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"More like parental issues... As in my real parents didn't seem to give a damn about what I wanted to do. I was adopted when I was nine, but my real parents...well..." Ryder answered. He closed his eyes and sighed as he thought of them; he hated telling this story, but he didn't think Blaze was going to let him go without telling, so he went ahead and told her. "They had my whole life planned out... My dad was basically forcing me to get into medical school and be a doctor like him. ... I told them one night that I was going to be a drummer no matter what, and my dad just lost his temper all of a sudden; the next thing I know, I'm a bloody mess and I'm sitting in the hospital with a busted up ribcage, my right leg broken in four different places... You get the idea." he said, quickly wiping away the tear he felt roll down his face.

Ryder took a deep breath and opened his eyes again; he still wasn't done with his story. "Anyway, after I was all healed up, I ran away from home. I passed out in front of my new parents' house, and told them both everything that had happened. They're both artists, so they didn't have any issues with me wanting to be a drummer. The next day, they decided to officially adopt me; they bought me my first drum set and everything." he said, looking at his treasured drum sticks with a smile. Now, his story was done.

"... I was kind of guilty when I first left home, but I'm happy I did; if I couldn't drum, I'm not sure what I'd do with myself." Ryder said, taking his drum sticks out and starting to drum out a beat on the window sill. He stopped momentarily to look at Blaze again. "... I bet you feel the same, don't you? ... About your guitar. ... I recognize a truly passionate musician just about anytime I see one." he said with curiosity in his brown eyes.

Ryder recognized the tune instantly and smiled; "Impressive... It's usually hard to play that song unless it's done on piano." he said as he put his precious drum sticks away again.

Ryder shook his head; obviously, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You shouldn't say stuff like that. It's not true. ... I mean, this is just one guy's opinion here, but I honestly think you're awesome." he told her, ignoring his hair as some of it fell over his left eye.

"You can sure as hell say that again." Ryder said with a nod. Still ignoring the hair covering his eye, he took his drum sticks back out; "I just hope you don't critique yourself as harsh when it comes to how you look. If you ask me, you're as cute as you are talented...which is obviously a compliment." he said before he started drumming on the window sill again.

"What makes you say that? Just because I called you cute, that doesn't instantly make me a womanizer." Ryder responded, clearly offended. There was a time when he used to be a womanizer, but now he doesn't trust girls enough to really talk to many of them; Blaze just so happened to be an exception.

"... What I wanna know is how that's a bad thing. I like you; so what? Is it really that big a deal?" Ryder asked with another shrug, still drumming on the window sill.