Drowning Desires

eight

Maura

"You shouldn't let him force himself on you." Riley grumbled, his arm around my shoulder tightened.

I looked behind me one last time and spied Adrien leaning against a bookshelf, his familiar scowl settled on his face.

"He's just an old friend." I shrugged.

"You two know each other?" Riley asked, shocked.

"There's some history." I admitted, though I was never going to go in depth.

Riley still assumed I was an innocent young girl moving from one small town to another. "I always thought you two acted as if there was something between you." He said.

"Well I hate him now and he hates me, you don't have to worry." I insisted.

"Worry? I just don't want you to hang out with the wrong crowd." He smiled at me. Riley was kind. He treated me like a person, where as Adrien treated me like I was a murder, thought I suppose in his head I was.

Yet it bugged me that Riley already felt like he had the right to tell me who I could hang out with.

"You'll come with me to Jessii's party this weekend, right?" Riley asked.

I hadn't even know there was a party. Jessii most likely didn't care if I came or went. "Of course."

Adrien didn't show for the rest of the lesson, leaving me to design the poster myself. It was useful since I wasn't distracted by the pull I always felt around Adrien, and I got to write my own opinion.

• • •

Friday came, and so did the excitement of finally being able to party again. I shouldn't be so excited for the drinks and crowds considering how badly it ended last time, but I couldn't help myself.

I only wished I had a solid friend to go with. I had Riley at least.

Jessii was only turning eighteen, but there was of course still talk of all the drinks that would be there. Her parents had fled the house at the click of her fingers, apparently they never stood up to their daughter. I knew all this from Jessii dragging about it to Landon in the cafeteria.

Riley was supposed to pick me at eight. It was currently 7:50 and I still had no clue on how to dress. In the city, every party was considered formal wear, girls would come in short, expensive dresses, the guys showing up in trousers and button up shirts.

I currently had an elegant, short, tight mini dress, covered in rhinestones. But I also had a pair of denim shorts with a plain crop top.

I choose the shorts and crop top, shrugging on a leather jacket to shield me from the cold.

A horn sounded from outside as I laced up my shoes. I slipped a small bag over my shoulder, holding my phone and a flask of rum, just in case they thought drinks were considered Smirnoff Ice.

I walked outside, expecting to find Riley's Range Rover. Instead there was a motorcycle, a tall tattooed man leaning against it.

"What the fuck are you doing here." I cried out at Adrien as I stormed towards him. 

"It would seem your boyfriend was too caught up with birthday arrangements to pick you up." He shrugged, examining his hand.