"What time is it?" I mutter walking into the kitchen. Thankfully Cammys family were away so I didn't have to worry about strutting around with my hangover while wearing a pink tshirt dress

Cammy puts two bowls of cereal down on the table "eighth am" I look over at her in shock "What? We both know the best way to help a hangover is to go for a run"

"Actually that only works for you because you don't get hangovers"

"Well we're going anyway" she grins at me "now eat up"

It was eleven by the time we had finished our run and showered and I hated to admit it but I felt a lot better than I did earlier

Cammy had homework to catch up on so I decided to go home and catch up on some of my own as well. When I walked in the front door I stopped in my tracks at the sight on front of me. Emily was sitting on the ground with her legs crossed while Alex sat on front of her with Oli on his lap while the played with toy cars

"Talia, I thought you were at Cammy's?" Emily turns towards me

"We both had homework to get done" I inform her and the panic on her face makes me say what I say next "anyway I better get to that homework, it was good to see you Alex"

Alex nods at me and I run up to my room. To distract myself I get straight into my studies and it was a twenty minutes later when I got a message

I picked up my phone to see it was a message from Ryder

I guess you're cute when you wanna be🤭

The photo itself was enough to trigger my memories from last night, the games, the jumping off boats, the tattoo, what I almost said

I really am an idiot

Even with the memories returning I couldn't help the small smile that appeared on my face

Hey look you too🤫

My bedroom door opened and Emily peeped her head in

"Hey" I put my phone down and turn to her "where's Alex?"

"He's gone home and I've put Oli down for a nap" She walks further into the room and takes a seat on my bed facing me "thank you"

"For what?"

"Not asking questions"

I smile "Emily it really is none of my business unless you want it to be"

She nods "when did you become the smart sister"

We both laugh "I'm pretty sure I always was"

I spent the rest of my weekend lounging around the house. Getting up for the gym on Monday was hell especially knowing I had to go the school after it. I ended up being late so I didn't get to see Cammy before class

"Talia nice of you to join us" Mrs Henry grins as I walk to my seat

"Always a pleasure mrs" I wink at her from my seat so no one else see's

"So as I was saying I have thankfully received all projects so I'll be emailing out the second part in the next few days. But for today we're going to be reading Romeo and Juliet"

❁ ❁ ❁ ❁

"You what? Talia what were you thinking!" Cammy whisper shouts across the table

I lean against the table and respond in the same tone "that's the thing, I wasn't thinking. I was too drunk"

Cammy shakes her head "you're so lucky I interrupted"

"I mightn't have actually spilled"

Cammy huffs "you were acting like you were his best friend on that boat I'm pretty sure you would have"

"So I just won't drink anymore then"

I was walking to the bathroom last class when I heard voices echoing from around the corner

"I'd totally try my luck with her if we weren't warned off her" one of the male voices complains

"So what Ryder said no one can go near her, what will he know?" Another hinted

"It's Talia Ramsay we're talking about, he'd kill any boy who even looked at her"

Would he now?

"True. Remember the last boy who tried to talk to her, he ended up with a black eye" The two boys laughed but I found it much less amusing. I mean who did Ryder think he was warning boys off me while he had a choice of girls to talk to

Unlucky for him I knew what class he was in and it was one I wouldn't be bothered in

The gasps from boys as I walked into there locker room were continuous but only one boy looked unaffected by my arrival. Clad with a towel around his waist Ryder stood with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face

"I'm going to murder you" I sneered

"What did I do this time?" He asks the smirk still on his face

"Warning boys off me? Seriously?"

His expression changes for a second before he quickly puts his amused expression back on. He grabs my arm and pulls me into one of the shower rooms

"You're overreacting" is all I get

"I'm overreacting how?" I hiss

"What do you think it means? I'm madly in love with you? Seriously Talia, I can hardly even tolerate you, it's just another way to annoy you"

Ouch

I roll my eyes but don't respond. Instead my eyes follow his hand which is reaching behind me. I gasp when the shower turns on the hot water soaking me and him even though he was already wet

"What's with you and getting me wet" I exclaimed

That's not what I meant

His smirk is instant "is that right?"

I hit his chest "you know what I meant"

"Do I?"

"Ryder!"

"What you said it?" He laughs and I hit his chest

Mrs Henry emailed out the second part to the project the next day. Me and Ryder decided to get the project sent in as soon as possible so we decided I'd go over to his place

When I parked outside his house the only car there was his along with his motorcycle. I knocked on the front door and less than a minute later Ryder stood before me. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander to his shirtless chest which was unfairly toned. He was also wearing some grey shorts which I'm pretty sure is every girl's weakness

"Talia Ramsay knocking on my door? If anyone saw you they'd swear you're here for a bootycall" he grins

"You're hilarious now let me in"

"Or I could leave you outside until Helen and her friends walk past, if my calculations are correct it should take them six seconds" he winks "I mean in that outfit what else would they think your doing but trying to impress me"

"Have you been outside, its so hot" I cross my arms

It really was boiling outside hence why I was wearing a crop top some shorts and an oversized jacket

"Oh look they're almost here"

I hit his chest and pushed past him "You're an idiot"

"Let's go to my room" he winks before walking up the stairs

I follow him reluctantly. I mean I may despise the boy for the most part but he was shirtless, annoyingly hot and bringing me to his room which is a possible recipe for disaster

His room was a grey colour with a double bed beside the window. There was a desk beside the bed and a tv with some game consoles

Ryder sat down on his bed while I opted for the computer chair "so why are you so eager to get this done, scared of getting in trouble?" I grin

"Or maybe I just want to spend some time with you" he winks

I roll my eyes "you lost me there"

"Ok so there's a game on Friday and I'd prefer watch that then do this"

"Ouch. Careful there you might hurt my feelings"

"You see if I was doing something else with you up here, then I'd definitely not be watching the game"

My cheeks heat up straight away and I wanted to kick myself for not wearing make up. I rarely blush but something about this boy and his comments get to me

He noticed it too

"Don't we have work to do?"