Operation Breakup

The Realization

Ryder peered across the cafeteria to where Katelyn and Ammon were eating lunch together with a group of friends. He sat down slowly at his normal lunch table and continued watching.

“Whatcha lookin at?”

Ryder was pushed to the side as the energetic black haired girl quickly plopped down next to him.

“Hi Char,” Ryder greeted.

Charlotte put her face next to Ryder’s and looked in the direction he was peering. “Ooh.”

Ryder pulled back a little. “What are you doing?”

Charlotte sat up straight again and laughed. “Taking a look at what you were staring at.”

Ryder shrugged and took a bite of his sandwich. “I wasn’t looking at anything.

Charlotte laughed again. “Oh, so you weren’t staring at Kate then?”

Ryder quickly looked at Charlotte. “What?”

“So you were!” Charlotte exclaimed.

Ryder rolled his eyes. “Whatever Char.”

Charlotte softened. “Why are you looking at Kate?”

Ryder looked at her. “I’m not!”

Charlotte slowly stood up. “Fine. If you won’t tell me why I’ll just have to tell Kate you were staring at her awkwardly.”

Ryder pulled Charlotte back into a sitting position. “You really want to know why?”

Charlotte grinned. Ryder ran a hand through his dark hair.

“The other day I went to her house for a tutoring session and Ammon interrupted us. When I was leaving, I couldn’t help but feel jealous and I honestly don’t know why.”

Charlotte gave Ryder a thoughtful look. “You like her.”

Ryder snorted. “No, I don’t.”

“Don’t deny it,” Charlotte sang.

Ryder glanced at Katelyn again before turning back to Charlotte. “We are just friends. She has a boyfriend and I have a girlfriend.”

“That doesn’t mean that you don’t like her,” Charlotte reasoned.

Ryder sighed. “Maybe I do like her. Maybe I don’t. It doesn’t matter.”

Charlotte patted Ryder’s shoulder. “If you like her, maybe you should do something about it.”

Ryder looked at Katelyn again. “Like what?”

Charlotte shifted in her seat. “Hmmm.”

Ryder took another bite of his sandwich. “See? Even if I did like her, which I’m not saying I do, there isn’t anything I could do about it.”

Charlotte bolted upright. “The deal!”

Ryder glanced at her. “What?”

Charlotte started bouncing in her seat. “Your deal!”

Ryder put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from bouncing. “What deal?”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s your deal. You should know about it.”

Ryder folded his arms. “Charlotte.”

“Your deal about senior prom!” Charlotte exclaimed. “If both of you are single at the point of your senior prom-”

“We will go together!” Ryder finished. “That’s brilliant.”

Charlotte grinned smugly. “I know.”

Ryder grinned broadly, then froze, confusion spreading over his face. “How in the world did you know about that deal?”

Charlotte raised her eyebrow. “You really think that Kate would make a deal like that and not tell her best friend?”

Ryder grinned again. “Of course. That makes sense.”

Charlotte frowned. “One problem here.”

Ryder took another bite of his sandwich. “And that is?”

“Neither of you are single.”

“That is a problem.”

Charlotte sighed. “Well, it was a good idea while it lasted. Plus, I’m not sure it would work out between you two.”

Ryder gave Charlotte a confused look. “Why not?”

Charlotte shrugged. “You’re such a bad boy and she’s all goody-two-shoes.”

Ryder squinted at her. “I don’t understand.”

“You have changed a lot from when you guys first made that deal. It’s no wonder you have grown distant. It’s classic high school. You're the bad boy who breaks all the rules and cuts class and she’s the rule-following teacher’s pet. Unless you change I don’t think she would ever contemplate dating you.”

Ryder looked ashamed. “Is that really how you guys see me?”

Charlotte’s voice softened. “That’s what you are acting like.”

Luke came and sat down at the lunch table. “Hey, Ryder!” He glanced at Charlotte. “What are you doing here Charlotte?”

Charlotte stood up. “I was just leaving.” Charlotte leaned in close and whispered in Ryder’s ear. “If you really do like her, you’ll find a way. If not, you have Hannah and she has Ammon. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Charlotte skipped away to Katelyn’s table as Hannah approached.

“Why was she over here?” Hannah inquired.

Ryder smiled at Hannah. “We were just talking.”

Luke sat across from Ryder. “About what?”

Ryder finished his sandwich. “Nothing important.”

Hannah made a small noise, then sat down next to Ryder. “So what’s the plan for eighth period? Luke and I were talking about it and had different ideas.”

Luke smirked. “I want to blow things up.”

“And I want to go skinny dipping,” Hannah said as she snuggled close to Ryder. “So which one is it babe?”

Ryder hesitated and looked over at Katelyn. He sat for a second, then pulled away from Hannah. “I don’t know. Maybe we should actually go to class.”

Hannah and Luke shared a glance.

“Are you alright, Ryder?” Luke asked.

“I don’t know if you have ever turned down skipping class,” Hannah said softly as she caressed his arm.

Ryder slid down the bench a little. “I’m just fine. I just think maybe we should go to class.”

Hannah tilted her head, and then let out a loud giggle. “You’re messing with us!”

Ryder shook his head. “No. I’m serious. Maybe it’s time for a change.”

Hannah looked at Luke. “Luke, what’s wrong with Ryder?”

Luke looked at Ryder, then back at Hannah. “I honestly have no clue. There must be something wrong with him.”

“Maybe I just want to go back to the way I used to be,” Ryder exploded. “Maybe there is something wrong with me, but it isn’t that fact that I want to go to class. Maybe the rule-breaking and the ditching is what’s wrong.”

Hannah recoiled back in her seat. “What the heck happened to you?”

Realization dawned on Luke’s face. “Charlotte.”

Hannah’s face turned to one of fury. “You mean that no good little brat convinced you to turn your back on who you are and to start being a little goody-goody.”

Ryder stood up. “She didn’t convince me of anything. She just made me see what I have become and I am not sure I like it.”

Hannah stood up. “Well, if you don’t like being who you are then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Ryder agreed.

Hannah let out a small shriek and then walked away. Ryder slowly sat back down in his seat and put his face in his hands.

Luke let out a long breath. “What in the world just happened?”

Ryder looked up at him. “I really don’t know.”

“Were you really serious about wanting to change?”

Ryder put down his arms. “I really think I am.”

Luke leaned forward and looked at Ryder. “What made that happen?”

Ryder glanced over to where Charlotte was sitting next to Katelyn. “Someone inspired me.”