Playing With Fire. {Luke Hemmings}

Chapter 2 - Desk Duty.

Riley's P.O.V
If there's one things I hate more than anything, it's sitting behind a desk while Dad and Calum are working on the cars. We're understaffed today, so I've been dumped in front of a computer screen and a telephone. What more could a girl ask for?
Dad and Calum must be done with a car, because I hear them laughing and talking. They never talk when they're doing work. They concentrate as much as they can. What can I say? I'm surrounded by perfectionists as well as being one. The both of them stroll into the back, where the office and I reside, covered in oil and dirt, making me envious. Even the scent of Diesel is driving me insane. God, I need to get away from this desk!
Calum hops onto the desk and takes a bite from an apple he found in the fruit bowl.
"Having fun?" Calum smirks.
"Screw you." I sigh and kick him off of the desk.
"Dad, can't one of you work on the desk now? I'm so bored." I complain.
"Sorry, Riles. We've got another customer coming in in like two minutes, we need you to handle the appointments." Dad says sympathetically and returns to the garage.
"Cal..." I whine.
"Yes, Dear?"
"Trade with me?" I bat my eyelashes and try to look as sweet as I can.
"Well, since you asked so nicely..." Calum smiles and gets my hopes up.
"No." He throws my hopes away.
"Please! I can't stay here for much longer, I'll die!"
"And what makes you think I can cope any better?" Cal laughs.
"Well... I don't know! Just, please, Cal. I'm wasting away." I say over dramatically.
"And that's exactly what I want to avoid. So, if you'll excuse me Princess, I have a beautiful, stunning Jet Black SUV on it's way over here, just waiting for me to change it's tires and replace it's steering wheel." Calum brags and begins to follows my Dad.
"Ugh, you bitch!" I yell at Calum as he leaves.
"You love me!" He shouts in reply and makes me smile.
"I hate you!" I laugh.
He returns from around the corner, winks at me and disappears again.
"God, what an ass." I whisper to myself, but still smiling widely.
As it's only nine in the morning, I've got twelve more hours of work. I just hope I'll get to escape from the desk at some point in that amount of time. Twelve hours behind this desk? Unimaginable pain. I'd rather get run over. At least then I'd be near a fucking car.
All of a sudden, the phone rings for the first time today.
"Harrison's Motors, good morning and how can I help you?" I answer in a perky voice and almost make myself puke.
"Christ, you're the last person I thought would be answering the phone." My friend Michael replies.
"Michael? Why didn't you just call my phone?" I ask.
"Because 'H' comes before 'R' on my contacts."
"Are you serious? You lazy shit!" I laugh.
"Hey, hey, less of that. So how's life treating you?" He asks.
"Well, if I'm sat behind the desk at work, not too great. How about you? How's New York?" Michael went away about a month ago to travel America with his family.
"New York was good, but we're in Texas right now. I saw my first Tumbleweed yesterday and I swear to God, I nearly cried."
"Sounds eventful," I laugh. "Mikey, when are you coming home? We really miss you..." I say sadly.
"Soon. Only five more states left and I'm back for good." I can't see him, but I know he's smiling, which cheers me up a little.
"Good. We'll throw you a tiny party when you get back." I tell him.
"So, just you, me, Calum and Paula?" Michael jokes. Paula's the regular receptionist here. She's also 53. So, sure, why not? I'm sure she lives for beer pong.
"Shut up, Michael." I laugh.
"How is Calum?" Mike asks.
"He's good. He's getting more worried about the smoking. And if he's scared about that, I'll hold back from telling him anything else that's going to worry him." I sigh.
"So you haven't said anything about the drugs?"
"Michael! My Dad or Calum could be on the same line and listening!" I hiss.
"You need to tell him, Riley." Michael groans.
I only recently started using. It's only weed, though. But if Calum found out, he'd lose his shit. He's really protective over me, even though he's well aware that I can handle myself. I have a safe life with a safe job and safe friendships. Drugs and smoking are the only things that make me feel alive. Imagine being trapped inside this box. It's a plain, dull cardboard box. Nothing ever happens in the box. There are other people in the box, but you feel so alone and confined in this box. That's what it's like here, in Payton.
"I know I do. But I know he won't get it. He's happy here. Plus, if I tell him, we're both in deep shit. You sold me the first lot." I add.
"Yeah, because you were upset and I thought it would make you feel better. It was a one time thing, Riley. You have to stop with the drugs. That, or I'll tell Calum myself." He threatens me.
"Okay, fine. I'll try to stop with the drugs. I already promised Cal I'd try to cut down on the smoking." I sigh.
"That's important, sure, but I think you need to prioritise this a little more." Michaels says.
"God, I hate it when you're right." I laugh.
The phone beeps, signalling that there's another call coming through.
"Sorry Mike, I've got another call. Text me later?" I say.
"Sure. I love you, Riles."
"I love you too."