Three Steps Back

25

Riley

It's been a hard week, I'm overcoming some of the walls that seemed to form in one swift movement. James and I, we're okay. By that I mean, we are getting back into the swing of things. I spoke to him about the whole contact side of things and the boy has done nothing but respect that, make me feel safe, secure. I don't know what I did to deserve him honestly

"Hey" A voice said coming into my studio, I looked up to see Piper walking in, I smiled in her direction as she came and sat with me
"Can we talk?" She asked and I nodded
"Of course Piper, you can always talk to me" I smiled placing my hand on top of hers, she smiled at me before taking a big deep breath in 

"I wanted to thank you" She said making me look at her confused
"I may not have over heard James talking to Dad about Nigel" Piper said chewing on her lip
"Piper" I said and she looked at me, the look in her eyes just confirms I would do it all again in a heartbeat
"I'm just your boyfriends annoying little sister, one you haven't know for long but you still took it into your own hands and saved me" She said letting a tear fall, I quickly caught it before smiling at her

"Piper, I don't care how long I've known you for. I'd do it all over again if I had to, yes your James' little sister but you're also Piper. Someone I've grown very close to this year, I've watched you conquer this place just like I did in my first year" I started making her chuckle
"You've got the world at the tip of your fingers, no pathetic boy is going to change that all for you" I said and she smiled hugging me

"I just hope it doesn't change you either Riley, you don't deserve everything you're thinking" She said making me furrow my brows at her again
"I know that you are probably feeling hurt, beat down, feeling like everyone would be better off without you. I just hope you know I know that isn't the case" she said keeping a hold of my hands
"you're the best thing to happen to James, to me, to the gang" She said making me smile 
"Riley, without you.. We would all be in different places that is for sure" She smiled back before hugging me again

I don't know why, but I think Piper is all I needed to know that I'm okay, that everything was going to fall back into place once more
That Piper was the missing piece to the puzzle

--

I walked into the common room to see the entire gang there. Piper had rushed off to Showcase practice so I headed back to meet with everyone
Before I got there I looked at them and they were all smiling, messing around together
It's crazy to think that there was a time I was a stranger to them, there was a time they didn't know I existed and now? Now I couldn't imagine life without them

"You okay babe?" James said coming over to me while the gang continued their conversation, I smiled up at James nodding before cupping his cheek and crashing our lips together, something that hasn't happened in a while
"What was the for" He chuckled and I shrugged before gently pressing our lips together again. This was different then the last. It was more meaningful, slower, passionate 
It's like a part of me that was shut off finally kicked itself into high gear

"I love you" I said making James smiled at me again as he cupped my cheek
"I love you" He said before pressing his lips against mine again making me smile even more

"Oiii Jiley! Stop swallowing each other and get over here!" Hunter teased making James and I chuckle
"I've never been so glad to hear Hunter say that" I laughed
"It's like everything is falling back into place" I said and James nodded
"It is Ri, it is" He said before kissing me again