I Can't Love You [1]

     Aira walked into the lunch room and sat down beside Ryland.He was laughing about something Porter had said.He looked over at her just realizing she was there, his smile still pasted on his face.It slowly faded as he laughed once more.

   "Hey." He said.

   She smiled a little. "Hey."

   "Rough class?" he asked frowning.

    She sighed. "Yeah."

  He gave her a smile and leaned and bumped her arm.She smiled and shook her head.He turned back to Porter and Braden.They were discussing cars or something like that when Sienna and Daphne joined them.They all had lunch together thankfully.Daphne was all smiles and Sienna was doing better than most of them were.Aira was stuck in her own thoughts.She had been keeping a secret for half the summer and up until now, and she intended to keep that secret.Sienna and Daphne left lunch early to get their books and Braden and Porter joined them.Aira hadn't noticed they were gone until Ryland spoke to her.

  "You okay there Aira?" his gaze was enough to send chills through her.

  She cleared her throat. "Um, yeah.Just thinking about that stupid lesson Mrs.Catshun gave today."

  He tilted his head a little. "You sure that's all?Why haven't you eaten?It's lunch, you're supposed to eat."

   She looked down. "Mom made me eat this huge breakfast before we left home.It was one of her 'I'm sorry I was out late last night' dinners."

    He smiled.He knew her mom was dating again.Aira hadn't been too happy about it.Her dad had died two yeas ago, and the pain was still fresh. "Oh."

    Of course, he believed her, but she was lying.Yeah, her mom was dating and she was mad about it.But her mom didn't go out on a date yesterday, and she hadn't eaten breakfast this morning.She noticed him looking at her, and she looked over.He looked into her eyes, the bell rang.They both stood up looking away and their hadns touched.Aira and Ryland pulled their hadns away quickly.She suddenly had butterflies and her throat was dry, like it was when she got nervous.She studdered a goodbye and walked away to her locker.He smiled to himself as he grabbed his keys and headed to his hummer.Porter, Daphne, and Sienna were the first ones out.Braden followed shortly and they all waited for Aira.She finally came out carrying her books.She was walking with her head down, and when she looked up, Ryland happened to look over at her and they locked gazes for a second, then looked away.Ryland, moving from his leaning position against the hummer, got into the driver's seat, and Aira in the passenger's seat.

  "So, who had a perfect first day?" Porter asked.

   Everyone groaned and laughed. "Not me!" everyone said in sync.

    "Bye." Porter said as he stepped out of the hummer.

     "See ya!" Sienna repeated as she got out after he did.

     Everyone was out, except Ryland and Aira.There was an awkward silence while Ryland kept his focus ont he road.He finally broke the silence.

     "What aren't you telling me?" he asked suddenly.

     She looked over and her breath caught. "I'm not.. keeping anything from you Ry."

    He glanced her way. "You seem like you're having a hard time with something."

    "No."

   He pulled up to her house and got out with her. "Your mom isn't home?"

    She rolled her eyes. "When is she home?" Her voice was cold.

    He put an arm around her shoulder and walked her inside.They went into the kitchen and got a snack then walked up to her room.Ryland opened his soda and layed his back against the wall, his legs out in front of him, and leaned his head back.Aira layed across his legs and sighed.He looked down at her through his lashes and grinned.She smiled. "What?"

  "Nothing." But he was really liking the way this felt.

  She smirked and raised an eyebrow then looked up at the ceiling.He took a lock of her hair and toyed with it between his fingers.He dropped it on her face and she blew it away and looked up at him.She pointd her finger in a joking threat kind of way.He started to say something but stopped when he noticed her untouched food.

  "Aira.Seriously, what is wrong with you?You didn't eat lunch, and now you won't eat this, and when I come over, you usually don't eat.Tell me." his tone was firm.

  She sighed and sat up. "I told you.It's my mom.I'm just having problems with... her dating."

  He stood up. "That's bull Aira and you know it!Do you have some eating disorder or something?"

  "I don't have an eating disorder!I just sometimes don't eat when I'm upset!" she almost yelled.

   He grabbed her by the arms. "I can tell you're lying.I just can't understand why you're lying to me."

    She looked down. "Come on, Ryland.Please don't do this."

    He released her arms and leaned against the wall sighing heavily. "Aira, tell me or I'll walk out that door and I won't look back."

     She looked up at him and gasped."Okay, Ryland I'll tell you." She said biting her lip. "Just promise me you won't make a big deal out of this."

     He nodded. "I promise."

    She told him the story of how when her mother started dating she stopped eating for amounts of time.She told him how she overcame the habit, but recently started it again.He took it all in and they both sat silently for a while.She saw something in his eyes that was beyond caring, but she may have been reading it wrong.

    "Aira, you have an eating disorder." He said quietly.

   She jumped up. "You can't tell anyone!You can't let anyone know and you especially can't tell a counselour.Ryland I can stop this!"

    He clenched his jaw. "Fine.But if you keep it up Aira, I'm getting you help.I'm not going to lose you too." When he said that, his eyes fogged with tears and he looked away.

    Aira frowned and touched his arm. "Ryland?What do you mean lose me too?"

    He stepped back and cleared his throat. "Um, I gotta go.Bye Aira." He quickly walked out of the room.

   "Ryland!" she yelled after him, but he was already going down the stairs.She stared after him puzzled by what he had said. She plopped down onto her bed still pondering the subject, and heard her mom walk in the door downstairs.

   Okay, I hope you like the first chapter of "I Can't Love You"♥Thanks to ALL of you who posted comments and rated my intro!And thank you to everyone who rates and comments this chapter too!I hope you are all liking it so far!Please tell me what you think!Personal note: I'm hoping this story will do a lot better than the rest of my stories, so please rate AND comment so I'll know who all did!

  Thanks everyone for all of your support!Next chapter will be suspenseful and will possibly be another cliff hanger!So keep reading!♥Seriously thanks for all of your comments!!

   ~Amber♥