December 13, 2015

4:00 pm

"Ryder…" She sobbed into the phone and he could picture her lying on the floor wrapped in a blanket. His heart broke as her cries filled his ears. He clutched his phone and looked around at the other guys who were in the weight room. "I-I don't know what happened."

Sighing, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, receiving questioning looks from his teammates. "I'll be right there, Marls."

"N-No…" She managed to spit out, hiccupping slightly as she brushed one of her many tears away. "Y-You'll get in tr-trouble wi-with your co-oach."

He chuckled slightly, standing up and grabbing some of his things. "You know you're worth it."

He hung up the phone and told the guys he had to go home for the weekend, something they understood well. They never met the girl, but they knew she had him wrapped around his finger. They also knew, though, that she had absolutely no idea.

He ran through campus and hopped into his car, ready to take the hour drive to her house back in Lima. She was smart but had chosen to go to Lima Community College for her freshman year so she could be closer to Jake.

"Where's Marley?" He asked concerned, as Mrs. Rose answered the door to the house. Mrs. Rose smiled and allowed the boy into the house, reminding him to take his shoes off before venturing upstairs. She had gotten used to Ryder and considered him part of the family so it wasn't alarming that he had come at such a bad time for her daughter. "Thanks Mrs. R!"

Marley looked up from her spot on the floor and instantly burst into tears again as she saw her best friend enter the room. "Why would he do this?"

"He's an idiot, Marls." Ryder soothed, sitting down next to her to pull her into a tight hug. He rubbed her back as she continued to cry into his shirt. "He isn't worth your tears."

"I love-ed him!" She cried out as she was pulled closer to his chest.

"I know…" Ryder breathed out, shutting his eyes as tears threatened to fall. "I know."

6:00 pm

Marley laughed as Ryder did his best spider-man impersonation. Her laughter died down once they both started to pay attention to the screen in front of them again as Emma Stone was thrown out of a window only to be caught by Peter's web. "Do you think I'll ever find a spider-man?"

Ryder turned to give her a questioning stare. "You mean you're looking for someone who has spider powers?"

"No..." Marley giggled out, putting her hands to her face in embarrassment. "I mean, someone who will treat me like Peter treats Gwen?"

"You just saw him throw her out of a window." Ryder muttered confused. "I mean, if you want someone to throw you out a window, I'll be glad to step up to the plate."

"Oh, shut up. Nevermind." Marley finally said smiling up at her best friend.

"I'm just joking, Marley." Ryder laughed a little, ruffling his hand through her hair to annoy her. "Of course you'll find your spider man. I mean, who knows? Maybe you already have."

"Yeah right." Marley laughed sarcastically, fixing her hair with one swift movement.

"I'm serious Marls." He continued, licking his lips as his famous smirk flashed upon his face. It was the same smirk that many girls fell for in high school and in college but they didn't mean anything to Ryder. "I mean, take me for starters. I'm not saying I'm Spiderman or anything but you can't say you've ever seen me and him in the same room." He winked as she laughed a little.

She looked up at him and bit her lip before leaning forward and capturing their lips. He didn't object, although he should have because she was too vulnerable right now but he had been craving her taste since the night of the play in their sophomore year.

Two seconds later when she pulled away she told him he should leave because it's getting late and she didn't want him to drive all the way back to his university in the dark. He smiled the entire way back to his dorm room and fell asleep with an even bigger smile on his face, something that was unusual for him.

The happiness soon faded when he woke up the next morning to a voice mail.

"Hey Ryder; it's Marley. I hope you got back alright. Listen, about that kiss. It was a mistake and I'm so sorry. I hope you'll forgive me."

And just like that his world crashed down, but he swallowed the anger and got dressed in his football uniform to go to practice.

When she needed him, he'd be there. Just like he promised.