Scandalous Love

37. | Riley

I was getting tired of standing here doing absolutely nothing. The most I had done tonight was smile and wave to greet people as they passed by. 

There was the same photographer here from Ava and Dad's engagement night a few months ago but he wasn't James. I kind of wish it was James, I just don't know why. 

I should hate him. I shouldn't be wanting to talk to him right now but he seems to be the one and only thing I'm consistently thinking about tonight.

Axel was stood around with a bunch of other guys living in the area. He and I were meant to be performing a ballroom dance - our first one as a couple but it was the last thing on my mind. 

As I remain stood by Dad and Ava looking around at everyone, Axel's gaze eventually meets mine and he smiles softly. It only takes him a few seconds to tell the guys he was going to check on me but it takes an even shorter time for him to reach my side and place his hand on my shoulder. 

"Hey, you okay?" he asks me, standing in front of me.

I look up at him and nod my head but I'm pretty sure the bite of my lip was enough to give away the fact that I was far from okay with all of this going on. "What's wrong, Ri?" 

"Nothing," I mumble, looking away from him. 

I didn't want or need him on my case right now. There were people looking at us from every angle and as soon as they take in the sight of us stood together, they begin to gather around. It was the last thing I wanted. 

"Oh, they're a gorgeous couple, aren't they?" one of the random ladies I was supposed to know but didn't have a clue who she was calls out.

I look down, shaking my head which causes a few strands of hair to fall in front of my face as I try my best to look away and not draw attention to myself but instead it only causes more and more people to look in our direction. 

Axel clears his throat as more people gather around and he looks down at me. I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to run outside and breakdown the gates and run into James's arms but I couldn't do that. I couldn't do anything. I was stuck here. 

"They're adorable!" another lady calls out, gushing. "We should get a photo of the lovebirds!" 

That one announcement seemed to be loud enough to gain the photographer's direction. He turns around to face us as we stood slightly higher up on the steps of the stage but before he had the chance to take the photo, everyone starts calling out that we should kiss. 

I look up at Axel who softens, staring into my eyes as I swallow. Kissing would mean basically cheating on James and that's not the kind of person I want to be portrayed as at all. 

Axel's hands move down to my waist, pulling me closer to him. I thought that would be enough to please everyone but it wasn't. They wouldn't stop begging us to join our lips together. 

I chew the inside of my cheek and move my arms to wrap around Axel's neck, looking into his eyes before he nods slowly, checking with me to try and read me.

 I look around at everyone else and the way the photographer was waiting for us. 

Just wanting to get it over and done with, I eventually nod and close my eyes until my ears were met with the sound of people cheering and gushing at the sight of our lips pressing together in the shortest kiss possible. 

We pull apart and Axel looks at me again, as if to check if I was okay and to see what my reaction was but I immediately shake my head and step away from him, unclasping my hands from around his neck. 

"I'm sorry," I mumble under my breath. "I need air..."

I begin to stumble past everyone until I reached the corridors leading towards the garden. The doors were only a couple of metres away but no matter how fast I walked, I couldn't seem to get any further since I was stopped by the last voice I was expecting to come across tonight. 

"Long time no see, kitten." 

As soon as I hear the words I turn around and can just about see. Everything was a blur as it is. The words were louder inside my head, almost like a vibration. I just needed to get out. I needed room to breathe. I needed space. It was suddenly more than just a little hot in here and Ezra's presence was worsening the situation. 

"What are you doing here?" I just about manage to breathe out. 

I begin to back myself up until I reached the entrance to the hall again but Ezra was walking faster than me. It lasts up until I crash into a wall and the only thing my gaze was settled on was Ezra's dainty smirk. 

"I'm not allowed to see my favourite princess?" he asks, making me shake my head, looking down. My knees begin to shake and I can't seem to stop myself. It was one thing after the other and I couldn't handle it. I want it to stop. All of it. 

Just then, the door swings open and I look up for my eyes to land on Ava who instantly gasps the moment she sees the state I was in. "Riley, what's wrong, honey?" 

She places her glass down on the floor and then rushes over to me before sitting down by my side. Her arms wrap around me tightly and she pulls me in close to her. I keep my eyes closed but curl into her, my body continuing to jitter. 

She motions for Ezra to make his way out of here and once he's gone, I let everything out. Every breath I was holding inside of me. Every tear I'd been trying to suppress. Every whimper I'd kept inside my throat. I let it roll until my tears soaked the hem of her dress. 

She rubs my back up and down comfortingly, the two of us sitting on the floor in silence. It felt nice. It felt like sentimental. It felt like home. This was one of the things I'd been craving most. Just a cuddle with someone who cares. Someone who loves me. 

Someone like Mum... 

"You're okay, sweetheart. I've got you," she reassures me before placing a light kiss to the top of my head. 

My breathing comes out all staggered again but I allow her to hold me. She caught me when I was falling... I don't know who else would have been able to. 

"I'm sorry," I whisper when she passes me a tissue from out of her purse. "You shouldn't be needing to deal with me. I'm sorry." 

She cuts me off by taking my hands into hers, then she looks me in the eye even when they were as clouded and as misty as they were. "You don't need to be sorry, darling. I'm here, okay? I'm the one who's sorry," she whispers. 

She strokes my hair out of the way of my face and then kisses my forehead again before pulling me into her, letting me share just this one moment with her in silence, calming me down a lot quicker than I would have been able to. 

I open my eyes after a while and look ahead at the space where Ezra stood only a couple of seconds ago but the further I look, the closer Nana's gaze becomes in the distance. She was stood there, cleaning, since she wasn't invited to the party.

She had a proud smile on her face. A soft one, and I muster the smallest smile back at her, curling up closer to Ava. 

I didn't want to leave her arms. 

The feeling reminded me of being with Mum...