a mess of it but at least they knew I was thinking of them.

"(Y/n) look at this."

I turned to see Ryder holding up a gummy bear the size of his head and I burst into laughter before hurriedly taking a picture. "Put it away before you drop it and we have to buy it Ry Ry!"

He pretended to almost drop it and I gave him a gentle punch in the arm.

"Owwwie (y/n) hit me someone call the cops!" He said in a whiney voice that made me giggle. That ended when I noticed how many people were now staring at us.

He must have noticed to cause he put the bear back on the shelf and we both rushed out. "That was so embarrassing. I'm so sorry."

I shook my head and put my hands on my hips. "Ry Ry I expected better of you. I'm just kidding I thought it was funny. Oh!"

He raised a eyebrow and looked in the direction I was. There was a game store advertising the newest horror game I had watched Markiplier play. I wanted it badly but it hadn't come out till today.

"I think I know where we are going next. Come on!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the store with ease while I tried to not concentrate on the fact he we were literally holding hands.

We stopped in front of the store and his eyes meant mine before glancing down at our intertwined hands. Pull it away I thought to myself. He's probably to shy do it himself. It won't hurt just do it.

I couldn't bring myself to though, I wanted this so badly and it felt so nice to hold hands with the boy I liked for so long.

"Lets go."