Status: Active
Stay Here By My Side
Chapter 8
Once they finished decorating the tree, they spent the next few hours watching their favorite Christmas movies- A Christmas Carol and Home Alone. By the time they were finished, it was already 9:30.
"Do you think we could put dinner off until tomorrow night? I had no idea it was already 9:30 and I have to get back," Spencer asked, biting her lip. She had five missed calls from Emily, which was not a good sign.
"Of course, I had no idea it was that late already, either."
He grabbed his keys and put his coat on, heading to the front door. They walked down the hallway to the elevator, and got in, pressing the Lobby button.
"Thank you, by the way." Spencer said as the lift started to move.
"For what?"
"For giving me the best Christmas eve I've had in years."
"You don't have to thank me, Spencer. That's what friends do," he replied smiling at her. "Just wait until tomorrow though. We can make cookies, have a nice dinner, and maybe watch some more movies."
"That sounds perfect." She replied as the doors opened. They made their way into the frigid New York air to Ryan's car. It was still snowing, but not as heavy as earlier. He started the car, and pulled away from the curb, driving in the direction of the orphanage.
They rode in a comfortable silence the rest of the way, the radio playing Christmas music softly. After another ten minutes of driving, he pulled in front of the orphanage. They quickly exchanged numbers and said their goodbyes before Spencer got out, and hurried inside.
The front hall was quiet; Mary wasn't there, which was probably a good thing. They were allowed to go out, but holidays were a different story. Especially if it was in the middle of helping the volunteers wrap gifts. Spencer shook the snow out of her hair, and quickly went down the hall that led to the bedrooms. She stopped outside of Emily's room and softly knocked.
"Em, it's me."
"Where the hell have you been, Spencer?" She asked, swinging the door open.
"I'm sorry!" She replied, stepping inside.
"You better have a good story for leaving me with all the volunteers," Emily said making a face, but cracking a small smile.
"Oh, I do." Spencer said, and quickly told her about how Ryan was one of the volunteers, and the rest of her day with him. By the time she finished, Emily was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Yes! That's perfect, Spence. Now you guys have each other's numbers, and you're spending tomorrow together.."
"Calm down, Emily. It's not like that, we're just friends."
"Good God, you're blind. He clearly likes you, trust me. I'm sure you'll find out for yourself soon."
"Maybe," She mused. It was a possibility, but Spencer didn't want to set herself up, only to be knocked down again.
By the time Spencer finally made it back to her room, it was almost 11:30, and she was exhausted. She threw herself down on her bed and thought back on the day. It was a lot better than she thought it was going to be - that's for sure.
Ryan gave her hope that even if she was living in this shit hole, things could still be great. He was kind of like her light at the end of the tunnel. Even though they've known each other for such a short amount of time, they have become pretty great friends. It really took a lot for her to open up to him earlier about what happened the night her parents died. But she was glad she did. It only brought them closer, which was a big surprise to her, since she thought it would do the opposite.
But then again, Ryan was full of surprises.
"Do you think we could put dinner off until tomorrow night? I had no idea it was already 9:30 and I have to get back," Spencer asked, biting her lip. She had five missed calls from Emily, which was not a good sign.
"Of course, I had no idea it was that late already, either."
He grabbed his keys and put his coat on, heading to the front door. They walked down the hallway to the elevator, and got in, pressing the Lobby button.
"Thank you, by the way." Spencer said as the lift started to move.
"For what?"
"For giving me the best Christmas eve I've had in years."
"You don't have to thank me, Spencer. That's what friends do," he replied smiling at her. "Just wait until tomorrow though. We can make cookies, have a nice dinner, and maybe watch some more movies."
"That sounds perfect." She replied as the doors opened. They made their way into the frigid New York air to Ryan's car. It was still snowing, but not as heavy as earlier. He started the car, and pulled away from the curb, driving in the direction of the orphanage.
They rode in a comfortable silence the rest of the way, the radio playing Christmas music softly. After another ten minutes of driving, he pulled in front of the orphanage. They quickly exchanged numbers and said their goodbyes before Spencer got out, and hurried inside.
The front hall was quiet; Mary wasn't there, which was probably a good thing. They were allowed to go out, but holidays were a different story. Especially if it was in the middle of helping the volunteers wrap gifts. Spencer shook the snow out of her hair, and quickly went down the hall that led to the bedrooms. She stopped outside of Emily's room and softly knocked.
"Em, it's me."
"Where the hell have you been, Spencer?" She asked, swinging the door open.
"I'm sorry!" She replied, stepping inside.
"You better have a good story for leaving me with all the volunteers," Emily said making a face, but cracking a small smile.
"Oh, I do." Spencer said, and quickly told her about how Ryan was one of the volunteers, and the rest of her day with him. By the time she finished, Emily was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Yes! That's perfect, Spence. Now you guys have each other's numbers, and you're spending tomorrow together.."
"Calm down, Emily. It's not like that, we're just friends."
"Good God, you're blind. He clearly likes you, trust me. I'm sure you'll find out for yourself soon."
"Maybe," She mused. It was a possibility, but Spencer didn't want to set herself up, only to be knocked down again.
By the time Spencer finally made it back to her room, it was almost 11:30, and she was exhausted. She threw herself down on her bed and thought back on the day. It was a lot better than she thought it was going to be - that's for sure.
Ryan gave her hope that even if she was living in this shit hole, things could still be great. He was kind of like her light at the end of the tunnel. Even though they've known each other for such a short amount of time, they have become pretty great friends. It really took a lot for her to open up to him earlier about what happened the night her parents died. But she was glad she did. It only brought them closer, which was a big surprise to her, since she thought it would do the opposite.
But then again, Ryan was full of surprises.