Her Sister's Boyfriend

08

Riley's POV:

"So now because Emily is obviously hurt and isn't on the team this season, it means that she and James will not be able to do a duet which will be the tiebreaker at Internationals this year," Miss Kate states. We were all huddled around her, listening to an 'announcement' she had to say to us all. I've decided to distance myself from James whenever we're at dance so that we aren't suspicious since he hasn't broken up with Emily yet. It's hard though. "So that means we will need a new duo to perform a duet for our team. You can choose who you want to do it with today and spend the rest of the day rehearsing it and choreographing a routine, and auditions will be tomorrow. That's only if you want to do a duet, it is not mandatory so you won't be forced. For the rest of you, I want you to start working on some of the other featured dances whilst the others work on their duets," she explains. We all nod and murmur our own responses before walking away and finding people to work with.

"Hey Ri, I was wondering if you wanted to do a duet together?" James asks me as he places his hand on my shoulder. I turn around to face him and smile slightly. Doing a duet with James would mean I get to spend even more time with him and we'd have a perfectly reasonable excuse to be together. It won't be dubious at all. But then at the same time, Ella's still keeping an eye on us. I'm sure if we just continue to give her money, she'll keep quiet. Won't she?

"Yeah, I'd love to," I say. I see Michelle from across the room and she was looking at us curiously. I don't know why though...

"Okay, sick. So music room?" he asks. I nod and then we both begin to make our way out.

...

West's POV:

It's been a week now and I still can't believe what I saw go down in the corridors on Wednesday. I can't believe she would actually do that after dating James for a period of two years.

I passed her in the hallway and saw that she was teaching a baby ballet class, so I decided to go in and talk to her right before rehearsals for Internationals start. She was correcting one girl whose feet weren't quite fully turned out as they held onto a small ballet bar, suited for a four-year old's average height.

I walk over and then tap her shoulder lightly. I just don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret. I know for a fact that she still hasn't said anything to James, but I've seen her and Michelle hanging out a lot lately, something which is quite unusual for those two but makes total sense to me because I saw them kiss.

"Oh, hey West- -"

"Emily. We need to talk."

Riley's POV:

I hate homework. Being one of the brightest and most intelligent students in school might be good for when it comes to doing things like tests and exams, but it seriously doesn't make doing science revision on the heart and how it functions any more fun than it actually is, which isn't much.

After giving up on reading over my textbook, I decided to go downstairs and get myself a snack even though I wasn't entirely hungry. Sometimes when I'm bored, I just decide to eat pointless food that I don't even like or need, only to kill time. 

I know my parents were still working at the office and won't be back home until late and I know that Emily was downstairs doing whatever, probably texting James or was on a call to Stephanie like usual. However, when I entered the kitchen, I did not expect to see her and Michelle hungrily kissing in the middle of the kitchen with my sister's back rested against the counter.

"Whoa! Guys! What is going on?!" I exclaim. They immediately pull away and both of their cheeks flush red, just like mine had when Ella caught me and James the other day.

...

Michelle had gone home and I was sat on the couch with Emily. She told me everything about how she's had these feelings for Michelle for a while now but was just never sure about them. She told me that she isn't sure about her love for James anymore after she sensed something off in their relationship and about how he's been avoiding her recently. I know that something is me. And James distancing himself from her. I listened intently, taking all of this information in.
"I don't think I'm straight anymore, Ri," she says slowly. "I think I really do like Michelle..."

James's POV:

I was at mine hanging with West, Eldon, and Max. He's sort of replaced Hunter since he moved back to Wisconsin, but to be honest, it feels good to have a set of four bros again.

"Okay, okay, enough chat about whether or not it's better to burp or fart," West interrupts mine, Max, and Eldon's slightly peculiar conversation. "On a serious note let's talk about girls," he suggests. I just about choke on my drink when he says those words. Either he's saying it out of general curiosity or he's seen Riley and I together. I really hope it's the first option because I know that I  am definitely not ready to move forward with the current situation.

"James, why did you choke bro?" Eldon questions.

"He probs thinks West likes his girl," Max chips in. West and I exchange looks, both of us looking quite awkward. Max doesn't know about the situation from when West kissed her at Nationals and we had a whole discussion over it. I wouldn't talk to him for two weeks because of bro code and Emily kept on apologising. It's scary to think that now there's a whole different affair going on and I'm falling for her sister.

"No, it's um, quite the opposite actually," West says. At that moment, my phone vibrates on my thigh as it's in the front of my jeans pocket. Whilst West rambles on about 'what true love is', I pull out my phone and find a text from Riley.

Riles: Has Em spoken to you recently???
You: Yeah but not about anything special.
You: Why??
Riles: I think we might actually be able to be together now...

Confused by her texts, I begin to type out another response, but then West manages to gain my attention once again as he says something I would have never thought I'd hear.

"James, I'm so sorry but I've been trying to keep this secret and I just can't anymore and I think you deserve to know..."

"What is it, man?" I chuckle but begin to feel quite worried at the same time.

"I saw Emily and she... well, she kind of kissed Michelle."