Chapter 5

Caly heard a knock on her door. Thinking it was her mom, she said, “Come in, Mama.” She heard the door open, and she looked up from the book she was reading lying on her bed and saw Ryker in the doorway. 

“I’m not your mom, but can I still come in?” he asked hesitantly.

“What do you want?” --she asked angrily-- “I don’t want YOU in MY room!”

“Look Caly---”

“I don’t want to hear ANYTHING you have to say! What you did was wrong, and definitely not ok. That was MY personal note, you had no right to read it at all!”

He began advancing towards her, “Caly, just listen…. please---”

 “No, I don’t want to! I am so angry at you and Garrett! Now, get out of my room!” She got up off her bed and walked angrily over to him. She was prepared to push him out of her room somehow if she needed to.

 “No, not until you listen to me and let me apologize,” he crossed his arms across his chest and widened his stance. Realizing he was going to be stubborn about it and that she couldn't physically move him, mimicking him she crossed her arms in front of her and widened her stance as well. 

“Fine, apologize and go!”

 “Ok, thank you. I swear, you are one of the most stubborn people I know. I thought Garrett was bad, but you are worse.”

 Annoyed and tapping her foot on the floor, “I thought you were supposed to be apologizing?”

 “I’m getting there, sheesh! Look, I’m really sorry and so is Garrett.”

 “Well then why isn’t he up here apologizing too?”

 “We were both on our way up here when your dad needed him. Jax, Derrik, and him had to check on a disturbance at the South gate.”

 “A disturbance? What kind of disturbance?” Caly asked, concerned.

 “I don’t know, probably some of the party-goers are drinking too much, too early, as they arrive. Nothing for you to worry about that could possibly ruin the party. These things happen sometimes.”

 “Ok, are you done now? If you are, you can leave and make sure to close the door on your way out!”

 “Almost, we also wanted to give you this,” --he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box,-- “we both worked on it. That’s what we were doing this morning. You’re like a little sister to me, cub. I wanted to get you something, but with the way things are going back at home with the Blackthorn Pack and my dad being an ass, it just wasn’t possible. So, Garrett came up with this idea for both of us to work on something for you.”

 “Is it getting worse? At home, I mean?”

 “Yeah, it is. He just keeps pushing me into something I don’t want to do. Between coming here spending time with ya’ll and Iliana, Ashton’s older sister, it has become my haven and escape so to speak. But, anyways, you don’t need to hear about all my problems, you’re still young.” Calypso rolled her eyes.

“I can’t stand Ashton, she is such a bad-word that begins with B, to me.” Ryker laughed.

“You shouldn’t know words like that, much less think them about someone else.”

“But it’s true! She is always so mean to me, and I don’t even know why! I’ve never done anything to her.”

“Sometimes when people are jealous of others, they can be mean to them.”

“She’s jealous of me? Why? I’m nothing special.”

“Don’t put yourself down like that Caly,” --he reprimanded her-- “everyone adores you.”

“They do?” 

“Yes, you are funny, stubborn, kind, loving, thoughtful, and beautiful, on the inside and out. Just like your momma. Who wouldn’t be jealous of you, cub?”

“Yeah, I guess you are right, I am pretty awesome!” she said. He then threw his head back and laughed. “Besides, a little bird told me that she had a thing for Eli, but he didn’t want anything to do with her, so she tried to start talking to Travis.”

“She tried talking to Travis. What the heck?”

“Calm down, he didn’t even think twice about her, especially if that note from earlier was any indication,” he winked at her.

“Ugh! Shut up Ryker!” Calypso blushed deeply, then smacked him in his upper arm.

“Ow, that hurt!” She rolled her eyes again.

“Whatever, I barely touched you,” she said. He walked over to the foot of her bed and sat down.

“So, are you gonna open your gift, already?” He asked as he held out the white box to her again. As she sat down next to him, she took the box from him and began to untie the ribbon and open it. Inside was a leather cuff bracelet with small wooden beads hanging on the strings to tie it. Calypso was engraved on the outside of the cuff and on the inside there was a very detailed rose. Underneath the rose in tiny script it said, Happy 12th Birthday from Garrett and Ryker. “Garrett came up with the idea and the design, I just did the leatherworking and script. We hope you like it,” Ryker said looking at her.

“Like it? I love it! Thanks Ryker! I didn’t know you knew how to do leatherworking,” she said as she gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, and you’re welcome, lil’ cub.”

She pulled away from him, “I’m not--” he placed his finger upon her lips to stop her.

“I know, a lil’ cub anymore. I get it, you’re growing up,” he said gently. “But, like I said,” --he rose up and started to walk towards the door,--  “you’ll always be a lil’ cub to me.” 

“Ugghhh!” Caly threw a pillow at him, too late, as it bounced off the door which closed behind him.