On the Outskirts

Fifteen

~Sadie~

I love summer mornings back here. In Montrose summers were insufferable. It's like there was never enough air. Between the too tall buildings, the car fumes and the lack of public spaces to actually get out of the house, we were just stuck inside the same 4 walls, breathing the same stuffy air with no hope of getting out of it. 

Out here though, its like another world. I can sleep with the windows open because there's no traffic noise, no sirens at 2am startling Hallie awake. I wake up to birds and a summer breeze and my heart feels at home. This morning my bed feels warmer, the pillows opposite me are all smushed up from where I must have been tossing and turning and I am aching, everywhere. 

I slowly sit myself up in the bed, stretching my arms above my head. A move that makes me realize I am completely naked. After issues with the fire alarm in Montrose, I learned to never sleep naked. Just incase I had to jump out of bed and be out the door with Hallie immediately. But I know Hallie isn't here. Dad took her home yesterday evening, probably sat in the field with her for a little until she passed out and then carried her to bed. I remember Dad telling me to drink and enjoy myself and I remember staying and laughing with everyone at their stupid college stories and - shit. 

Oh god. 

Oh no. 

I swallowed as best as I could, tugging the bedsheet over my naked body and looking around the room. Any evidence that Ryder had been in here last night was gone and I was hoping it was some fucked up drunken dream set off by me kissing him at the party.  I don't what's worse right now. The prospect of it being a dream or that I did indeed sleep with Ryder, had the best sex of my life, only for him to slide out in the middle of the night. 

Both options put a huge dampener on my mood though. If it was a dream, I had some serious shit to work out, if it was the other- 

I slowly slipped out of bed, pulling an oversized tee shirt on and headed for coffee. I needed to clear the fuzziness in my head, drink a pint of water, grab painkillers before I work out what I need to do. 

The very second I pulled my bedroom door open, the smell of food hit me in the face and I froze. I'm sure Hallie stayed at my dads. Almost positive. And she wouldn't have started making something to eat without waking me up first. Unless my Dad's here with her. Wouldn't be the first time they'd made something and woken me up in bed with it. But this feels different. There's no laughter, no music, no clattering of pans. It's just quiet. And obviously, hungover Sadie doesn't know how to not be dumb so she heads down the stairs making as little noise as possible and pushes the kitchen door open to see who the intruder is. Unarmed. I must say, I'm glad she doesn't come out often because she's going to get us killed. 

I'm not sure how we're going to die. But staring at a shirtless Ryder making something on the kitchen island, sunlight pouring through the windows and open back door, I'm pretty sure it might be a heart attack. 

I stand in the doorway, suddenly very aware it's his shirt I pulled off my bedroom floor. I have to be dreaming still. Right? I've heard about those dreams that are so real you can't tell the difference. This feels like one of them. It's too perfect. 

"You just gonna stand in the doorway looking like a fucking angel or are you gonna come over and kiss me good morning?" He didn't even lift his head and my feet were firmly stuck right there. When Ryder did bring his eyes up to mine, he just chuckled, moving around the counter so smoothly you'd think he'd lived here every day of his life. I manage to take a small step backwards but he just moves a little quicker, wrapping his arms around me before scooping me up and wrapping my legs around his waist. "I was gonna bring you breakfast in bed but you've ruined the surprise."