Rose laughed lightly, "No need to feel sorry for me,"

"Who said I felt sorry for you and what does that have to do with being close to you?" Ryder replied.

Rose tilted her head, was Ryder implying something else or was she overthinking this? Maybe Ryder was just being friendly after her breakup.

She wouldn't confuse kindness with something else that was not even there at all. 

She didn't want to make things weird whatsoever, so she brushed aside whatever intuition that wanted to take over in her mind, she wouldn't go there.

"What are you thinking about?" Ryder asked.

"Nothing," Rose replied fast.

"You can tell me anything you know, I'm not immature, you can rely on me," Ryder replied.

"I don't need to rely on my student for anything." Rose snapped, she was irritated at the fact that Ryder thought of her as weak and incompetent that she couldn't handle anything on her own.

She had herself to blame, she was the one who was too vulnerable in front of him and now he thought of her like that all the time. How embarrassing on how her own student thought that they could help her in regards to her business when she was this old.

Ryder had seen the change in her tone, "I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Ryder you are much younger than me, what could you possibly help me with? It's better you stay in your lane and let me handle my business on my own. I'm old enough to do that."

"I know, I just wanted to......" Ryder stopped midway and Rose wondered what he had wanted to say but if he didn't want to she would not force him.

"Just focus on your schoolwork." Rose changed the subject.

"I already am. It might seem like I play but I do my work. I believe in working hard and playing hard." Ryder replied.

"I know, I can see that, you would do so much better if you put in more effort."

"Who said I didn't?" Ryder replied.

"I never see you do."

"Doesn't mean you don't see me doing it, does not mean I don't. But seeing as you choose to not see the effort that I do or you just blatantly ignore it." Ryder replied.

Rose was not sure if his last words were talking about his schoolwork or something else, Rose brushed it off again. "That's good to hear then, keep it up."

"I plan to, until the end. I will give it my all no matter how hard it is." Ryder replied.

Rose nodded, "That's the enthusiasm you should keep and you will do well."

Ryder smiled, "I'm glad you feel that way."

"It's time for me to head back inside," said Rose as she stood and stretched a bit, she was about to enter the house when she felt Ryder's hand grab her wrist.

Rose looked at him in confusion as to what he wanted, "What is it?"

Rose felt Ryder rubbing her wrist slowly, "I meant every word that I said." said Ryder.

Early access to chapters: www.patreon.com/taniashava