Jiley Oneshots

Rumors

Season 3

James's POV:

Riley came into the studio rather groggily this morning with her hands in the pockets of her hoody - which, obviously, originally belonged to me but became hers over a relatively short time period. She had entered through the door by the cubbies and didn't even stop to say 'hi', let alone smile at me, though it was obvious we had both made eye-contact with each other. Instead, she just hauls the strap of her dance bag off her one shoulder and turns her back to me in order to slide it into the spare slot of the wooden shelf.

"Something's wrong with her," I say to Eldon who was watching her with curiosity, as was I. "I'll be back in a sec." He nods and then begins to make his way over to West who had just arrived and entered the studio with Max.

Once I reach Riley, I place my hands on each of her hips from behind and kiss the top of her head, allowing my lips to rest over the top of her ombre-coloured roots.

"Hey you," I mumble.

She turns around swiftly in my arms to face me properly and allows each corner of her lips to rise slightly upwards in a brief smile but it hardly lasts two seconds before it's erased and recoils back into a thin, straight, pursed line. I sigh and reach forward so that my forehead was pressed against hers as I wrap my arms entirely around her petite waist and place them lightly on the small of her back.

"What's up, Riles? You don't seem like yourself."

"It's nothing, J," she sighs. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Tired? From what?" I smirk, although on the inside, I felt serious and concerned. Usually if she's tired, she'll hug me tightly and rest her head on my shoulder or ask for me to sit down so she could lie down with her head on my lap for a few minutes before rehearsals actually start. So I frown, when she gives me that answer.

However, all she does is roll her eyes and without giving me a real answer. For the first five seconds, she remains stood there with her lips tight against the other before she eventually lets out the word, "Stuff."

"Babe," I say. "You know just as well as I do, that that's not a proper answer. And I'm pretty sure fatigue has nothing to do with what's wrong with you at the moment."

"Just leave it, James," she snaps, sighing frustratedly. "I'm not in the mood right now, okay?" I unwrap my arms from being wrapped around her securely when she takes a step back, telling me she needed space.

"Riles," I say, reaching my arm out and grabbing hold of her hand when she turns on her heel, about to leave my presence. I pull her back and cup one cheek with my hand, the other still holding onto hers. "I'm your boyfriend," I state. "Whatever's going on with you, I deserve to know. Do you not trust me or something?"

She doesn't say anything.

All she seems to do is let her eyes circle around mine in total silence whilst I begin to draw patterns over the back of her palm with my thumb.

"I love you, Ri. I want to help you. Is it things with your parents again?" I ask her.

"No."

"Then what? Please just talk to me," I tell her. I watch her cheeks go inwards as she swallows but when she opens her mouth in the end, she says what I had least been hoping for.

"I need to go and rehearse my solo for Internationals. I'll be in the music room."

She then lets go of my hand, brushes her hair back and then quickly hurries out of my sight, cautiously looking around her to see who was watching but not once does she turn to look back at me.