Fighting The Riptide.

Ryder rolled his eyes, brushing Mark's words off because he didn't wanna get into anything in front of Zoey. And it wouldn't be the first time Mark had some shit to say about his dad. He shoved Mark over as he leaned over and took a shot, sinking the striped fourteen into the corner pocket."You know, if Zoey didn't wanna hang out with me she wouldn't so why don't you go back to your table and maybe some girl will take pity on you and hang out with you sometime."

@ RomanSky

Mark frowned then got close to Ryder, putting his hand over Ryder's pool stick and slamming it onto the table. "She wouldnt be hanging out with you if she knew about your life. Probably run away like your mommy did." He said so only Ryder could hear him. He smirked as he seen Ryder was getting pissed off.

Zoey frowned as she stood there holding her pool stick. she looked over at Parker and Evan who were distracted by the waitress.

@ LuckyB

Mark's words made Ryder's stomach coil I to knots and his blood simmer. And even though it wasn't the first or last time Mark would say anything about his family or lackof, it hit deeper than he would care for it too.

Ryder straightened his back as he looked at Mark, with the smug smirk on his face and without even thinking, Ryder's fist collided with Mark's nose, blood began to pour down his face as he staggered backwards and the entire restaurant hushed at the commotion.

@ RomanSky

Mark glared at Ryder when he got his balance back, "Oh you are going to regret that you mother fucker." He said moving over and punching Ryder in the face. He fought with Ryder before he managed to get the other boy pinned to the pool table about to punch him again. He smirked when he hear Zoey tell him to stop. He looked over at her, "This doesn't concern you. After all you are just a little girl what are you going to do to stop me?" He asked laughing.

Zoey narrowed her eyes when he spoke to her. Then, she slammed her pool stick into his shin and brought it up hitting him again, before she pinned him to the pool table with the pool stick on his neck, "I really hate when people say that." She said, as Mark struggled beneath her. She let him go then pull him up and shoved him away. "Get out of here!" She snapped at him. Mark glared at her, "You are fucking crazy." He said as he backed away from her. Zoey nodded, "Yep sure am so you better get going." She said. She watched as he left then turned her attention back to Ryder, "Are you okay?" She asked.

@ LuckyB

Once Ryder got his bearings straight he rubbed at his face, being hit was something Ryder was use too. He looked to Zoey and nodded."Yeah, I'm alright." He saw Parker and Evan both coming toward him and Ryder looked around, the entire restaurant had their eyes on them, mainly him."I think we should get out of here." He pushed past Parker and Evan, he wanted to get out of there because he knew the time was coming that Zoey would ask about the fight, what Mark had said to set him off and he sure didn't want an audience for that.

@ RomanSky

Zoey looked at the guys then followed Ryder out, "What happened back there?" She asked as she finally caught up to him. The other guys trailed behind, trying to give the two some space. "What did he say?" She asked him as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Ryder had not seemed like the kind of guy to just snap like that, so whatever was said had to be bad.

@ LuckyB

Ryder looked at her, could see the concern on her face. He had never had to tell anyone about his dad or his family, everyone in the town just knew and most didn't have to the guts to say anything to his face but he heard all the whispers. He was definitely too sober for this and he didn't want to tell her something so personal in the middle of a parking lot."My mom left my dad and me when I was real young, I haven't seen her since. She sends me birthday cards some times." He shrugged as he had an entire shoe box of unopened cards."She left me behind with my dad who's the town's drunk, a mean one at that. Everyone knows it, even your mom."

@ RomanSky

Zoey looked at him as he explained what was going on. She shook her head, “My mom doesn’t even know you.” She said, frowning when she realized that her mom had lied. Zoey sighed, “How much have you lied to me if at all?” She asked, crossing her arms. Zoey bit her bottom lip lightly, “Does he hurt you?” She asked him. By this time Parker and Evan had went to find something else to do, leaving Ryder a text. Zoey stepped back from him, “Is this also the reason you really didn’t want me to go to your house the other day? How does my mom know you so well?” She asked.

@ LuckyB

Ryder pulled his phone from his pocket, seeing the text from Parker but he just shoved it back into his pocket."Yeah, my dad was home and I didn't want you to see that, not yet." He had to give a small laugh at her last question, he ran his hand through his hair."A few weeks ago my dad drank himself to near death and she was his nurse. She's stitched me up a few dozen times and I'm sure she's been one of the few nurses who've called Social Services on me every time I land in the e.r." He shrugged as that would also give her an answer to her other question."But I haven't lied to you. About anything. And now you know everything there is to know."

@ RomanSky

Zoey frowned as he explained everything, “Okay well…are you still hungry?” She asked, deciding to leave the conversation there. “We can go back to my place and eat something.” She suggested. Zoey took his hand, lacing her fingers with his as they started walking. Zoey hated to think about someone hurting Ryder like he had explained, but she didn’t want to keep asking him about it. Zoey was glad when they got to her house. She walked in, seeing that her mom wasn’t there. “Well what would you like to eat? I can make lasagna.” She suggested. Zoey smiled at him, seeing that he seemed relaxed in her house.

@ LuckyB

"Yeah, lasagna would be great." Ryder said as his stomach grumbled with hunger. He looked around her house and seeing photos of her and her mom together and he sometimes wondered what if he had a normal life, would there be family photos splashed all through their house? "Is your mom going to care that I'm here?" He asked as he didn't want her mom to be upset at her for having him over."Or do you care that you're hanging out with me? Now after knowing."

Zoey started the noodles then looked at him, "She won't mind." She said as she moved to get everything that she needed. She looked at him when he asked about her hanging out with him. "Look it's not like it's your fault that your dad is like that." She said as she walked over to him. She took his hands, "Just know that if you need anything or anyone to stay with you can stay with me." She said, smiling. She let go of his hands, "If you want something to drink you can look in the fridge." She said as she started the hamburger.

@ LuckyB

Ryder smiled with a chuckle."Yeah, I'm sure your mom would love that." He went to the fridge and pulled out a drink, pressing the cold to his face as he could only imagine how bad it looked compared to how it had felt."You know, this is gonna be the biggest talk at school, right?" He could guess what Mark was telling everyone and he knew Monica was going to give him even more shit about hanging out with Zoey. Ryder pulled out his phone and sent Parker a text letting him know he was over at Zoey's.

@ RomanSky

Zoey smiled at him, "I don't really care about them. I mean I am only going to be at the school for a year anyway." She said. She thought about her mom and what he said, "I don't think she will mind. She usually is very understanding." She explained. She focused on assembling the lasagna into the casserole dish, "Do you want garlic bread too?" She asked him. It was nice to have someone at home with her since her mom was working.

@ LuckyB

"After your graduate, are you going back home? To live with your dad?" Ryder asked curiously, maybe also because he didn't want to think about how short a year would be with her around. He nodded as he watched her assembled the lasagna, he was starving and it looked delicious."That would be good."

Zoey shrugged, "I don't think i will." She said. She started on the garlic bread. She popped it into the oven when it was time then looked at him. "I kind of like it around here, though maybe somewhere not a small." She said, laughing softly. "What about you? Are you going to stay here or are you going to leave?" She asked him.

@ LuckyB

Ryder shrugged as he had no real plans after school."I honestly haven't thought much of it. I haven't applied to any schools and I doubt I would be accepted anywhere. My grades aren't that great and I'm sure I'll just keep working at the shop and maybe find a little apartment for me and Apollo. Maybe close to the beach." He did know that he didn't wanna live with his father more than he had too."But who knows, if Parker and Evan head off, maybe I'll follow behind." Ryder laughed as he looked at her.

@ RomanSky

Zoey smiled, "Im sure you will figure something out with it." She said. After she finished cooking she pulled the food out. She lookef at him, "Ready to eat?" She asked as she made him a plate. She handed him the plate then got herself one. She sat at the table with him after she got them some drinks. "So how exactly did you and Evan become friends with Parker?" She asked, "You guys seem so different from him" She said before eating.

@ LuckyB

Ryder took his plate with a "thanks", the food looked great and smelled even better. He took a few bites before he shrugged, wiping his mouth on a napkin."Is that because Parker looks like your typical rich kid?" He asked with a smile."We met at a party, Evan bought weed from him and after that, Parker slowly just weaved his way into my and Evan's friendship. He never got the hint that we didn't want him around and finally, we just gave up and he's been there ever since."

@ RomanSky

Zoey nodded, "you like him now though?" She asked. She was surprised by how easily they all got along. Zoey took a sip of her drink then went back to eating her food.

(Sorry about the short post im on my phone.]

@ LuckyB