Page 26 of I Don't Need Your Love
And then there’s a whole basket of emotions when it comes to Ryder. Why would he convince kids to try out for the team? I kind of hate him for managing to do it when I couldn’t, but I’m also thankful because there’s a chance we might find some really good dancers. Maybe they themselves don’t know how good they are. A few of them seem very shy to try out, but here they are.
If not for Ryder, the majority of them wouldn’t even be here. But then again, they’re only herebecauseof him and not the team. That hurts. But it’s not really his fault.
It looks like Ryder wants to snap back at me, but he shakes his head and says, “Got it. My offer is retracted.” He gets up and is about to leave, but he glances at me and says, “Good luck with the tryouts. I’ll get out of your hair.”
I don’t know why he sounds disappointed. And I don’t know why I feel bad. Ugh, again, too many emotions. Why did he have to do something kind to me? It’s so much easier to hate him.
Some of the kids complain when he leaves, and I worry half of them will leave along with him. But they stay.
It’s not long before Coach Moreno arrives and the tryouts begin. Like I expected, the majority of them are nowhere good enough for the team. Some don’t have even an ounce of rhythm and some of them barely even attempt to dance. A few didn’t even bother with a routine and are just basically prancing around the gym. I’m tempted to ask everyone who is only here for Ryder to leave, but like I said before, I want to give every single person here a chance.
Then there are a few surprises. A couple are really great dancers and know it, but there are about three who completely shock even themselves. I love seeing the stunned smiles on their faces when they realize they actually are good at dancing. It makes all of this worth it.
“Nice,” I tell Coach Moreno when a sophomore shows her raw talent. “There’s hope yet.”
“Pardon?”
“I thought today would be a total failure, but one should always hold on to hope.”
“Agreed,” she says. “There is some really great talent out there. We may have a dream team soon.”
And some of that is due to Ryder Bennet, number one enemy of yours truly. I don’t know what to make of that.
Speaking of which, I catch him standing in the doorway halfway through the tryouts. Maybe I’m seeing things, but it seems like he came back to check if his efforts bore any fruit. His eyes light up when a few hopefuls do a good job, and it looks like his body sags with relief. What exactly was he worried about? Letting me down? Yeah, right.
When his eyes meet mine, he offers me a small smile. I know I should return it, but I can’t bring myself to. I’ve always behaved a certain way around him, and he did as well. He annoyed me and I got ticked off at him. That’s how it’s been for years. It made sense. And now he’s being nice to me and I have no idea how to react.
He shakes his head and walks out of the gym.
Chapter Ten
Ryder
“Since when do you dance?” Felix asks as we get ready for the party.
Because parties aren’t allowed on campus, kids take turns hosting them in their houses. Tonight, it’s at Leo Ramirez’s. I never met the guy because he graduated last year, but he’s friends with the jocks and lets them use his house whenever he’s not around.
I shrug as I glance at myself in the mirror. My hair is getting a little longer than what I’m used to. When I played football, I liked to keep it short, but I’m kind of digging the new look. I also heard that some girls like when guys have enough hair for them to brush their hands through.
“It’s just something I did when I was younger,” I tell my roommate. “Now that I don’t have football, I need to keep busy with something else. Figured the dance club could use my help.”
He chuckles. “Right. Like you’ll make them win their competitions.”
“Of course.”
His smile drops. “But can you even dance competitively? I mean, your leg…”
“Yeah, my doctors cleared me for dance, but I still need to be careful and not overdo it. For the most part, I can do anything I want without worrying about my leg. It’s just contact sports that are an issue.”
He nods slowly. “I’m sorry you can’t play.”
I wave my hand. “I’m over it and am in a good place now.” Or at least I’m trying to be. I don’t think about football all the time, but it creeps in here and there. Truth is, there’s no pointwallowing over something I can’t control. I need to move on and look to the future.
He nods again. “Cool. Ready to leave?”
We meet up with the other guys in the dorm and make our way to the parking lot, which is lined with expensive cars. We get into Felix’s and drive to the party. Leo doesn’t live too far from school and we get there within fifteen minutes.
As soon as I climb out of the car, I gape at the mansion before me. I knew many kids here were swimming in money and that they all have beautiful houses and expensive cars. But I never imagined they looked like this.
