“Bye.” I hugged Kenzie tighter. “Call me every day.”
“I will.”
“And email.”
“Okay.” Kenzie nodded and patted my back.
“And send me photos of Cole,” I added. “Daily.
Kenzie laughed and nodded her head, promising me she would send daily updates.
“Bailey, I swear to... Let them go and get in the car.” Ryder yelled at me but when I looked over, he was smiling softly.
“I don’t want to.” I looked up to the sky and blinked rapidly trying to hide my tears before I crouched down and pulled my favourite little blonde haired, green-eyed cutie into my arms. “I’m going to miss you most of all.”
“Bye, Bayey. Wuv you.” Cole placed his tiny hands on my cheeks and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
“Bye, buddy. I love you too.” I kissed his head and stood up before running over to the car, completely ignoring Ryder. I threw myself into the front seat and looked out the other window so I didn’t have to watch as we drove away.
“It’s okay, love. You’ll still see them all the time. We’ll come visit and they can come to us.” He placed a hand on my thigh as he backed the car out of the driveway. “Now, let’s finally leave this small minded town behind and go on to something better. Indie is waiting for us.”
“Okay.” I sniffed and nodded my head in agreement. I knew he was right. Kenzie and Cole would come and visit in a couple of weeks once they got settled into their new place but it still didn’t make saying goodbye any easier.
I was glad to put this last year behind me. It was just one crazy rollercoaster of a year and I couldn’t wait to start afresh at a new school with new friends and all new experiences.
“This is going to be a good year, Bailey,” Ryder told me as we pulled up into the parking lot after three hours on the road.
Indie had been quiet the entire trip. I knew she was still heartbroken over Linc.
“I know it’s a fresh start. No one knows us here.” I smiled and leant over to kiss him. Indie made a puking sound in the back seat before climbing out.
“Let’s go sign in and find our dorms,” Ryder said, grinning. He was really looking forward to uni. It was a chance for both of us to start anew as ourselves. No rumours. No gossip. No lies. No backstabbing.
“I’m going that way, so I’ll come find you later, yeah?” Indie said, pointing in the direction of a coffee shop.
“Okay, sure. Good luck.” I gave her a hug before she turned and walked away. I hoped we’d get a dorm together but I didn’t like our chances.
I followed Ryder around aimlessly, letting him take care of everything because it was all just too overwhelming for me to comprehend. I was still amazed that he chose to come here with me instead of going to one of his preferences. The day he told me he was accepted and coming to university with me was the best day of my life.
“I’m not staying away from you, Bailey. I can study anywhere,” he’d told me when I tried to argue that he should go where he wanted.
“Just shut up and stop arguing with me. You’re it, Bailey. That’s all there is to it. Where you go, I go. End of story,” he’d said.
I crashed my lips to his and that was it. The discussion was over and he was coming to uni with me.
“Okay, this should be it,” Ryder said, stopping outside a door and dangling a key from his fingers. “You ready?”
“No,” I whispered, and shook my head.
“Come on. Don’t be nervous. It’s uni. It’s meant to be the best years of your life.” He leaned down to press his lips to mine knowing that his touch alone could calm me down and his kisses made me putty in his hands.
I felt my back press up against the door to my new dorm room as my arms wrapped around his neck. I completely forgot that we were in a hall full of new students rushing around in utter chaos as I lost myself in Ryder.
“I fucking love you,” he whispered.
“I fucking love you too,” I whispered back as the door suddenly opened from behind me.
“Oh sorry. I thought I heard people out here,” said the voice that belonged to my new roommate.
“Oh, sorry about that,” I said as I turned around to meet her. At the same time, Ryder hissed in my ear.
“Fuck.”
I looked up and the smile dropped from my face instantly. You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.
“Christina?”
About the author
Charlotte is the author of young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. Her debut novel Need You is the first in the Unrequited Series. She has thoroughly enjoyed writing and publishing her works and has no plans to stop. As long as the ideas keep coming, she’ll keep writing.
When she is not hovering over her computer and jotting down story ideas in the middle of the night, she can often be found with a giant coffee in one hand and a book in the other.
She is a mother of two young children and wife to a wonderful husband and is thankful to have such a supportive family.
Charlotte hopes you have enjoyed reading her book as much as she enjoyed writing, and thanks you for purchasing a copy and supporting her. She loves to connect with reader and can be found actively on social media.
Connect
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Need You (Unrequited #1) Page 21
