Dying to Breathe

8.2: all life is, is fun & games

A/N: Goood morning (it's actually 3pm here but I was up doing an assignment for my class all last night) this is low key one of my favourite chapter parts. (surprise surprise, Riley is in it. i loves himb. This man is my brain when I am manic--like kinda/possibly now) 

Chapter 8, Part 2: All Life is, is Fun & Games

"Really?" Penelope stood at the door to her Sociology classroom, watching the infuriating turns of events.

Riley sat atop the teacher's desk, laughing without a care in the world as he pulled a hand through his dark hair. He was all smiles, rattling off quips as a few girls tossed things at him flirtingly. He shamelessly bent down, capturing a lock of hair from the closest girl; hitting her with a crooked grin as he spoke.

Ignoring him with an eyeroll, Penelope grabbed a seat at the back—focusing on texting Gabriel back.

"Mr. King, it's been a while." The unimpressed teacher entered a few seconds after Penelope.

"Didn't want you to forget about me, Mrs. G." He winked, causing a chorus of giggles. Crouching on the desk, he let his eyes wonder around the room. His carefree expression faltered as his blue eyes found Penelope's green ones. "Lulu." He hummed; intrigue coating the low melodic sound.

Penelope instantly regretted sitting next to an empty spot as he closed an eye, lifted an arm straight in front of him, pointed two fingers with rings on them at her, and cocked his hand back like a gun.

Bang.

With a grin, the maniac stood up on the tabletop as the teacher blew out a breath and simply shook her head. He carefully stepped from desk to desk, barely avoiding kicking anyone in the face as they knowingly ducked out of his way with a squeal or laugh.

Hopping down in front of her desk, his light swimmingly blue eyes glowed wildly as he rested his elbows on the only thing separating them, cradling his face in his hands, "Must be my lucky day." He batted his eyelashes innocently.

His eyes were anything but innocent.

"Funny." Penelope glanced at his distractingly handsome face with those to-die-for high prominent cheekbones before looking away, "I was just thinking the opposite." One look at him was enough to make her bounce with agitation. She had never met anyone so utterly ridiculous and irritating.

Closing his eyes blissfully, he rolled himself lazily into the desk beside her, "I'm so charmed by you." He spoke with somehow both truth and sarcasm dripping off his voice so strong that Penelope glared at him as he opened his eyes again.

"It's not mutual." She muttered, attempting to ignore him for the rest of the class.

Ten minutes in, and it was already an impossible task as his creepy-yet-beautiful amphibian-like eyes refused to leave her; his smile long gone and replaced by curiosity and something unreadable.

Sighing, unable to handle the burning from his stifling attention, she looked over at him, "Can I help you with something?"

He laid his head down, his cheek resting on the desk, his agate blue eyes still trained on her as his messy hair flopped over into his face, "I'm just wondering how long it's going to take you."

Penelope looked at him expectantly.

Impatiently.

And finally, exasperatedly. "Care to elaborate?"