A New Way of Living

Chapter Eight

Author's Note: I do not own West Side Story or any elements of it.

It was late, and even though the sounds of sirens and people walking drunkenly through the streets at midnight were loud enough to cause annoyance, it was only the sound of her front door banging that caused Vivienne to wake.

She sat up in her bed, quickly rolling out and yanking on her dressing gown as she swung open her bedroom door to see what was going on. The sounds of banging still came, frantic and without care for waking her neighbours.

Quickly walking to the door, she swung it open and felt a familiar annoyance inside her grow when she saw Riff standing on the other side. He seemed different - his face serious and his hand wringing with nerves.

"I've told you before not to be so lou-"

Vivienne was cut off when she felt Riff's hands come to her face, pulling her in close and shutting her up as he pressed his lips against hers. Guiding her back, he stepped inside and kicked the door shut behind him. She pulled away, feeling her mouth gape open in shock.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. Suddenly self-conscious, she pulled her grown around her tighter.

"I want you," Riff muttered back, his voice low.

Without a moment to say anything else, she found herself being pressed up against the wall, his lips on hers again. One hand looped around to tangle into her hair and the other around her waist, he pulled them both in together - their bodies so close she thought they might meld into one.

"Wait-" she breathed, pulling away once more. "This isn't a good idea."

"Then tell me to leave," he replied, catching her eyes in his. He watched her, as serious as she had ever seen him.

When she couldn't tell him to leave or ignore the pull in her chest that was calling her to him any longer, she leaned up and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pressed himself against her once more and she suddenly became aware of the yearning that was screaming from every part of her body, wanting him. He yanked at her dressing gown, pulling it open and bringing his hand up to the skirt of her nightgown, pulling it up and running his fingers up from her thighs and towards the most desperate part of her.

"Riff, I-"

A violent and sudden shake back into reality from the sound of her alarm caused Vivienne's eyes to crash open. When she realised that she was in her bed, alone, she let out a deep breath. A sudden wave of embarrassment shook over her, even though the dream had only been hers to witness. When she saw the morning sun and turned to look her her clock, she realised she would have no time to sit and ruminate over the images she had just conjured for herself - or do much else about it, for that matter.

LATER THAT DAY

It was that time of year when the rain never seemed to let up and the streets were always slick with rain. It made the cars seem louder, everyone's shoes felt permanently damp, and the streets were a little emptier whilst the inhabitants sought shelter.

On her way back from the college, Vivienne ran into the store to grab a couple of things. Behind the counter, Mr Rodinski gave her a huge cut of beef for free, on account that it would be too late to sell it the next day. What she would do with the whole thing, she didn't know. But he was kind to her and often gave her leftovers and excess food that he couldn't shift, so she accepted it gratefully.

Now, in the evening, when her mind wasn't occupied with classes and learning, she had only one thing to think about; her dream. Now she couldn't stop thinking back to the images in her head - Riff's intense stare, his lips on hers - each one making her cheeks turn red and her insides burn.