The Bet

Chapter 97

James's POV

The soft sound of the music began to play. Ashley gripped my arm and gave me a smile, which I returned. I looked back at Jessica, who was holding onto our father's arm.

I watched as the bridesmaids and groomsmen ahead of us began to walk down the aisle, and then finally it was me and Ashley.

The first person I saw was Riley. Beautiful, beautiful Riley. She smiled at me, her smile lighting up the whole scene.

Me and Ashely made our way to the front, and finally separating as she stood with the rest of the bridesmaids and myself with the groomsmen.

Riley's POV

I smiled as I watched Jessica walk down the aisle with her father, and finally approached her waiting fiancé. He was crying, from the minute that Jessica began walking down the aisle.

I began to vision my own wedding. It was sad to think that my mother wouldn't there, but at least I would have my father and sister. And as long as I was marrying a man who loved me, that's all that matters.

Like James loves me. And I love him back. Although it was silly to think of marrying James, since we are only in high school, it was still something that could happen.

I was caught out of my daydream when I finally hear the words, "I do" echo through the air. The minister pronounces them husband and wife and then the groom kisses the bride. There was a chorus of "ooo's" and "awww's" and clapping. The happy couple smiled at each other, held hands, and walked back down the aisle, happy as can be.

~~~~~

James's POV

"James, stand closer to Ashley!" My mother barks at me. I formed a fake smile and held Ashley closer to me as the photographer snapped another picture.

"Okay, can I just get a couple of the bride and groom?" The photographer asks. The wedding party sighs gratefully and moves away.

"You look great, by the way." Ashley compliments me.

"Oh, thanks. Um, so do you." I reply.

"So, I seen that girlfriend of yours at the ceremony. Didn't think she was invited." She comments.

"Yeah, Jessica invited her." I reply sharply.

"I'm surprised. Your mother certainly doesn't approve of her." She tells me like I don't already know.

"Actually, my mother agreed to it, so it's progress. And either way, I want to be with Riley, and I'm not letting my mother stand it the way of that." I respond. She tightens her lips into a thin, line, and then stomps off.

~~~~~

Riley's POV

After the wedding ceremony, I went home for awhile to wait, and now I'm back at James's house for the reception.

The backyard was transformed into a reception area in a matter of two or three hours. There were large, sanded wooden tiles put down for the dance floor in the middle, and circular table covered in white linen table cloths surrounding it. Jessica's wedding colours, black, gold and blue were ranging everywhere, from the flowers, to the napkins. An enormous canopy hung over the reception in case of rain.

The wedding party, including James, wasn't back yet so I was a little lonely, but there was an average amount of people back already.

As I was trying to find a place to sit, I soon noticed that everyone was assigned to a table, a rectangular piece of card stock with the name of the guest printed in gold by each chair. I scanned every table for my name, but I couldn't find it.

I sighed in frustration. I looked at every table, and still couldn't find my name. I crossed my arms and looked around again, when I noticed a small table poked away in the very back, excluded from most of the other tables, half of it not even under the canopy.

I fast walked across the room to it and picked up the name tag that was placed in front of the only chair at the table. Riley Marin was scribbled on it sloppily in sharpie.

I took a seat on the chair and looked around. All the tables were filled by now, and the wedding party will be here any minute.

Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, the they all came in. Everyone clapped as they took their seats at the long table across the room.

James's POV

I notice Riley sitting at a table by herself as everyone ate their suppers. When we had our supper finished, everyone got up from the tables and socialized while the servers cleared away the plates.

"Hey." I say to Riley. She looks up from her phone, springs up from the table and into my arms.

"Hey, I haven't seen you all day!" She exclaims. I pull away to take a look at her.

"Gosh, you look...Just Amazing! Wow!" I exclaim, taking her in.

"Thanks. You look quite handsome yourself." She comments.

"Well, I try." I reply, kissing her cheek.

"I'd offer you to sit down with me, but..." she trails off, gesturing to the single chair at the table.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I didn't know my mom was going to exclude you from everyone." I tell her. She shrugs.

"It's no big deal. You're here, that's all that matters to me." She replies, slinging her arms around my neck. I grip onto her waist and just look at her smiling face.

She was so beautiful when she smiled. A real, genuine, meaningful smile, something that you don't see very often. And something that it seems that only I can make her do.

~~~~~

Everyone gathered around the dance floor and watched my sister and her now husband Michael dance their first dance. Riley was standing in front of me, watching the couple like everyone else. I slipped my hands around her waist, leaned forward and kissed her exposed shoulder.

"I love you, you know?" I whisper, resting my chin on her shoulder. She cranes her neck and smiles at me.

"I know." She whispers back.

~~~~~

As it grew later into the night, a slow song came on. I tapped Riley on the shoulder.

"May I have this dance?" I ask her like a proper gentlemen.

"Oh course." She replies. I gently take her hand in mine and brought her to the dance floor and we begin to slow dance. One hand resting comfortably around her waist and the other linked with her hand as she rests her head on my shoulder.

Although I'm defiantly not a singer, something Riley had teased me about before when we were driving and I tried to sing along to an Ed Sheeran song to make her laugh, I sing softly to her, whispering the soft romantic music so only she can hear.

She cuddles in closer, gripping on tighter like I was the only one who can shield her from anything bad that may lurk upon her. And although it may be silly to admit, but as I look down at her fragile frame resting in my arms, maybe it was true. Like when she's with me, she can be taken out of her reality. A motherless girl, living on a small budget and having to work for herself just wanting someone to love her with such true passion.

She felt safe with me. Safe, comfortable, loved, included. She wasn't afraid to hide in the shadows. But she was also clueless.

But as I looked down at her, I bit the inside of my cheek harshly as I look down at her. This bet will end soon. In a matter of two weeks, Riley will be single and heartbroken, while I'll be numb while girls fling themselves at me.

This is going to destroy Riley. It will break down slowly, and then all at once. She won't feel pain at first, until realization hits her, and that's when she feels at bullet being ripped through her heart, and a rush of anger goes through her. She might break down in tears and run away. She might stare at me with a face as emotionless as stone and scream.

The outcome to me is unclear. But what I do know is that this will be hardest thing that I'll ever have to do.