Just Pretending

twentytwo

Riley

Tell me why the girl and I are sat at Cherry beach late at night, I mean I know why we are but I am fucking freezing
"Who is ready for nationals!" Thalia asked throwing me a blanket from her car, we had been here for sometime and had lit a bonfire but I was still cold
"How is the duet going Riley?" Giselle asked and I smiled
"Really well actually, It didn't even take James and I long to put it together" I smiled
It was true, as soon as we put our minds to it, we meshed and created something beautiful

"I love how well your styles combine" Michelle smiled
"Yeah, it's so much better then how you were with Alfie" Amanda added. I know for a fact nobody really liked Alfie
And yet it took getting my heart broken to figure out the type of guy he really was
"Yeah, you and James are so much better together" Giselle added making me chuckle
"You think so?" I asked trying to hide my ever growing smile
"Hell yes, I haven't seen you this happy in ages" Michelle said with her serious smile. The one that I knew meant not to argue with
"He's a great guy" I confirmed 
"I think it's more then just he's a great guy Riles" Thalia laughed making us all join in 

"I don't know what you want me to say" I said after the laughter fizzled off
"tell us everything" Cierra said 
"Why don't we get Thalia to talk about Eldon?" I offered, at least they were truly together..
"We've heard it all before" Giselle said
"And I've been there don't fancy reliving it" Michelle said making us all laugh
"Amanda dated James" I reminded everyone
"Yeah when we were like 10" Amanda said back causing another fit of laughter

"Just spill Riley, we want to know everythingggg" Thalia said shaking me as she sat next to me
"I don't know where to start?" I said
"What's your favourite thing to do together?" Michelle asked
"We enjoy packing up a picnic and hanging out at the park looking at the stars" I smiled. Honestly it is my favourite thing to do now but I wouldn't dare think about doing it with anyone else then James
"What about your favourite thing about James?" Thalia asked
"I like that whenever he's with his family, he turns into this completely different person, he'll laugh and he'll joke. A childish smile will never leave his face when he's with them" I said thinking back to the weekend away

"See isn't this cute" Michelle said making us all chuckle
"Is that all then?" I asked hoping to be the end of topic
"What is your favourite memory with him" Giselle asked
"Our bonfire after the wedding" I smiled 
"What happened?" Giselle continued to ask, I smiled thinking back to the memory..

"It was Sunday evening, everyone was just calm and happy to be spending time together. I had just finished helping Piper with her turns for what felt like the thousandth time that weekend. We were all sat around this fire pit with some music playing just talking about everything. His parents and uncle made it very clear that I was apart of the family no matter what my relationship status with James was" I said smiling
"Then as everyone started packing up the car, James and I stayed out back and started slow dancing together just the like the night before at the wedding. I think we could have been doing that for hours if we didn't need to head back for school" I finished before looking up from my hands to see all 5 girls sat there smiling at me in awe

"I want to know moreeee" Thalia sung making me roll my eyes
"At what point did you realise you love him?" Amanda asked making my jaw drop looking at her 
"What?" I breathed out
"You two haven't discussed the  fact that you two are head over heels in love?" Giselle teased
"I don't think that's the case" I muttered to myself
"I think you'll find it is, the thing you two share isn't just a silly little school yard crush" Michelle said, I looked at her confused

"Put it this way, when you first wake up. Who is the first person you text or speak to?" Amanda asked
"James" I mumbled
"And when you go to sleep what is the last thing you do?" Thalia asked
"FaceTime?" I offered
"FaceTime who?" Thalia asked
"James" I confirmed
"and when ever you get any news or are upset over something. Who is the first person you turn to?" Cierra asked
"James" I said and they all smiled

"I think whether you are ready to admit it or not Riles" Michelle started
"You love James" She finished 
I started to bite the inside of my cheek looking around at the girls
Maybe they were right? Maybe something about being with James made me fall in love with him, but how do I figure that out when this is all pretend to him..?