Trying For You

Chapter Seventeen

RILEE POV

"I'm sorry."

I shrugged, munching on my cookie. "Not my business, though it would've been nice to have a heads up from my best friend."

"I know. It just happened."

"How? How does sleeping with someone just happen?" I asked genuinely interested.

"It's not the same thing, Riles. Neither of us were committed." Sadie reached across the counter and grabbed my free hand.

I pulled back and stood upright. "I know. I just...I don't know." I sighed in frustration.

"Hey, don't. You are fucking amazing. She lost out on someone great, not you. When you're happy and inlove with someone who knows your worth, she'll be reliving old memories." Sadie's eyes blazed with honestly.

I nodded and looked over into the living room when Quinn jumped up.

"You cheated!" She yelled at my brother.

"Did not. You're a sore loser." Kaiden retorted.

"I'm still learning." She huffed and sat down again.

Both of them have been playing video games all morning since him and Sadie showed up. Quinn had never played before and Kaiden was more than happy to teach her. We just learned that they both had competitive sides.

The other day when she told me about her family, she immediately left after that. I let her be for a while. Then when she came back, it was like her confession never even happened. Never wanting to push her, I've been waiting until she came to me.

"So, you're not into him?" I asked with a nod in Kaiden's direction.

She watched Kaiden for a moment. "I've always had a thing for him."

"But?"

"But he's Kaiden, I've never seen him take any girl seriously." She muttered. "I have too much on my plate when it comes to my family, I can't add to that."

"Sade, you've never seen him take anyone seriously because he's never been serious about them. Trust me when I say you're different." I told her, remembering the look in my brother's eyes.

"Oh, come on!" Quinn whined again.

"Ha, loser!" Kaiden cheered.

Ignoring those two, I looked at my best friend to see her fidgeting with her hands. Since her father died, it had been on her shoulders. Dealing with a grieving mom and two younger siblings, she had it hard. Sadie wouldn't accept help from us, matter how much my family tried. She'd been determined to take care of them and she did. Her siblings were now in high school, her mom was doing better and with her job at the cafe on bar nights, she helped pay their bills. Of course her mom worked too.

"Can we drop it?" She groaned.

"Okay." I relented.

"I don't wanna play anymore." Quinn spoke and I heard the controller drop.

"Dude, you're worse than Rilee when she loses." Kaiden snickered.

I rolled my eyes and walked over, plopping down beside Quinn. "That was then baby Kai. I'm much better now." I took the dropped controller.

"This ought to be entertaining." Sadie mumbled, taking a seat on the other couch.

"Are you any good?" Quinn asked quietly.

"Very." I smirked.

***

We all went out to have lunch together after I beat Kaiden a few times. He was still sulking as he ate. Quinn sat quietly, eating her burger and occasionally stealing my fries. The urge to slap her hand away was shoved deep down, asking to be released.