Trapped In Your Bleeding Heart (Riff x Reader)

Chapter Twenty - Work, Work, Work

Boy, did it pass slowly. A day's work never felt so long and tedious. To occupy myself, I would hum tunes, and sway from side to side. The song from the club came into my mind, and I no longer disliked it. Perhaps I was just temporarily overwhelmed when I had decided to despise it. Now it brought back a fond memory. Riff kissed me. And I kissed him back.

Or, at least, I would have if I wasn't being dragged in the opposite direction.

To the left of me, Maria cleared her throat unsubtly. She had been dusting a mannequin, trying not to make eye contact with me, or talk to me at all, for that matter. Until now. "You wouldn't be so angry if you understood." She murmured.

I shook my head, focusing extra hard on my sweeping. "You were angry far before I was. And you said hurtful things." I stated.

"Because you kissed Riff!"

"He kissed me!" I urged, my eyes narrowing at the ground.

"But you wanted it!"

"Yes!" I hissed, whipping towards her. "I wanted it!"

She pulled herself back and away from me, as if my words had caused her the urge to flinch. "What about you and Tony, hm?" I added. "I never asked what happened the night you asked me to leave. I never assumed anything. How could you hold me to such a higher standard when Riff and I hardly shared a kiss?"

Maria paused. "Well you seem to be assuming things now." She muttered.

"You're right. I'm so judgemental."

She shook her head, and finally truly met my eyes. "I just don't want to lose you to them." She choked.

Her expression immediately softened, and her gaze was attacked with tears. "Oh, Mare." I opened my arms.

Ignoring the broom that remained in my hand, Maria dove into my embrace and squeezed me firmly, nearly knocking me over. Over her shoulder, I saw two older women whispering.

Whoops.

"Let's get back to cleaning." I said after a moment, patting her back firmly.

. . .

"We should drop by Granny's before we go home." I said, leading Maria towards the Northside of town. "I want to check on my application."

Maria had been humming a hopeful tune, but halted to reply. "Bueno... hey, have you been to the farside of the North Side?"

"Nope. I've hardly passed no man's land."

"Well, I overheard something a white boy said yesterday. Something about how they were poor."

"Well, we're poor."

"Yes, but we're happy. It sounded as if–" She paused, almost conflicted whether to humanize the Jets or not. "It sounded as if they weren't happy. As if it was lonely on the Northside."

"Surely it's not as bad as the Undercity."

"Yes, but Rose, it doesn't have to be that bad to still be bad."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "So? What are you getting at?"

Her gaze darted to the ground. "For so long, Bernardo spoke so ill of the Jets. But now– after Tony, and you, and what you say about Riff, it's just that- I'm starting to wonder if Bernardo is the one who's lying."

To Maria, the Jets had always been a form of hatred and fear. It seemed now, however, she was realizing that both gangs were filled with people. Living, loving, breathing people. Just people. "Bernardo has only been exposed to one side of the Jets. There is no bad guy, Mare."

We approached Granny's diner. Maria looked troubled. "But then, does that mean that there is no good guy, either?" She asked.

My face fell. "I think it's more complicated than it seems."

Now there was a new girl standing at the counter. Staring at the walls and scenery now, all I could imagine was that strange man– and Riff's fist clashing into his face. Riff. I missed Riff. He was impulsive and sneaky, but charming nonetheless. And I really, really liked him.

Yeah. I like him. That's all.

Authors note: sis is in denial big time. Like babe pls