First time in the past two months, I was going to the date location in Axel's car, whom Ryder sent to pick me up.

It was a common sense that the place had to be far but what I didn't expect was the park coming in view as the car pulled inside it.

"Are you sure this is the place?", I asked the skeptical stranger next to me.

"Yeah, it is", he said with a goofy smile.

Without further questions I pulled out of the car with Axel following me. We didn't speak anything, atleast he didn't ask me more than a question.

"This way", he took the lead walking along the side road in the park. Well, the park was beautiful along the river banks and must say there were a lot of children and toddlers running around. I could see a few middle aged and teen agers but was populated with young people.

As we followed I was able to spot the familiar figure sitting in one of the benches facing the river.

Axel gave him a shoulder bump as he sat next to him with me standing in front. The least I could say, it was awkward involving Axel in the game. I didn't know where he stood in this game but it's better I stayed away from him.

Ryder was looking at me up and down with a blank face, extremely difficult to decipher as I started squirming uneasily. I didn't have anything to talk about except curse until his ears bleed and beg me to stop, which I could do for a lifetime and he didn't make any effort for a conversation too.

 If it had been a restaurant I had the privilege to talk to waiters, being in the park took that part off the equation.

Luke was again the savior of the day when he called me. I moved away from them, closer to the river.

"Hey Luke"

"Em, where are you?", Luke sounded curious and furious that I didn't actually mention the place this time. I didn't even mention that I was going out but me being out of the house on a Saturday really did gave away.

"I am in the park along the river", I unconsciously looked around for  the exit, which I could make in two minutes if I ran like I ran for my life.

"It's close to home", Luke said to himself. I nodded forgetting he couldn't see me through phone. 

"It's refreshing here. We should definitely come"

"Nah, parks aren't for me sweetie"

"They play volleyball here and guys are hot", I said with a giggle throwing the bait, I meant the volleyball. Luke threw the fake excited scream, "Hell yah, we are going there. Wanted to touch the ball for some time now"

I nodded again until I realized what he meant. I almost threw up at the disgusting thought as I quickly ended my call with him and sent him my location after refusing some hot guy pictures. 

When I returned to the table, Axel was gone and Ryder was on the phone. People on the next bench moved and I quickly grabbed the bench having a small joy that I was occupying it alone.

I could feel his eyes on me but didn't dare to turn towards him. Apart from that, the place became my second favorite. I took some pictures and sent it to my parents and Papi. 

I choked on my spit when Ryder plopped next to me on the table. The timing was so accurate, a guy approached where I was sitting, the same time Ryder sat next to me.

"Hi", the cute redhead waved at me. He darted his eyes between me and Ryder and Ryder was looking at him with a 'Okay? What's next?', expression.

"Hi", I waved back at him muddled. 

"My name is Marcus", he said in a flirty tone. I get it where it was going. Hey, I was being friends with a beauty queen for my lifetime, it'd be a shame if I couldn't get a simple pass.

"Hey Marcus. I'm Emily". 

"That's cute name"

"Thank you", I tuck my hair behind my ears.

"So you are around here?", Marcus asked sitting on the other side of the bench.

"Yeah, just started undergrad"

"Hey I am doing my undergrad too. Finances"

"That's great. Stuck with engineering here". Marcus laughed with me and I felt strangely comfortable with him until someone decided to throw shit in the pond.

Ryder stood up abruptly holding my hands. My heart went frantic with the little touch but Ryder was oblivious of my discomfort.

"If you are done talking with my girl, I have some work with her. So bye, Henry"

I widened my eyes. He said 'my girl', the hell did that mean. Marcus was utterly shocked, so was I. This man was becoming more unpredictable day by day and this was one of the days.

"Your girlfriend?", Marcus asked before I could comprehend the situation. 

"Yes". "No". We both said at the same time. I glared at him as Marcus left the table cursing under his breath about me being a big B. There goes my eternal love story.

"What the hell is wrong with you?", I asked in a low tone as we settled in his car.

His insouciant attitude was getting on my nerves. He turned towards me raising his eyebrows, "I thought you were having fun with Henry and I didn't like you being happy so, yeah but had to admit it, it was damn fun", he laughed proudly. 

"Marcus", I corrected and he shrugged.

We were on our way back home when my stomach embarrassed me with a big, loud, silence breaking grumble. Even I was shocked that it came out that loud and Ryder chuckled in response.

He pulled into the Starbucks and left the car. I was out of it when he left me alone in the car.

The world made sense after a good five minutes. I collected my purse and left the car only to meet Ryder midway, who threatened to leave me if I didn't get to the car before he did and strangely, I did get into the car before him.

"What's wrong with you, Ryder?", I asked gaining his full attention. The look on his eyes was different. He wasn't staring, it wasn't blank nor excited but different. 

"Nothing's wrong with me", he said and took a chunk of bite from the sandwich. 

"I could get something before you finish eating those two packets", I said pointing out the two sandwiches he had in his both hands.

"What's fun in that?", he said winking at me with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and sunk into the seat looking out of the window.

"Mmmm. Damn this is hot", I closed my eyes shut unable to cope with sounds he was making to taunt me. He even leaned closer to me to moan into my ears.

If earlier was loud, then now it was ear piercing grumble. A loud laugh followed the grumble. 

It was a beautiful sight - under a stressful condition- to see Ryder laughing holding the steering wheel for grip. His body was in jitter, eyes closed and my heart fluttered.

When the laugh died down and he made eye contact, I realized I was staring at him. I could see his pupils dilating.

 I reeled back with a little cough holding onto my stomach to stop the growling.

A brown packet came into the view with the smell hitting my nose before my eyes could see the sandwich.

I looked at Ryder raising my eyebrows, "It's for you", he said shaking the packet. You know I was famous for having a high possibility for getting kidnapped if given free food. 

There was no doubt in that and I grabbed the packed with a full blown smile.

Hey guys, I've seen some people reading my book. Please to give a thumbs up in the comment, that'd encourage me to write better.

Love you all. Hope you all are safe with your family.