Chapter 2: When Jeffrey Met RyLynn

Matt executed a perfect Twist of Fate on Devon and Jeff finished him off with a Swanton Bomb off the top rope. Matt rolled Devon up for the cover. 1...2...3 and there was another victory for the Hardy Boys and Team Extreme.

Jeff smiled to himself. When he came out to the ring he looked for Riley. He purposefully stood on the top turnbuckle just to look for her. He saw her looking up at him with the same smile and look of encouragement in her eyes. Throughout the match he could hear nothing but the cheers of the crowd. And through that he could hear Riley; cheering for him, causing him to push harder for a victory. That was how it had been since they were kids; him always going to the extreme and her always cheering for him on the sidelines. There were very few times when the roles were reversed.

Riley was very sheltered by her father since her mother had died when she was very young. When she, her father, and her twin brother AJ moved to North Carolina she was the typical Southern girl. But meeting Jeff that all changed.

It was in the middle of the school year.

"Excuse me class," the teacher tried to get the attention of the rowdy class who were throwing paper airplanes and watching Matt and Jeff "wrestle" on the ground. The teacher had had enough of the noise.

"CLASS!" That got their attention and they all froze. "Mr. Hardy and Mr. Hardy would you like to sit down?" Matt and Jeff got up from their positions on the floor and got into their seats.

"Thank you. Today we have two new students. This is Alexander-James Carter."

A rather handsome and tall boy with short brown hair and dark brown eyes stood in front of the class. He was dressed in khaki pants and a blue button down shirt.

"And this is his sister RyLynn Amber Carter. RyLynn?" AJ walked outside the classroom to retrieve his sister. He came back seconds later with a girl.

Jeff could tell she was shy because she kept trying to hide behind her brother's form but he kept pushing her forward. She was a petite girl with long, curly brown hair and the same chocolate brown eyes as her brothers. Instead of his pale skin she was quite lively looking and had little freckles scattered around face that brought out the color a little more. She was wearing a baby blue dress and a blue ribbon in her hair.

"Alexander you can take a seat next to Matthew and RyLynn...." Jeff raised his hand volunteering the empty seat next to him.

"You can sit next to Jeffery." Riley had to laugh, 'his name sounds worse then RyLynn'. She sat next to Jeff.

"Hi, everyone calls me Jeff. So, your name's RyLynn?"

She could hear the hint of laughter in his voice as to say, 'RyLynn? What kind of name is that?'

"Yes it is JEFFERY but I guess you weren't paying attention." She turned around and ignored him.

That same day after school Matt was picking on guess who; the new kids.

"Girls can't play baseball, especially in a skirt. Besides, aren't you a little YOUNG to be playing with us?" This got Riley incredibly angry.

"That's funny cause your letting my TWIN brother play. Meaning I'm 8 and he's 8. And if girls can't play, why are YOU playing?"

The crowd surrounding them broke into 'ohs' and ahs. Truthfully, it stung Matt. "Okay. I thought in Georgia they taught girls to be ladylike."

At this moment Jeff stepped in. "Come on Matt, don't be so mean."

"Is Jeff going to defend his little defenseless girlfriend?"

This was the last straw. Riley was about to burst into tears. "Oh, what is the baby going to cry?" he said in a mocking tone.

"No. The baby is going to do this!" So, Riley brought her fist back and punched Matt squarely in the nose.

Jeff smiled, 'looks like she can take care of herself'.

"RyLynn sorry my brother's being such a jerk and I'm sorry I was being such a jerk."

Riley smiled, "apology accepted. And I hate my first name."

"Okay, how about..." he thought for a moment. "Riley."

This produced the second smile Jeff had seen from Riley all day. "I like it - Jeff."