Trying For You

Chapter Eleven

RILEE POV

The shoot came to an end and Sadie and I were about to leave when someone stopped us. Turning around, I came face to face with the same brunette that asked me out before. Her name was still unknown to me.

"Any chance you changed your mind?" She shot me a charming smile I'm sure worked on a lot of girls.

"No, I haven't." I confidently held her gaze.

She looked crestfallen but quickly masked it with a smirk. "I see. Here's my number, I still have hope." She put a piece of paper in my palm and left after one last smile.

I stared at the white object with a glare. Something about the situation similar to how I gave my number to my ex. We'd bumped into each other for the third time that week, and in an effort to befriend her, I slipped her my number and simply walked away. So confident I was that she'd call. And she did. Now I wished I never bothered.

"Tall, hot, model. Yeah, you're right. That's not our type." Sadie's sarcastic voice came next.

I ignored her and continued to my car, her steps telling me she was following.

"Best way to get over someone is to get under another." She sang out.

"I'm a Matthews, we don't get under anyone." I smirked with my eyes on the road.

Sadie laughed out, slapping her knee. I chuckled at her reaction, knowing the girl had a knack for overreacting. "You're telling me no ex ever topped you. Bullshit."

I had a brief flashback of Quinn saying bullspit and an involuntary smile broke through.

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying even then I'm still in control." I shrugged cockily at my best friend. Sadie didn't say anything and I spared a glance at her. She sat there staring me down. "What?" I frowned when her gaze stayed on me.

"What's with that smile you just had?" She asked skeptically, eyes squinted.

"What smile?"

"That...happy dreamy smile. What was it?" She asked with a scrunched up face.

"Dude, why are you looking at me like that?" I tried to push her face away with one hand.

"Dude, you're the one looking like you're high?!"

"Fuck you." I huffed out with a laugh.

"Hmm no, but I'm sure the hot model wouldn't mind helping you out. It's been awhile for you." She poke my cheek. "You need a rebound."

I bit my lip and kept quiet, giving her the side eye. Sadie caught on as usual and jumped up in her seat.

"No fucking way. Who?"

"Calm down, will you?"

"WHO DID YOU FUCK, RILEE?"

I pulled to the side and grabbed a folder from the back. Sadie tried to block my hits but I got her pretty good.

"Almost burst my damn eardrums. Idiot." I grumbled but made no move to get back on the road.

"So, who did you fuck?" She asked again, calmly this time.

I sighed leaning back and closed my eyes. Thinking back to the day after my breakup and the mess I found myself in. "After our fight and breakup, I packed my shit up and left. The next night I went to a bar, just to drink and...met this couple. They were looking to have a good time and my heart was broken." I shrugged. "Woke up the next morning between a man and woman I didn't know and I've never felt more disgusted with myself. While I did enjoy the sex, I just..." I trailed off not really knowing what to say.

"It's not you." Sadie nodded to herself, she always understood. "You've always been a girl to wants an emotional connection with your partner. Absolutely nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah." I whispered and wiped the lone tear that fell. "I saw them again for some time before I came back."

"That's why you stayed there instead of coming home when it happened?"

"Yeah, I sorta lost myself for a while."

Sadie didn't say anything and I drove us back to the studio.

***

The bell rang above my head as I pushed the door in. I scanned the flower filled space looking for a certain raven haired girl. Seeing the bell on the counter, I walked to it and pushed down.

"Huh, that is fun." I murmured, doing it again.

"I know!" Quinn jumped out of nowhere, eliciting a scream from me.

"Why would you do that?" I moved to smack her but the laughing girl ducked out of the way.

"You scream like a girl." She giggled out a cute sound.

"I am a girl, you goof." I rolled my eyes.

I watched as she moved her hair away, only for it to fall right back into place. Her mouth swished to the side as she tried again. A hand came up to her face, rubbing against her cheek harshly and leaving a red mark on her.

"Whoa, stop that." I grabbed her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear, keeping it away from her face. "Somebody gets frustrated easily."

"No, I don't. My hair won't stay." She tried to take her hand away but I held onto it.

"Maybe braid it or tie it up."

Quinn finally looked at me. "But then my face will just be...like...out there."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked, finally letting her hand go when I saw her clam down.

The younger girl shrugged lazily. "People stare and I don't like it."

I allowed myself to really take her in. From those bright eyes to her cute smile that had a beauty spot on her upper lip, dimples that were so damn deep and her sharp jawline. The way her silky hair fell perfectly down her back or the carefree way she walked. It wasn't a confident walk but one that told you your opinion didn't matter. Her clothes did a decent job in hiding her figure. Jeans that were only a little baggy and long sleeved t-shirts she always wore. Perfect way to leave you wondering. Everything about her screamed captivating.

Quinn really doesn't know how beautiful she is.

"I can assure you, sweetheart, they only look because they like what they see. And no matter how long their stares last, they know it'll never be enough. They just keep on wanting more."

Quinn's face turned a pretty shade of pink and she looked down. "Oh." She scratched at her neck, a tell of her being nervous. "I don't think that's true." She turned on her heels and walked to the back of the shop.

I chuckled as I followed her.

"So," I hopped up on a table as she sat across the room. "Why flowers? You seem really infatuated with them."

Quinn smiled softly and it was obvious to me that she mentally travelled to something in her past.

"My mom loved them and we always spent time in our backyard taking care of the garden."

"That's sweet." I murmured quietly.

Quinn stayed in her little bubble and I stayed watching her. Her eyes stared blankly on a spot on the wall, eyes twinkling, no doubt reliving a memory she once enjoyed. My own smile dropped as the previously soft reminiscing smile turned into a sad and troubled one. I sat helplessly as I saw her soft features contort into anguish.

"Quinn, hey look at me." I went to her where she sat, knelt down and brought her face to me.

The girl blinked a few times and her eyes cleared.

"Hi." She smiled as though she wasn't just closed to tears.

"Hi." I breathed out staring up at her, confused on how to react.

"I'm ready to go home now." She bit her lip.

"Yeah, let's go."

-E