Jiley Oneshots

Apologies (pt.3)

Sensitive topic.

James's POV:

I sit on my bed and look at the science question in front of me, not understanding a word it was asking for. My mind was filled with all sorts at the moment and I couldn't stop thinking about Riley kissing Luke. I don't know if she planned it. I don't know if it counts as cheating. I don't know if she had a reason. The only thing I know is that she did it and she knew I was watching.

My phone starts ringing by my side, the words 'Baby Girl😘🌏❤' appearing on my screen for the third time this evening. I roll my eyes and flip my phone over, not wanting to look at the picture of Riley and I, despite it being stuck in my mind. Her beauty stuck in my mind. Her cute facial features stuck in my head, but her lips stood out specifically. Those lips haven't only kissed me. They've kissed Luke's now, as well.

There's a knock on my door, and I groan, calling out to tell them to "go away" but the door opens anyway and then Piper creeps in, her head peering at me. I look up at her before sighing and trying to focus on my work again. It wasn't working. I couldn't stop thinking about Riley.

"Hey," Piper says slowly before walking over towards me. "Something wrong? I thought Riley was supposed to be staying over today?" She sits down on the edge of my bed and I glance at her for a moment but don't say anything. She takes my silence in with a nod, though she has no idea what's going on with me and Riley. "Has something happened between the two of you?" 

"Why don't you ask her?" I question in a mumble. I watch Piper's eyes scan my room. After Riley helped me clean it last week, it's been looking much better than what it did. She got rid of the alcohol for me and crushed the pills before getting rid of them somehow. 

My sister looks back at me after a few seconds.

"Are you two arguing again? I thought you solved things." 

"Nothing is going on, okay," I tell her harshly before taking the final straw and slamming my math book shut. 

"James," Piper says gently, moving her hand towards me. "If she's done something, just tell me," she finishes with a particular look in her eye that urges me to tell her, but how can I just blurt everything to her without even knowing what Riley's initial thought was? So I sigh and shake my head.

"I need to go and talk to her," I say quietly.

"But what's she done?" I get up off the bed and turn around to face my thirteen-year-old sister before sighing.

"It doesn't matter," I tell her, grabbing my sneakers from under my bed to put on my feet. "I'll be back later. Tell mom I've gone to one of the guys' houses," I call after me as I close my bedroom door.

I arrive a short ten minutes later, parked up outside the studio before making my way up towards the music studios to find the band. It's been forty-five minutes since I saw the kiss happen and so it didn't quite surprise me when I didn't find Riley and Luke canoodling with each other by the walls. 

I walked quickly past several rooms, through Hidalgos, past the music room and then the rose room where I see John and Theo on the stage with John singing a song and Theo playing guitar in the background. They stop when they see me and certain perplexed looks take over their faces.

"Uh, hi, James," John says awkwardly. My eyes remain direct and stern.

"Where's Luke?" I ask harshly.

"He went with Riley," Theo tells me. John looks down, trying to avoid all eye contact with me.

"Where did they go?"