Scandalous Love

10. | Riley

Morning tea had to be the most boring part of the day. 

All it consisted of was teaching us how to properly hold a teacup with our pinkies pointing outwards and to sip, not gulp. We had to learn what the different sizes and pieces of cutlery were for and how to properly use them, knowing which hand was to hold what. 

It was going back to basics for me. It was the same thing every year - not much has changed except for the fact that I had taken Emily's position this year. 

She should be glad she doesn't have to do this anymore. She's over eighteen, she can sit back and relax. But of course she doesn't see it that way. She and I have never really seen from eye to eye, just like our parents. 

I was a carbon copy of Mum and Em was a carbon copy of Dad, it's just the way things have always been, even if I'm the one who looks more like our father and Emily has more of Mum's looks instead. 

Sneaking in a quick bite of another fairy cupcake, I stuff it between my lips while the rest of the girls make their way for the room next door where the boys were already waiting for us to start preparing for our ballroom dance. 

Just as I was doing so, however, I'm met with the light slap on the wrist by a single hand and I turn to face my sister. 

"Ri, what are you doing? Why are you stuffing your face?" she asks, making me roll my eyes as she snatched the other half of the cupcake out of my hand, placing it down on the circular dining table behind me. 

She takes a tissue from off the table and swipes the crumbs away from the corner of my mouth with it, causing me to grumble, trying to push her away. 

"Em, I don't need babying. Just let me eat the cake," I snap at her before turning back around and grabbing it, eating it right in front of her to rub it in her face. 

She folds her arms, raising an eyebrow and glaring at me snidely but I take no notice. "Are you done?" she inquires once I'd taken the last bite and I nod with a teasing smile. "You need to stop with the stupidity, Ri. You're taking my spot this year and that means being more professional. Not being so childish," she snaps, causing me to roll my eyes once again. 

I didn't have time for this. I didn't need to listen to this petty speech all over again. 

"You need to stop being so... 'Riley'," she states, and the moment I hear those words, my weight immediately shifts from one foot to the other. 

Stop being so Riley. 

Those are the words Dad used to hit me up with whenever I annoyed him and it would lead to me storming off. Mum used to be the only one who could comfort me back then. The role was shared between Mum and Nana. 

"Maybe you need to stop being so 'Emily'," I mumble before turning to leave and scurrying off.

She was trying to control me so I became like her and followed her path but I'm nothing like her and I don't intend to be either. 

Entering the ballroom, everyone was already stood in their pairs. I heave a sigh and pat my dress down, smoothing it out before walking along past everyone to reach Axel. 

I hated it. The feel of everyone's eyes on me since they'd been waiting for my presence. It was horrible seeking so much attention which I didn't even want. 

I look at James from out of the corner of my eye to see he was peering over at me just as much, no matter how discreet he was trying to be about it. He stood beside Maya who had her body slightly in front of his while her hand brushed his own. 

I was about to react but to stop me from doing so, Axel's own arm wraps around my waist, pulling me into him to make me cringe. 

I hated all of this. The activities, the dress, the touching. But I had to hang in there. This was only for a week and it was my last one. I have to try and enjoy it while I can.