Honey and Spice | ✔️

Chapter 28

Hey folks, I'd like to take a moment to thank yall for waiting patiently for 28 chapters :))
And I'm relied on google translate for some part of the chapter too so If anything, just correct me (although they're just really minor)

Ryder

“Hey there, little buddy,” Mae says, looking at her arm. “You gonna suck my haemoglobin syrup right in front of me, huh?” Then she slaps her arm so hard that I flinch from the sound. “Well, itadakimasu, bitch!” she says triumphantly.

I gag when I see a little spot of blood on her arm and her hand. “Oh god, Mae! That’s gross!” I quickly look away from the crime scene. “You got fucking insect remains on you!”

She looks at me, then at her arm and her hand. “Oh,” she deadpans. “I wonder how the hell a mosquito got inside the library.” She leaves to wash her arm. Then it’s just Nathan and me at our usual table in the library.

“So, uh . . .” I put my book down, turning to face him. “How did it go with your parents?”

Nathan smiles shyly. “We’re all good now. They accepted the whole situation pretty quickly, actually.”

“That’s good to hear.” I smile back.

He nods. I nod back. Then, silence.

“Um, Ryder?”

“Yeah?”

He fumbles with the hem of his cream sweatshirt. “My, uh . . . my mom wants you to come over for lunch . . . or dinner, um . . .” He struggles for words, his cheeks adorably flushing pink.

“Your mom wants me to come over to your place?” I help him. “Today?”

Nathan nods. “Yeah, that.”

“Okay, sure,” I say and he beams at that, never failing to send my heart into overdrive.

Mae returns, plunking herself down on her seat in front of us. “What did I miss?” she says, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Anything juicy?”

I prop my chin on my palm. “Nothing much, hon,” I say, smiling.

She squints at me. “What a bore,” she sighs, rolling her eyes and returning to her book.

Then, I meet Nathan’s eyes and we both giggle, making Mae groan in frustration. “Damn both of you. Just kiss already!” she teases, waving her book in the air.

Well, that’s an effective way to make us shut up.

My face burns at the very thought of Nathan and I kissing. Mae gives a self-satisfied smirk at my flustering before turning back to her book. I risk a sidelong glance at him and I find his cheeks as red as mine.

Maybe.

*

“Mom?” Nathan calls out once we reach his house. I kick off my Vans at the door and I follow him awkwardly inside like a lost puppy.

A woman rushes out of the kitchen to greet us, followed by their golden retriever, Kirk. She (Nathan’s mom, that is) looks like she's in her late-30s, with dark-orange hair - like Nathan’s, although her’s is more on the red side - tied into a loose bun. She grins at my presence.

“Ryder, right?” she says, placing her hands on my shoulders. Kirk sniffs my legs. I stand stiffly, unsure of what to do. I’m just going to go with my instincts and act cool and composed.

“Yeah. Uh, hi, Mrs Adler- ”

“Don’t call me that, it makes me feel old.” She laughs lightly. “Call me Patricia, okay?”