The Allure of Her - Riff West Side Story -

e i g h t

A/N: yeah this chapter low-key all over the place but in a good way I hope? Enjoy!

Cordelia smiled nervously, her chest rapidly rised and fell as she threw herself on her bed, Florence quickly rushed to the side of her bed, biting the inside of her mouth to not yell at her.

"Hey, funny story," Florence started, breathing deeply as she stared dully at Cordelia, "see, I was just at work, and you know, it seemed like my friend asked out a gang leader. But that's crazy, right?"

The corners of Cordelia's mouth impulsively raised and she broke out into a giddy grin,
"Did it sound casual or desperate?" She questioned, raising her head and shuffling to the side of her bed, allowing her friend to sit down next to her.

Florence gathered Cordelia's hands in hers and stared her dead in the eye, causing Cordelia to gulp nervously and begin to lightly kick her feet, stopping moments later as Florence began to speak.

"You're not thinking this through, Cordelia.." She huffed, rolling her eyes in frustration, Cordelia rushing a hand through her hair.

"You don't understand, we talked, he walked me home and.." Cordelia mumbled, furrowing her eyebrows and pausing her own speech. Cordelia sighed in disbelief and looked at her friend, scrunching her nose in confusion.

"He walked me home, that was it and I what, developed a little crush?" She vented, blankly staring at the wall.

"He puts your brother in danger, he puts people in terror. Is that the guy you want to walk you home?" Florence consoled.

Florence gently slapped her own knees and broke into a smile, acknowledging her friends senses coming to her she stood up off the bed, headed to her own room, and gingerly shut the door behind her.

Cordelia hastily ambled towards her window and tugged it open, her back slumping to the brick wall and sitting on the cold fire escape steel, sighing contently as the cool air encircled her. Her own mind was in scrambles, she was desperately trying to force the jigsaw pieces together but they just cracked, forever doomed to be a mismatch.

The same figure kept stirring in her head, the lean build, captivating eyes, and cheesy smile. She scoffed, slowly allowing herself to admit that he probably hadn't once thought about her again.

To him she was just a mere passerby on the street, insignificant figure just occasionally floating around, like a distant fly. Her neck craned towards the black abyss of the night sky, stars brightly twinkling, emitting beams of hope into the wasteland named New York.

Distant chatter echoed underneath Cordelia, vague mentions of 'rumbles' most likely more gang violence, unless the burger man finally took up his threats on the pizza shop. Cordelia chuckled to herself as her stomach growled, cuddling closer to the jacket.

Dragging herself back to bed, she fastened her window shut and swaddled herself in thick covers, ignoring her uncomfortable work clothes, focusing on her fatigue.

The next morning Florence navigated towards Cordelia's room, presenting her with a nervous smile as she sprung open the door.

"Heyyy..." She jabbered, holding onto the last letters with an unsteady voice.

Cordelia shot Florence a questioning look, instantly catching her uncertainty, and followed Florence as she entered the kitchen.

"If the kitchen's not endangered then what is wrong.." She cautioned, carefully stepping and grabbing her head from an abrupt throbbing pain.

"No questions until you're changed and we're walking presentably in the street of New York."

Cordelia silenced herself from protesting and sharply exhaled, entering her room and crashing the door shut. Florence threw herself on the sofa resting her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to illustrate the conversation in her mind before she reported the news.

As they began to stroll down the pavement Florence timidly played with her hands, slowly beginning to gesture to the houses.

"Recognise where we're going?" She questioned with a light pat on the back.

Cordelia immediately halted to a stop, softly grabbing her friends wrist and looked at her through concerned eyes.

"Your mum wanted to talk to you!" Florence beamed, attempting to solace her friend. Cordelia remained silent, generating an unspoken obligation for Florence to further explain herself.

"Please, she's concerned for John."

Cordelia huffed and continued walking, Florence slightly grinning as she recognised the apartment Cordelia sauntered towards.

"You know when a number calls and someone answers with, 'It's Helen'," Cordelia ranted, Florence breaking into a slow, jog to catch up with her strides, "you say 'you smell like cat shit and this is the wrong household'."

Florence, ignoring her friends remark followed her up the entered apartment block's stairs, Cordelia only steadying her trudge as she approached a door.

She folded her hand into a fist and raised it to knock, pausing mid-air and hovering 2 inches away from the door.

The knot in her stomach began to grow, flooding her body in a state of trepidation. She shot a look towards Florence and received a nod, Florence raised her hand and knocked gently on the door.

It swung open, Helen gleefully smiled as she spotted Florence, followed by a slight frown as she bored her eyes into her daughter.

*

Riff sailed through the streets, directly heading towards the zoo with an uncertain, charmed smile etched on his face. He leaned against the gates, anticipating the arrival of Cordelia, recalling the short moments shared.

He recognised the red substance on his hand and wiped it on his jeans, a smirk sliding up his face.

Riff raised his fist in the air and collided it with the recently encountered man's face.
"What the fuck did I do?" The man bawled, looking up at Riff with glossy eyes in reaction to the beaten nose, trying to squint his eyes to analyse his face.

Riff stepped into the slither of sunlight, the sun highlighting his defined features, allowing the man to recall his experience with him in Cordelia's workplace.

"What because I yelled at the little doll? I was payed to by her boss, alright!" He whined, pleading to Riff. Riff scoffed, kicking the man twice to the face for the nickname and then to the side.

"Ya gotta have more manners, see since I'm punctual, I gotta go, I have a date to attend." Riff breathlessly chuckled, nodding towards the other jets who didn't dare question the man's words. The jets encircled the man as Riff strolled out into the open streets.

Riff slumped into a sitting position as he sighed, glancing at the dismissing sun. 1 hour. Nobody showed, people simply passed by cautiously to not trip into him, avoiding Riff like a plague.

He uneasily stood up and dusted himself off, attempting to carelessly swivel around and walk off, hiding his face which was burning with embarrassment. As he stride forward he heard clicking echoing behind him, causing him to pause.

A hand softly tapped his shoulder, and as he turned around he was met with Cordelia's tear-stained face and despondent smile.

"Didn't leave you hanging too long, did I?"