Working Days

chapter two: her

Ryder settled into the driver's seat, and shut the door a little too hard, wincing immediately. Ollie stared into space, absentmindedly buckling in her seatbelt and propping her elbow on the care door, head in her hand. The silence that followed was loud; much worse than the tension they left in the bakery.

“Why the f**k did you do that?” Ollie finally said, biting into the air with a low, shaky voice.

Ryder reached for his seatbelt, slowly buckling it in as he stared ahead. “Do what?” He said, feigning ignorance as a click sound resonated in the stuffy car.

“Don't try to pull that oblivious act. You could've waited. You could have at least done it somewhere more private. Why…” she trailed off, the unanswered questions hanging in the air.

“Oh.” He murmured. “It felt right, I guess.” He started her car, adjusting the seat back and checking the mirrors obsessively.

Ollie turned to him sharply with an expression Ryder could only describe as pure disdain.

“Felt right?” She scoffed, incredulous.

She guffawed, turning her head back to rest in her propped up palm, watching the cars that passed. Ryder took this as his cue to pull out from the side of the road where they had parked; driving off and away from the lingering gazes of some nosy customers who still watched them from a distance.

Ollie rested her head on the window, praying for the day to just be over with. She huffed a breath, unsuccessful gulping down the lump in her throat. Ryder glanced at her, assuming she needed some fresh air. He turned off the air conditioner and rolled down the windows, leaving Ollie's head flopping out the window for a brief second. She quickly raised her head, glaring at him.

“You bastard-”

“Do you want me to play some music?” He asked awkwardly, cutting her off. Instead of waiting for a response, he reached out his hand to turn on the radio like he had done countless times in the past. Ollie slapped his hand away and pain radiated on his arm, making him wince. He reached out once more and turned it on anyway, switching to a radio station playing music. The radio host turned down the music to explain that there was a breakout new artist they wanted to highlight for the day, and began to play their discography.

The speakers began to boom with the most mind numbing music she had ever heard in her life. She recognized the tone deaf, monotonous voice to be from an influencer who decided to get into music.

With the wind aggressively flapping in her face, the most awful and audibly inconsiderate song playing in the car and the lingering memories of what had happened only minutes earlier, Ollie found herself getting emotional.

What started as a couple of stray tears streaming down her face turned into silent sobs she couldn't even control, her body shaking and chest heaving in her seat. Ryder briefly looked away to look at her, overcome by guilt. He blinked rapidly, trying his best to be composed.

Inhaling strongly, Ryder forced a smile on his face.

“Are you okay?” He asked, slowing over a speed bump.

“What do you think, Einstein?” She croaked out rhetorically mid-sob.

The car went silent again, save for the awful song still playing and the rhythmic sound of the car tires on the road beneath them. Ollie sniffled, wiping her face with the inside of her jacket. She was a complete mess.

Ryder cleared his throat. “Should I… turn off the music?”

She laughed dryly, rolling her red eyes in exasperation.

“You already ruined my engagement,” she muttered. “Might as well let the music finish me off, too.”

Ryder nodded, slow and unsure.

The song kept playing. And neither of them tried to stop it.

Over the next couple of minutes, Ollie's tears slowed down. She almost had no tears left to cry, and she felt fatigue creeping up on her. Unfortunately, they somehow found themselves stuck in a traffic jam, cars honking in their periphery.

She began to get fidgety, pulling her legs up to her chest halfway and leaning against the car door.

“You could've passed another route.” Ollie mumbled, trying to take off her jacket. It felt hot, all of a sudden.

“Yeah, I would've. But I'm not familiar with this area and you were…” he trailed off with a huff, taking one hand off the steering wheel to massage his temple.

“I was what?” She raised her voice, startling Ryder.

“You never give full answers to anything!” her brows pinched together.

“Ollie. Stop yelling” Ryder said, softly and as calmly as humanly possible. He sighed, bracing both of his hands on the steering wheel.

“I can't tell you how to feel, but please don't do this here”

“Oh, so now you know that there's a place and time for everything?” She retorted, noticing the irony.

“Okay, whatever! Sue me!” He honked at the car in front of them. “You just don't have to do this, is all I'm saying.”

Ollie simply could not wrap her head around what he was trying to get at.

“Listen to me, Ryder.” She started, venom dripping from her words. “Either you get the hell out of my car and find your way to get your car back without ever showing your face in my neighbourhood, or you mind your damn business. You have no right to give me suggestions.” She enunciated every word, hoping he felt every ounce of disdain she had for him.

Ryder nodded, switching lanes as they finally got out of traffic.

Not long after, they arrived at Ollie's house. They thanked the gods internally and stumbled out of the car. Ollie snatched her keys from Ryder and shut the door, locking the car right after. She stalked towards her house, not daring to look behind her. Ryder called out to her, for seemingly the last time, a reminiscent, bitter-sweet expression on his face.

“What bull do I have to deal with now?” She groaned, stomping her feet as she turned around. Her eyes landed on Ryder, his arms outstretched for a hug. She could see him blinking rapidly, and she almost called him out for acting like it hurt him as much as it hurt her, but she didn't. Ollie smiled wryly and walked into his arms, letting herself be pulled into a hug with him for the last time.

She inhaled, wrapping her arms around his lower back as she took a whiff of his cologne. I guess this is the last time I'll ever do this, she thought. The last time she'd be in his embrace. The last time she'd ever be that close to him. The last time he'd ever be to her place even though he'd been over almost everyday. The last time she'd get to smell the scent she recommended on him. And hopefully, she prayed; the last time she'd ever have to see him again.