Jiley Oneshots

Not How Love Works [f]

Season 4- how it should have gone instead of the disaster we got

"Hey you got a sec?"
Riley spun around in her desk chair, smiling when she saw one of her students stood in the doorway. "Of course" she said, closing her laptop screen to show he had her full attention.

Alfie stepped inside the small office with an anxious smile etched upon his face. "I'm going to say something and I don't expect you to reply right away" he paused to take a deep breath as if he were psyching himself up for his next sentence. "I think you're amazing. I've never met anyone like you and I find that more and more lately I want to be around you"

Riley was stunned into a brief silence before she finally managed to speak, "I have a boyfriend... and I'm head of the studio"
"Right" Alfie acknowledged, "I just want to know if there's any possible way you feel the same about me"
"Alfie, I love James" she sighed, watching as his features creased into a frown. "I'm sorry but nothing is going to happen between us"

He puffed out his chest and wiped the frown from his face, replacing it with a forced smile, "I'll give you a chance to think about it... I love you" he said, leaving the office before his studio head could object.

In his absence, Riley's head was spinning. One of her students had practically told her he was in love with her. How had it come to this? All of a sudden her mind was clouded with doubts and questions. Thankfully she had work to throw herself into and it gave her a chance to put it out of her mind.

At one point a little later in her working day, James' sister Piper came in for a chat. They talked as sisters would for at least half an hour before they were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was him again.

"Hey Riley, have you had a chance to think about what I said to you earlier?" he asked, not seeming to care that she was already talking to Piper. Unfortunately, Piper took this as a cue to leave because she didn't want to intrude on a potentially personal conversation. What else would bring Alfie to the Studio Head's office?

"I told you earlier" Riley sighed, making herself busy by flicking her fingers through some old paperwork on her desk. He opened his mouth to say something else, but she spoke up again. He was beginning to test her patience. "Alfie I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying. I'm not going to fall out of love with James, or suddenly get over him and move on. That's not how love works. Every fibre of my body loves him and I'm sorry but that's not going to change. Not now, not ever"

"And besides it being wildly inappropriate that you're my student, it is also entirely wrong of you to expect me to respond to your affections while I am in a relationship" she finished with a heavy breath.
Alfie forced a meek smile across his face but couldn't hide the hurt in his eyes. "Alright" he said with a small gulp. "Consider us just friends and nothing more"

The brunette girl smiled gratefully, "thank you"
She sighed in relief as she watched him stalk out of the room, clearly disheartened.

Nursing a sudden headache, she opened her laptop and video called James. Given it was an unplanned call it took him several rings to pick up, but eventually he did and his wide smile filled the screen. "Sup babe" he chimed, "how are you?"
"Good, mostly" she replied, "I miss you so much"
He smiled, "I miss you too"

Conversation flowed naturally and Riley instantly began to feel better. She knew she ought to tell him about Alfie sooner rather than later though, to avoid him finding out another way and getting the wrong idea. Honesty was one of her highest values and she wasn't about to go back on it now.

"James... I have to tell you something" she started slowly, feeling unnecessarily anxious about finishing her point.
"Sure babe, you can tell me anything" he responded, supportive as ever.
She took a deep breath, "Alfie, you know Alfie the-"
"The Prince boy? Yeah I remember him" James interrupted, "what about him?"

Riley picked at a hangnail on her thumb as she spoke, "earlier today he came to my office and, well, basically confessed his love for me" she cringed as she delivered the news.
She watched as a wave of emotions flickered across her boyfriend's face and tried to recognise what he was thinking. Finally he spoke up, "he said he loved you?"

When she nodded, he frowned, "he hardly knows you though? Not that I'm saying it's not possible because you're very easy to love, I would know, but still... What did you say?"
"I reminded him I was with you and he told me to take some time to think about it" she muttered, "then he returned after rehearsals and asked again. I shut him down, obviously, saying I was head over heels for you"

This seemed to satisfy James' fears and he visibly relaxed. He let out a thoughtful breath and smiled, "I love you Riley"
Blushing, his girlfriend felt all of the feeling she'd been missing when Alfie had confessed his love for her. Her heart raced inside her chest as she responded, "I love you too, so much"

"I wish I was with you right now" he sighed, "I know just what would make you feel better"
Riley raised an eyebrow, "oh really?"
"Considering the time, your feet could likely do with a massage if you've been standing all day running rehearsals. But first I'd take you to get a pistachio ice cream from that small parlour you love, extra sprinkles of course. Then we'd go home and watch a corny movie until you fell asleep on my chest and I'd carry you to bed"

"I didn't realise I was so predictable" she finally responded, twisting her ring around her finger.
"You're not" James answered simply, "to everyone else. But me? I know you better than I know myself"

"What time is it for you?" Riley asked, changing the subject with a smile.
"Late" her boyfriend shrugged ambiguously. "But that doesn't matter, I'd rather talk to you than sleep right now"
This triggered a rosey blush to creep across her cheeks as she spoke. "Don't lose sleep over me Jay, you have a competition to be awake for tomorrow"

"You're worth it" James promised sincerely
"You wouldn't say that if you were too tired to dance your best and got knocked out because of it" she argued, "I should let you go. Call me tomorrow after you win the round, it'll probably be around midday here"
She watched as he thought this over for a second before sighing tiredly, "okay babe, speak to you tomorrow"

"I love you" Riley reminded him as she moved her finger to hover over the icon to end the call.
James smiled lovingly, "I know you do and I love you just as much"

Then he was gone and her screen was blank. She felt warm and fuzzy in wake of his smile. Something about talking to him always grounded her in a unique way, no one else ever had that effect in her.
"I miss you" she whispered into the empty office to no one in particular.

Just then, less than a minute after they'd ended their video call, her phone bleeped with a message from her boyfriend.

James: u look beautiful by the way. Like breathtakingly gorgeous. I wish I could kiss u so bad. I miss u so much babe but remember it's not long now until I come home❤️❤️

Her heart skipped a beat in her chest and she couldn't stop the widespread grin that tugged on her lips. He was so sweet. She typed out a similar message in response and sent it quickly to reassure him that he was the love of her life and she missed him equally.

That evening Riley went home with a smile so big her mother pointed it out, having noticed it had been missing for quite some time. When questioned on her unusually positive mood, she kept her explanation simple: James.

Hope you like this more than I do