Scandalous Love

33. | Riley

I walk out of the bathroom en suite after changing into my dress and styling my hair to find James flopped on the bed, reading my favourite book. As soon as I walk out, about to scold him for it, he sets it down and looks up at me, his jaw dropping.

I roll my eyes, looking down and crossing my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling semi self-conscious. "You look fucking gorgeous," he breathes out, causing a red heat to instantly warm up my cheeks.

"Manners, James. You're not allowed to curse here," I warn him teasingly but when I do, he was already up on his feet, heading my way.

"I'll curse as much as I fucking want," he responds with a smirk before pushing me up against the wall and catching my lips in his. I jump at his sudden aggressive manner but I couldn't say I didn't like it. It was rather sexy.

I kiss him back with just as much passion as his hands trail over my hips and thighs while mine ruffle up his curled hair.

We spend the next five minutes kissing against the wall, our force on each other getting stronger each second until we slowly began to slow down, our tongues diving in and out of each other's mouths.

"James, I don't want to but I really need to go," I mumble in between kisses.

He pulls away from me and looks me in the eyes but keeps his chest pressed firmly against mine to the point where everywhere I looked, all I could see was his face and body.

He looks into my eyes and softens, suddenly becoming a lot more delicate before he leans down and plants a cub more subtle kiss on my lips.

When we pull away, I cup his cheek and reach up on my tiptoes to rest my forehead against his. "You haven't damaged my make-up, have you?" I chuckle to which he smirks and shakes his head.

"Maybe a little but it's not extreme."

"Mm, my lipstick did get all over your lips though," I laugh lightly before using my thumb to wipe it off the corners of each one of his lips, then I peck them one more time. "I need to go," I tell him.

"I know. You'll do great, princess."

"I love you."

"I love you too," he whispers before pulling away from me so he no longer had any contact with my body in order for me to rush downstairs where everyone would most likely be waiting for me.

I hear a sound coming from around the corner - a sudden movement, but I don't see anyone, so I continue walking.

When I get downstairs I find that everyone was stood around mingling and talking to each other while they waited for me.

Walking down the stairs had to be the most embarrassing thing ever. It didn't matter how many times I did it, I still wasn't comfortable with all the eyes that stared me down with judgement.

I noticed Axel stood amongst everyone so I just had to focus on making my way over to him and I would be good. It took a couple of seconds of me walking slowly down the steps with a correct posture and at a timely pace before I walked over to him and allowed him to take his hand in mine.

"Hey, sweetheart. We've been waiting for you," he says, causing me to hum in response. Again, I just had to keep reminding myself that all of this was fake and only temporary. We were doing it to please everyone who was watching us.

He leans towards me and makes it seem like he was kissing me on the temple but was actually whispering into my ear. "Make it believable."

I rotate my head to look at him before biting my lip. I wasn't sure how else to make it believable other than spicing it up with a little bit of PDA but that was something I was not going to go through with any day.

"How long have you been waiting?" I ask after clearing my throat.

I look around and everyone else was gathering into their partners now that Axel and I were stood together.

He loops his arm together with mine so that they were linked and we make our way outside the hall where we due to stand and wait before being called in for our final dance. "Only a couple minutes. Don't worry about it," he whispers back to me, making me let out a light breath.

As we walked out, we passed by Maya who was stood on her own. I'd forgotten that James not being able to Cotillion meant she couldn't do it either and it causes her to glare at me, as if it was somehow my fault.

I suppose it was. We wouldn't be here in the first place if I didn't keep inviting him around or forced him to do Cotillion with me. I expected it to only last a couple of days but instead it's managed to drag out into a three month period and I guess I'm the one to blame. I kept causing drama between everyone.

"You and James didn't go all the way up there, did you?" Axel asks me, making my head crane around to glare at him, startled by his words.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't pretend you weren't making out in your room, Riley. Why else would you be so late?"

I roll my eyes at him and scoff. "No. We didn't go all the way, thanks for your concern."

He chuckles and shakes his head at me. "You didn't cover up that hickey of yours very well either. If someone asks, you're in trouble because there's no way you and I making out would be believable."

I roll my eyes again and stamp on his foot, making him laugh once again as I let out a small chuckle too.

When I first met Axel, I thought he would be exactly like the others. I didn't think he would be the way he's being with me now but I'm glad I can gain a friend out of this.

All the parents were inside the hall too and took their seating positions while the rest of us lined up in our pairs. I could hear Michaela making the announcement for our dance from inside but the more I thought about it, the more stressed and nervous I became.

James was the one who tended to calm down those nerves but with him not being here, it meant I had to do this on my own.

I had rehearsed so many different dances in the past couple days I was scared I was going to mess up but I just had to follow Axel's lead. He was the one I had to depend on right now.

"Please welcome this year's participants and give a round of applause for our featuring dancers, Riley Aniston and Axel Davis."

I nod my head to myself like usual and take a deep breath in before exchanging a look with Axel. He nods at me and then the double doors open, causing all eyes to fall on us.

The two of us begin to walk through the hall together with as much grace and poise as we could muster before reaching the centre of the floor.

I wish it was James I was dancing with but I don't see that dream ever becoming a reality.

After taking all the pictures that needed to be taken of me, I stood back up again and looked around the hall.

Everyone was making their way towards me to ask me some sort of question or to applaud and congratulate me but I didn't care to listen to them right now. I just wanted to get out of there and go back to James.

When I get out to the hallway I find Axel talking to a couple people and I make my way over to him before placing my hand on his shoulder, getting him to turn around and face me. "Do you mind covering for me? I'm gonna head back to James," I say to him, making him smile and nod.

"Sure thing, sweetheart," he says to feed the ears of everyone else who may have been eavesdropping before he winks at me, allowing me to go.

As I began to head upstairs, I noticed Emily stood inside the hall next to Dad since the doors were wide open. She looks at me with suspicion but I don't let her curiosity get the better of her.

As soon as I see it on her face, I continue walking up the stairs with a stride, leaving her behind me.