Eyes On The Prize

8 | Riley

"You did what?" I asked snatching my phone out from Thalia's hands. Last night I had fallen asleep on the sofa while we watched TV, biggest mistake
"Chill out Riley, what is so bad about texting him" she asked perching herself onto the counter in the kitchen
"Oh Thalia I don't know how about the fact I have a boyfriend?" I asked

"Riley, serious talk right now. You and that Spencer kid are not going to work" She said making me furrow my brows at her 
"what?" I asked

I won't lie, Thalia isn't the first person to ever say that about us but she is the last person I thought would say it
Spencer and I may have our moments here and there where we don't see eye to eye but in the long run that doesn't matter. I know where the pair of us stand

He's always been sweet, caring, gentle when it came to me. I've never had to worry about him wondering off with some other girl
It's always just been the two of us 

"I'm just saying, maybe James wouldn't be a bad idea for you" She shrugged leaving the kitchen while I stood there thinking it all through

--

It was Sunday, that meant that Spencer was busy all day with meetings with his father. He won't be free till late this evening but even then he tends to go and spend that time with the boys
I walked into the coffee shop on the square in town. I tend to always end up here on Sunday's but I don't mind it
It's rather wholesome and quaint in here

Things have always been this set in stone way and I guess over time I got used to it, I became negligent to what it is that I wanted
I guess this is what I thought I had wanted

I mean what more could I want? 
My family were all still around and happy, I had Spencer, I was in College, I had Thalia..

I don't know, what if she's right and something is missing?

"So she keeps my number for 2 weeks, only to text me at 1am one lonely Sunday morning" A voice said making me jump, I looked up from my text book to see James walking over with his coffee in his hand
"I uh" I started watching as he pulled up a chair
"I hate to break it to you, but I didn't text you" I said making James instantly furrow his brows

"But" He started making me laugh
"Thalia" I answered making him form an O before nodding looking down awkwardly

"Where is your little friend anyways?" He asked but I shrugged
"She's back at the dorms. I tend to use Sunday to sort of decompress after a week of school" I explained 
"Oh I can relate, we started back at the community college this week and some of those classes are kicking my ass" He cursed
"What classes are you taking?" I asked with my curiosity peaked slightly 

"I took Music and Dance. I didn't want to waste too much money in that shit hole" he said 

"You dance?" I asked, not to be stereotypical, but that was not the vibe I got from James at all. Music sure, he looks like he could play an instrument but dance.. I don't know
"I do indeed, have you ever tried it?" He asked making me chuckle
"Of course I have, it was one of the requirements for the things my parents drag Emily and I to" I said making James shake his head

"No Riley, have you ever danced because you wanted to. Not for some ball or whatever your posh people want to call it" He asked making me laugh again at his alliteration 

"I used to, I mean my parents got me into it sure but after a little while of dancing I found a love for it but I just can't do that anymore. It's frowned upon" I explained
"Dancing is frowned upon?" James questioned
"Yep unless it's some sort of ballroom dance, it is not prohibited. So when my parents saw me dipping into different styles they pulled me out faster then I could tie my shoelace" I explained 

Before I could even take another sip of my coffee anticipating James' reply, he had grabbed a hold of my back throwing my text books into it making me look at him confused
"What are you-" I started before James shook his head pulling me up from my chair only confusing me more 

We were walking through the streets of this town, we were in parts of town I don't think I even know existed if I'm honest. The deeper we got the more the atmosphere changed, over by the square it was covered in brightly coloured flowers, like the Sun would never falter but in these streets it's different, the road markings are barely visible let alone any flowers dotted around

"What is this place?" I asked as James pulled me into a small dance studio, he chuckled putting my bag down
"this Riley is The Next Step" He smiled proudly
"It hasn't run in like 5 years but when it was, it was something I bet you would have loved" he chuckled as we sat on a bench 

Honestly, I remember my Dance Studio days, they were something different all together.. 
I remember finding Ballet and falling in love with it, then moving onto hip hop and attempting Jazz but it was obvious where my talents lay 

"come on" James said making me look at him confused as he held my hands again pulling me into the middle of the room

"What?" I asked making him chuckle
"We've got this" He winked before some music started playing from his phone 

I was so confused as to how on earth that went so well, how we didn't trip and fall. How we somehow managed to improv an almost perfect duet?
"That was" I started
"Amazing!" James cheered picking me up spinning me around making the pair of us laugh 

I'm beginning to think that maybe.. maybe Thalia was on to something..