Ryder Maxwell did not believe in love. Sure, you could like someone, but love? Not real. Fabricated for PR or something. All in all, love was something that only existed in the movies his older sister, Lucy, used to make him watch back when he still lived in New York City with her.

Well, that was until you.

Ryder didn’t want to love you. He didn’t want to get hurt again. He also didn’t want to hurt you. Pierce you with his jagged edges and leave you because he can’t bear to make anyone go through him.

But you just kept persisting, and persisting. As much as Ryder tried to push you off, to shut down and keep himself from hurting you or getting hurt, you never wavered. Stayed by his side. And ultimately, that wore him down.

It started with the little things. Sunlight streaming through bedroom windows after a night spent together. Holding his hand as you walked down the streets of the town you both lived in. Playing with his hair as you watched movies that reminded him a lot of his older sister. (500) Days of Summer. You’ve Got Mail. The Notebook. Lucy would’ve loved you.

All of those things left Ryder confused. And painfully, utterly in love. You’d broke down his walls and were now stealing all he had.

Currently, the two of you were in the only record store in town, poring over the old vinyls. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths finds its way into his hands, and he starts humming There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.

He turns to you, a soft, smug smile on his face. “I said, I love The Smiths,” he says, quoting Zooey Deschanel. (500) Days Of Summer had been your favourite of the flicks you’d binged. As much as Ryder related to Summer and despised love, he knew, shit, he’d fallen. In love. With you.

For you, on the other hand, the outstanding performance of Zooey and Joseph GL was the last thing on your mind. You just couldn’t help thinking of how much Ryder dodged questions about commitment and the future and shit. He loved you, right? And you loved him. You needed clarity. What are we?