7. His Girlfriend

RYLIE

After Miles got rid of the video of Blake and I kissing, everything went back to normal... is what I'd be saying if it did. Despite Miles deleting the video, more and more people kept reposting and circulating it again.

I'd thought in a matter of time, it would become old news but it didn't seem so.

I haven't been the favourite person in school of late, especially with the girls.

Thankfully, my friends, Olivia and Mason haven't deserted me. They've stuck with me through it all and are always standing up for me when anyone tries to do anything to me.

As for Blake, the little punk couldn't be bothered. Then again, why would he?

He was still captain of the football team and girls still found him attractive. In fact, the scare of him having a secret girlfriend had only made him more of a hotcake as every girl was now trying their possible best to lock him down. It was infuriating to see.

On my end, we hadn't spoken since Miles deleted the video and I'd really enjoyed that... at least that's what I keep telling myself.

The truth is that I haven't been able to get that stupid kiss out of my head. It's literally stuck playing in a loop in my head and it kicks into overdrive whenever I run into Blake. My eyes are instantly drawn to his lips and I get this weird, almost primal urge to jump on him and kiss him till we're both breathless and he's stuck thinking about the kiss like I'm stuck thinking about his kiss.

I'm really losing it in case you can't tell.

I'd even gone ahead and told his coach about my prank to get him off the bench. I had no idea why I'd done that. It was barely enough payback for me getting detention for three weeks but Blake was getting to me and I hated it.

I had an assignment to work on but I was still stuck thinking about Blake. What was wrong with me?

I looked down at the books laid out in front of me but got frustrated five seconds later. I wasn't supposed to even have this assignment. It was Blake's fault.

Mr. Connor, the teacher who gave me detention for killing his pet spider when Blake pranked me really knew how to hold a grudge. He was still punishing me by giving me the most tedious assignment ever.

I groaned again and buried my face in my hands. Then I sat up and ran my hand through my hair as I tried to fire myself up. As I prepared to try again, I found myself wondering what Blake was doing.

Probably not this assignment!

"Forget it, Rylie. Forget about it and just do your assignment," I said to myself.

* * *

Hard at work, my concentration was suddenly shattered as I heard my mom yell my name from downstairs.

"What do you want, Mom?" I yelled back.

"Come down, Rylie."

Angrily, I stomped down the stairs and to the kitchen where my mom was.

"Mom? What gives? I was really busy," I whined.

"I'm really sorry, honey but I need you to give someone a pie."

"A pie? Really, Mom?"

"Yes, a pie but don't worry, you're just taking it next door."

On hearing the words ‘next door’, I felt my heart rate increase. Next door. Blake. Kiss.

"Rylie, honey, are you okay? You look pale," my mom said, bringing me out of my reverie.

"Oh yeah. Yeah. I'm okay," I replied, smiling nervously.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. So uh, couldn't you just send Myles instead?"

"I would, honey but I think he's come down with something."

"Myles is sick? Really? Myles is never sick," I said suspiciously.

"I know right. I would go but I'm swamped. I have a lot of orders to fill so you know."

My mom was a baker and a very successful one at that.

Groaning, I said, "Okay, I'll go."

"Aww that's my Rylie," she said while hugging me. "Don't worry. You just qualified yourself for extra allowance. Wink. Wink."

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly at her and asked for the pie which she gave me.

"Thanks, honey," she said as I walked out of the house.

I made my way down the stairs and into the sidewalk.

Standing outside Blake's house, I found myself resisting the urge to knock.

"Come on Ry, you can do this," I said to myself, hoping that would push me to knock but try as I may, I couldn't.

I turned to leave just as the door opened. Whirling around, I came face to face with the one person I'd been hoping not to meet.

"Rylie!? What are you doing here?" Blake asked through gritted teeth.

I tried speaking but I was more or less tongue-tied.

"Rylie!"

"Sorry. Sorry. Uh, my mom asked me to send this to you," I managed to say pushing the pie towards him.

"Okay. Bye!" he said pushing me out.

"Blake, who's at the door?" I heard his mom ask from inside the house.

"No one, Mom," he yelled back.

Really? No one, huh? We'll see about that.

"Hey, look over there," I said pointing up.

He glanced up and I used the opportunity to enter the house.

"Rylie!" he yelled and grabbed my hand to drag me out. Before he could, his mom appeared and said, "Oh Rylie, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, Mrs. Weston. My mom just asked me to give you this," I said grabbing the pie from Blake and stretching it towards his mom.

"Oh nice. I'll take it to the kitchen. Come on into the living room. There's someone who would like to meet you."

"Really? That's nice. Lead the way, Mrs. Weston," I said with a smile, linking my arm with hers.

Looking behind me, I stuck my tongue out at Blake who was staring at us with a look of horror on his face.

Just as I stepped into the living room, I heard someone say, "You must be Rylie. I've heard so much about you."

I looked ahead to see an aged woman sitting on a chair with a lovely smile at her face.

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am," I said in response.

Chuckling, she said, "Ma'am makes me feel so old. Just call me Grandma Nellie, dearie."

"Nice to meet you, Grandma Nellie. You're so pretty. You don't look a day over sixty."

We burst into laughter.

"I think we'll hit it off just well, Rylie," Grandma Nellie said with a wink.

Just then, Blake walked into the living room with a frown on his face. As soon as she saw him, Grandma Nellie's face brightened as she said, "Hey Blakey. I was wondering where you were."

I couldn't help but chuckle as Blake walked towards me.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Blakey!" I whispered back bursting into laughter.

"Aww! So cute! Care to tell us what your ‘boyfriend’ said?" Grandma Nellie asked winking.

I stopped laughing immediately.

"Boyfriend?!" Blake and I yelled at the same time.

"Grandma Nellie, you must be mistaken. Blake and I aren't dating."

"According to this video, you are."

Ava handed her her phone and she showed us the video of Blake and I kissing along with a caption that called us secret boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Grandma, I already told you that it isn't true. Ava, why did you show her the video after I specifically told you not to?"

Ava just shrugged and looked away.

"So you're not dating?" Grandma Nellie asked.

"No, we're not Grandma Nellie."

On hearing that, her shoulders slumped forward as though defeated.

"Oh well I suppose I'll just die a sad unfulfilled old woman. All I wanted was to have my final wish fulfilled."

Blake sighed and spoke softly, "Grandma…"

"Don't trouble yourself, Blakey. It won't be your fault for not keeping your promise to me. Afterall, it's not like I'm dying anytime soon. Oh, my chest!"

Blake's shoulders slumped forward in a defeated motion and he turned to look at me, his eyes begging me to do something.

I'd hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.

Swallowing deeply, I walked towards Blake and took his hand in mine.

"Come on, Blake. I suppose it's time they knew."

He looked at me with surprise in his eyes but I continued, "Sorry, everyone. We were hoping to keep it a secret but I suppose it's time it came out. We are dating."

"You are?" Grandma Nellie asked. "Dear, please don't mind my behavior. You'll find I joke around alot so there's no need for you to lie about being Blake's girlfriend.

"It's not a lie. We actually are dating," I answered. "Sorry for not telling you earlier."

"Aww there's no need to apologise. I'm just so happy for you guys. I'm especially proud of you, Blakey. She's quite a catch," Grandma Nellie said winking.

I glanced at Blake and managed a chuckle.

"Come on, come on. Let's take a picture together," Grandma Nellie said urging us to come to her.

We stood beside her and Ava took a picture of us. Afterwards, Ava helped her share it online with a caption that called us boyfriend and girlfriend.

It was awkward to say the least, as I was forced to take on the role of Blake's girlfriend for the rest of the day because of Grandma Nellie. The only thing that slightly gave me comfort was the fact that no one from our school would see it... at least that was what I thought.