The night is dark and I can't sleep, mainly because of Riff. He is in my mind, I can see him through my inner eye. Somehow, he us entertaining enough for my brain to stay awake.
When I finally drift into a light sleep, someone knocks at my window. My eyelids fly open. That's surely Maria, we often climb to one anothers balcony, but it's after midnight! What could she possibly want?
Groaning frustrated, I stand up and walk towards the window. Opening it, I say: "What the hell do you want Maria, it's midni-" I fall silent
It isn't Maria.
It's Riff.
I stare at the young man before me in shock. He kneels on my balcony, his hands grab the bottom of the window frame and his head quickly snaps forward so his upper body half is halfway through my window. I take a step back.
"Riff, estúpido, what the hell are you doing here? And you better have a good answer or I'll shove you right from the balcony, I swear it!"
"Easy there, love," he grins, seemingly trying to get through my window into the room. "You don't wanna wake your hermano up, want ya?"
"Hermano," I correct him automatically.
"I ... said that," he answers irritated.
"I know but you're saying it wrong. You- forget it and get the fuck out of my room!"
I grab a book from my shelf and hold it up threatening. He looks more amused but scared, though he doesn't continue to try to come in.
"I'm here to give you your purse back," he says, holding it up. "You were so angry at me you forgot it"
"Gracias," I mutter and take it back. "Anything else?"
He seems to struggle, then, his words seem to fall out of his mouth unstoppable. "I'm not a leader"
"What?" I ask, completely clueless what he's talking about. Of course he's a leader, he leads the jets and all.
"I've no idea what I'm doing," he confesses. "Tony is much better at this than me. Well, he's better at everything, always has been. But I can't let him go and I can't do this without him. I'm not a teamplayer and I don't know what I'm doing, I just ... stumble through my life to hell and I'm taking the jets with me"
"Okay, Okay, stop it, I get it," I interrupt him, holding my hands up. "Listen, Riff... I understand what you're saying but why are you telling me all this?"
"Isn't that obvious?" He rubbs his eyes with his left hand. "I'm trying to cinvince you that you're not a toy to me. That you actually mean something to me, okay?"
"Wait, what?" I ask confused.
He sighs. "I told you I always stumble through life and that's true. But since you're here... Well, since yesterday, to clarify it, since I believe to know you-"
"You mean, since you know I'm Bernardos sister?" I say coldly.
"No!" he exclaims. "Since I know you're ... gpd, why is this so difficult? ... you're sassy and full of fire and adventure and you're proud and strong and a goddamn beauty and... and somehow, I don't even care that you're puerto rican!"
"Is that supposed to honor me?" I ask. "Do you know how damn happy I am to be who and what I am, gringo estúpido?"
"It's just..." He strokes through his hair. "I came here to prove you that you mean something to me. Think about it"
As he disppears from my window, I mutter: "damn it". I bet he knew I would do what I'm going to do now.
"Riff!" I whisper harshly. "Come back! Get your white ass into my room, I wanna talk!"
In a matter of seconds, he is on the window again. As he climbes in, I take a step back, suddenly a bit insecure. Having him in my room, in such a private setting, is strange.
In my mind, Riff belongs to dusty streets and dirty small passages. Not here.
He takes a look around, his typical smile appearing on his face again, as he takes a few steps through the room. Once again, I realise he is almost one head taller than me.
I'm taller than Maria but not as tall as Anita, even though I am not a small person. But Riff is a whole lot heigher than me.
"So..." I say awkwardly. "You say I am more to you than just Bernardos sister and to prove it, you told me some deep stuff about you and about me. And I have to say I appreciate your compliments. But... still..."
"You're not convinced," he sighs.
"Well, convince me," I say, shrugging.
He turns to me with a smirk. "As you wish. Let me convince you"
Quickly, I step back when he takes a step towards me. He's still a gangster. A criminal. He's still dangerous. He's still unscrupulous. And I know it.
He shakes his head slighly and takes another step forward, then another, while I step back until my back hits the wall. When I can't run anywhere, I gulp and tilt my head to face him. He places two fingers at my neck, caressing my sensitive skin which makes goosebumps appear- and he notices, giving me a charming smile.
"You are terrible, Riff," I whisper, somehow not daring to speak louder. As if this moment of tension could burst like a bubble, shimmering in all colours of the rainbow.
"Say that again," he murmurs, bringing his face even nearer to mine.
Our noses are zouching, slightly poking and exploring the other, and when I breathe in shakingly, our smells, Riffs scent of the street, cigarettes, dust and something similar to mint, and mine, the smell of cheap lipstick, silk and oranges, merge to a synphony of New York.
But before our lips meet, Riff pulls back and breaks the tension. "Hm, it's late, and surely past your bedtime, princess"
"Excuse me?" I hiss, taken back. "What kind of move was that?"
"I better leave you hungry for more, or you'll just move on," Riff grins. "Tactic, love, tactic"
"And I thought you knew me well," I say, crossing my arms and walking towards the jet boy.
"Oh, don't fool yourself," Riff smiles, his voice drained by bitterness. "I have no place in your world" His gaze wanders to my face. "We'll just have to be Romeo and Juliet then"
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