Faking it with Beck Ryder

A quiet Place

Beck’s pov

By the time I got on the road, the traffic had reduced, which was great, because the last thing I needed was to sit in traffic after the torture of being around so many people.

My phone kept on buzzing. Notifications after notifications. I didn’t bother checking it. I already knew what it was.

My screen lit up. I didn’t need to check who the caller was because Siri had already announced it.

It was Kai. I declined the call without thinking. I didn’t have the energy for a conversation.

The house was dark except for the kitchen light when I pulled into the driveway.

I stayed in the car for a while before stepping out.

My father sat on the kitchen island, flipping through paperwork. That explains the light.

He looked up briefly as I entered. “You're later than usual,” he said, still flipping through the paperwork.

“Yeah, it ran over.”

He gave a hum.

“Hungry?” he asked.

“No.”

There was another hum.

That was usually how our conversations went. It was like neither of us knew how to stretch conversations beyond necessity anymore, or perhaps we just stopped trying.

I wasn’t cut out for conversations, but my dad's was different. Worse. It wasn’t always like this. We were happier when mum wasstill alive, but everything changed when she passed away.

She was the glue that held us together. My dad and I never really saw eye-to-eye on things. There had always been this friction between us.

With him being the strict dad who had always tried to control my life and me being the rebellious son who did whatever, it was hard for us to get along.

I moved towards the stairs.

“How is the shoulder?” he asked suddenly.

“Fine.”

“You got it checked?”

“Yeah.”

“You should stop taking hits like that.”

I almost laughed. Hockey wasn’t some child’s game. There was no way one wouldn’t sustain injuries like this once in a while.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied.

His focus moved to the papers in front of him.

That was it. Conversation over. I headed upstairs.

My room looked exactly the way I had left it this morning.

I flung myself against the bed, finally looking up at my phone.

Thirty-two notifications, two missed calls, three texts from my teammates, one from the coach. I ignored all of them.

Sometimes, this all felt too overwhelming, and I just wished to disappear from it all, even if it was just for a day.

I noticed there was an email from the production team which I opened.

The filming schedule loaded slowly: interview blocks, media sessions, campus segments, mandatory appearances.”

Everything had been carefully put together.

Partner interview session

Participant pairing: Beck Ryder and Nyla Hart

Location: media studio B

Time: 9:00 AM

What the hell? I literally had training for 8:00 AM. How was I supposed to make it for that, whatever it was? Ain’t no way I was going to skip training for that.

Perfect. Just perfect.

I flung my phone to the side of the bed in annoyance.

I thought I'd have the time to soak this all in before anything official began. How am I supposed to throw myself into something I had just been properly introduced to?

The girl from earlier flashed briefly across my mind because of the way she had reacted to me. Most people always acted too curious. She hadn’t. She just looked annoyed or dumbfounded. Either of the two.

I stared blankly at the ceiling. Tomorrow was going to be exhausting. I could already feel it. I wish I could opt out, but I knew that wasn’t an option anymore. Was it even an option to begin with?

My phone kept on buzzing. It was irritating. What were they even talking about or texting me for? I just wanted to be left all alone, but that was impossible. Not with the path I had chosen for myself.

The only time I had some peace and quiet was here, in my room where no one disturbed me. I looked forward to coming home just because I wanted some alone time.

I guess I spoke too soon as there was a knock on the door.

“Beck,” my father's voice called from outside my room door. I stared at the door for a few seconds, wondering what it might be that he wanted.

I got up and opened the door.

“uhm,” he said, clearing his throat. “I’m going to be gone for a few days. I got a new lead on the case I’m working on and my client needs me in Baltimore. I figured I'd be gone before you wake up, hence why I’m here.”

I gave a nod without saying a word. It was routine. Dad would travel and I’d be alone.

It was usually the best time to throw parties, but I couldn’t do that this time around. I was supposed to keep a low profile.

He walked away afterward.

“I guess it’s going to be just me in this big house,” I muttered to myself. I’d probably go over to Kai’s. I was sure to get good food over there, unlike the takeouts I usually had all the time.

I headed over to the bathroom to freshen up. The water was warm. Just what I needed.

I had a habit of allowing the water to just run through my body as I stood there doing nothing. It calmed me in a way I couldn’t explain. It was a way for me to calmly reflect on my thoughts.

With everything that was happening around me. It helps a lot these days.

I looked at the email one more time before going to bed. This was going to be my life for the next twelve weeks, and I was supposed to go through the entire program with a girl I barely knew.

I checked the email for what I was looking for.

“Nyla. Nyla Hart,” I read out loud.

hmmm. Not such a bad name for a nerd.