Leandrea's POV

The first thing I noticed as I stared at him with my mouth open was that

He was freaking hot

He put the Greek Gods and the Calvin Klein models to shame. And here he was standing in front of me, with his black leather jacket and white shirt that clung to his well toned body.

Oh my God.

It was pretty obvious why Marlene had fallen for him so bad along with tons of other girls from my school. And to imagine that he was standing here, in front of me, calling me sweetheart! I quickly snapped out of my daze, not wanting him to think that I was checking him out and said, "Ryden? What do you want?"

"Nothing much sweetheart," he replied giving me a smile that send my stomach twirling. "I just wanted to meet you.

I looked at Nat's face from the corner of my eye and it looked like she was having a seizure. I looked back at Ryden and said, "Want a latte babe?"

My sudden boldness apparently startled everyone at the table. Surprise flashed across Ryden's sea green eyes but they were soon back to their dazed state and Natasha almost spat her latte back into the cup. I had no clue where this came from.

"I think I'd rather have yours Leandrea," Ryden said with a laugh sloppily getting into the seat next to me and taking a sip of my latte. On a normal day I would have brutally murdered him for doing that cause my lattes are mine. But this wasn't a normal day. On a normal day I wouldn't be sitting here with Ryden Andrews, the schools bad boy and flirting with him. Heck, I wouldn't even be talking to him or even associating with him.

I watched as he scrunched up his nose at the taste and laughed, but in my mind I was like

Oh my God! He's so cute!

Weather he liked the taste of the latte he never said, but he leaned back and put his arm around me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. It was quick but I got the smell of alcohol.

I was surprised I hadn't passed out yet.

Nat still looked like she was having a seizure. My face was red as a tomato but all I did was put my head on his shoulder and try to control myself from screaming. My skin was warm where his lips had touched it and I subconsciously put my hand to it and smiled. It had been exactly how they described it in the books, soft but powerful enough to leave fireworks. "By the way, who are you?" Ryden asked his words slightly slurred.

So that's it! He's drunk!

At first I thought he was talking to me but then I realized he was addressing Natasha.

"Uh I'm Natasha Waters," she said with a bright smile sounding surprisingly calm. "I'm your sweetheart's bestfriend."

I almost choked on her words. But deep deep down, they felt warm.

"Oh she didn't tell me about you Natalie," he said giving her a childish grin.

"She didn't tell me about you either," she replied giving him her best fake smile but offering me a glare instead. How nice.

"How come sweetheart?" He said pouting.

THAT WAS SO CUTE!

"Umm," I said playing with my hair. "I didn't know we were a thing."

He stared at me for a few seconds and burst out laughing loudly earning a few annoyed glances but a lot of one's from girls saying 'I want you'.

"We were never a thing sweetheart," he said flicking my nose making me turn red again as his soft skin brushed mine.

At that moment a random guy entered the shop and ran towards us, saving me from answering.

"Ryden get your drunk ass outta here," he said raising an eyebrow at us. I found the trace of a faint accent.. British maybe and gave this unknown dude a small smile that clearly said 'thanks a ton for coming, now please get him away from me.' Fortunately he understood.

"Come on mahn," he said hauling Ryden up who swayed a little. "The party's in 5 hours and you're already tipsy." But Ryden refused to move.

"Buzz of Dylan," he said burying his face in my hair which made me blush harder. "I'm with my sweetheart"

Oh. So Random Dude is called Dylan.

"Dude you have a girlfriend," Dylan said giving me a weird look and managed to get Ryden of me flexing his strong biceps near my face. Now that they stood together I could clearly make out that Ryden was a few inches taller than Dylan and more built. They actually looked out of place in the cafe but no one noticed.

"Sorry Marlene," he said to me winking his grey eyes at me. "I never knew you and Ryden were a thing though."

"I'm Le-"

"We aren't," said Ryden interrupting me and  almost collapsing on Dylan. "It's her sister I'm after."

What the actual fuck?!

"Dude you're seriously drunk," Dylan said shaking his head and flipping his brown hair that fell to one side. "Catcha later ladies!" With that they left with Ryden muttering incoherently.

Natasha and I stared at them till they got into a Black Mercedes and drove off.

"I really hope Ryden isn't driving," I said breaking the silence and we both laughed.

"Dude what the hell just happened!" Nat said banging her hand on the table.

"I honestly have no clue," I said sipping my latte which turned out to be empty. Screw you Ryden. "Couldn't you tell me it was Ryden?"

"Didn't seem like an important detail," she said sheepishly.

"Uh huh."

"But Leahh," she said tapping her feet on the floor. She always did that when she was excited. "He called you sweetheart!! And he hugged you! And he kissed you!!! And he took a sip of your latte which means you guys exchanged saliva!! Omg I can almost hear wedding bells!!"

"Cut it out Nat," I said rolling my eyes but feeling a blush creep on my face. He had called me sweetheart and he had kissed me. And it felt good..

"You liked it didn't you," Nat said wiggling her eyebrows at me. Why did she know me so well??

"Maybe," I said truthfully. "But Nat, he was drunk. He didn't know what he meant. He probably won't remember any of this tomorrow."

"Sometimes when you're drunk," Nat said. "you reveal your deepest secrets."

"Be realistic Nat," I said. "Someone like Ryden couldn't never like someone like me. And he has a girlfriend. And you're forgetting that we've barely spoken  and he's only met me a couple of times when he comes over to meet Marlene."

"Suppose deep deep down he actually likes you?" Nat said. "Don't deny it. It's a possibility. Have you got stalker notes yet?"

"No," I said laughing at her ideas. "That stuff only happens in books Nat. And didn't you hear what he said before leaving?"

"What?"

"He said 'it's her sister I'm after,'" I said playing the scene in my head again. "Which means he's after Marlene. Not me!"

"Maybe. But still! That's so cool" Nat's always more excited about my love life than I am. "Did you notice that Dylan called you Marlene?

I nodded. "I was going to correct but I didn't get a chance. People make such mistakes all the time."

"He's hot,  isn't he?" Nat said dreamily.

"Ryden? I know right!" I agreed.

"No no," said Nat. "I mean yes Ryden's totally hot but I'm talking about Dylan. Have you seen his eyes? And his hair!"

"You have a boyfriend Nat," I said with a laugh. "And I've heard rumours that he likes Chelsea."

"Why do all these hot people like somebody who's not me!" She wailed. "Dylan likes Chelsea and Ryden supposedly likes Marlene. Why can't anybody hot like me?!"

I laughed. "Kevin's pretty hot Nat. And he loves you!"

"Anyway," Nat began blushing and changing the topic. "Why did you make me meet you here anyway?"

I was about to tell her about my conversation with Marlene when a thought struck me.

Marlene liked Ryden and she was giving up on her life because she couldn't have him.

I'd to motivate her to live by keeping her happy

Ryden made her happy and Ryden liked her.

Can you see a problem in this? I don't!

If I somehow managed to get Ryden and Marlene together everything would be fine again and Marlene will get a refill of hope.

I smiled to myself. It wouldn't be that difficult would it?

Now that I sort of knew Ryden I could talk to him and maybe convince him to get together with Marlene. I grinned to myself.

"Leah?" Nat said waving her hands in front of me. "You there?"

"Yes," I said a plan already formulating in my head.

"So why did you call me hear again?" She asked.

"Oh I just wanted to hang out," I lied hoping she wouldn't see through it. "You ditched me remember?"

"Yaya," she said brushing it off and paying the waiter as he came with the bill. "What do I wear tonight?"

"Are you going for the casual look or formal look?"

"Semi-formal"

"Why don't you wear that dress you bought at the summer sale?" I suggested. "It would totally bring out your eyes."

"Leah it's August!" Natasha complained. "I'm not wearing that now."

"Then what about that plaid skirt with the black crop top?" I tired again. "I could do your hair."

"No!"

"Then those palazos you got from Veromoda?"

"You know what," she said. "Just come over and help me out."

"Cool." I said getting up from the table "I'll come around by 7."

"Byeee," Nat called out getting into her car and driving off.

This time as I walked home alone I didn't plug in my earphones to drown my thoughts. I let them come. I replayed today's events and started formulating my plan.

Marlene had to get better.

And I just found a way to do so.

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