| ~ Chapter Twenty-Four ~ |
| The entire thirty-minute ride to the lake was mostly Jeff and Dave talking about sports and such, and the girls just listened. When they finally arrived, the girls grabbed the bags, and they all walked over to the beach. Ryann and Jenni laid their blankets out on the sand, and decided to work on their tans. The guys sat down next to their girlfriends, and were still talking to each other. A couple of Dave�s friends were at the lake also, and walked over to join the conversation. Jeff, Dave, Alex, and Mike all decided to play volleyball, so they went over to the net. The girls were having their own conversation, when Ryann noticed a shadow of somebody standing over her. Her first thought was that is was Jeff, so she turned over and said, �I thought you were playing volleyball with the guys?� She looked up and saw that it wasn�t Jeff, it was Chris. �I heard you were back in town.� He said. Ryann turned back over onto her stomach. �Sorry, I thought you were someone else.� �Ryann, we need to talk.� �No we don�t Chris.� �Yes, we do. I can�t stop thinking about you Ryann.� Ryann turned back over and sat up on her towel. �Look Chris, we broke up a long time ago, and I think it�s time for you to get over it.� �I am still in love with you Ryann. I still�� �Chris, stop.� Ryann interrupted. �I have a boyfriend that I love, and I don�t plan on us getting back together.� �So you�re going to throw away the three years that we were together? How can you�� Chris stopped for a second, and looked down at Ryann. �You have a boyfriend? Who is he?� �It doesn�t matter who he is, I just wish you would leave me alone.� Ryann stood up and started to walk away, and Chris grabbed her arm and yanked her back. �We aren�t through here yet.� Jeff was up on the hill playing volleyball with the guys, and he glanced down to where Ryann and Jenni were. He saw Chris grab Ryann�s arm, so he said, �Hey, I�ll be right back.� He jogged down the hill and over to Ryann. �Chris, get you hands off me!� Ryann yelled. Chris let go of Ryann�s arm as Jeff walked up to them. Jeff asked, �Is everything ok here?� and he put his hand on Ryann�s shoulder. �Who the hell are you?� Chris asked Jeff. �I am Ryann�s boyfriend, is there a problem here?� �Not with you.� Chris said matter-of-factly. �No Jeff, I just want to leave. Jenni, do you think Dave will mind?� �Not at all, let me go get him.� Jenni ran up the hill, and Jeff started to help Ryann pick up her things. Chris said, �Don�t leave on my account�� �Chris, just leave her alone like she asked.� Jeff told him. �How do you know my�oh, I recognize you now, you�re Jeff Hardy. So just how long did it take you to move in on my girl?� �That is none of your business Chris!� Ryann said. She picked her bag up off the beach and she grabbed Jeff�s hand and headed up the hill. They met up with Jenni and Dave, and walked to the car. Chris followed them the entire way. Jeff and Ryann climbed in the back seat, and Jenni got into the front. Dave was walking around to get in, and Chris said, �This isn�t over yet Ryann�� And Dave cut him off. �Yes it is Chris. Obviously, she doesn�t want you anymore, and to be quite honest, none of us really like you anyway. So leave Ryann and Jeff alone! They have enough to deal with being famous. They don�t need an asshole like you following them around!� Dave got into the driver�s seat and drove out of the parking lot and headed back to town. �I am so sorry guys.� Ryann said. �Don�t be sorry Ry,� Jenni responded. �It�s all good. We�ll just find someplace else to go.� �We can hang at my house if ya�ll want. My parents do have a pool.� Ryann told everyone. �Ya�ll?� Dave repeated in a southern accent, mocking Ryann. �You�ve been in North Carolina way too long!� Jenni and Dave started laughing. �Very funny guys. So when are the two of you getting a place of your own?� Ryann asked Dave and Jenni. �We are going to buy a house, we�ve looked at some, but haven�t found anything we both like yet.� Jenni responded. Dave pulled into Ryann�s driveway, and parked next to Jeff�s car. They all got out and Ryann led the way out back to the pool. It had gotten really hot, so the guys immediately jumped into the water. Ryann and Jenni decided to take the stairs. The four of them swam for about an hour or so, when Ryann�s brother, John and his wife Carey came out back. �What�s going on?� John asked the group. Ryann climbed out of the pool and grabbed her towel. Jeff was right behind her. �Hey John, how are you?� She asked as she gave her brother a hug. �Not bad, how are you?� �I�m good. You two should change and come swimming.� Ryann told her sibling. �We are�what�s up Jeff?� �Not much John, how are you doing?� Jeff replied. �It�s good to see you again.� �Same here. So I�ve got to ask, are the two of you dating yet?� John inquired. �Yes John, we are.� Ryann answered and she wrapped her arms around Jeff. �We went up to the lake earlier, but Chris was there. He started being an asshole, so we left and came back here. You remember Jenni and Dave, don�t you?� �Of course. Hey guys!� John yelled over to them. �So Chris is harassing you? I just may have to go have a talk with that little bastard.� �John, you don�t have to play big brother anymore, I�m a big girl now.� �It wouldn�t be the same if I didn�t get to hit him. You know I have never liked Chris, and now I have a reason to knock him out.� �He�s not even worth it. Besides, it�s not like I live around here anymore, so once I leave town, I won�t have to worry about him.� �Ya know Ryann,� Jenni said. �If he continues to bother you, you can just get a restraining order on him. That way he won�t be able to come anywhere near you.� �OK, I appreciate all of you input and help, but I�ll be ok. He�ll get over it eventually.� �And if he doesn�t, I�ll kill him!� Jeff said, and everyone started laughing. John and Carey went back into the house and changed. They all were in the pool until Jessica got home, and shortly after, their mother arrived. Jenni and Dave had left, so now it was a big family gathering. John fired up the grill and his mother had hot dogs and hamburgers and chicken ready for John to cook. John always loved to be the one to cook on the grill, ever since he was old enough and his father would let him. Jeff was helping him out, and they were talking, getting to know each other. John was also being the big brother that he always was to his little sisters, grilling Jeff with tons of questions. And although John was trying to sound mean, he really did like Jeff; he was the only boyfriend that his sister had that he actually approved of. Ryann, Jessica, and Carey were all sitting by the pool, catching up on each other�s news. The topic of conversation was mostly about Ryann. What it was like being on the road, and what Jeff, Matt and Amy were really like. Ryann almost enjoyed everyone fawning over her. Their father finally came home from work, and they all ate dinner together. It was the first time in two years that they all had gotten together, and it was a real treat for Doug and Elisabeth. After they ate, the girls loaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the food, and the guys were talking out back. They did the family thing for the rest of the night, until it was time for bed. |
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