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(8) | .James. | Then

I don't know why she was taking so long but I didn't like it. 

I had been sat here for five minutes only but it felt like fifty. 

Every time the bell on top of the door rung, I would lift my head up and glance over to see if it was her but it never was. 

I know I gave her the right address. I must have done because it was the same address Luke had given me yesterday when he told me to meet him here to discuss band rehearsals for the next coming week. 

I hope she's not caught up in anything. I know she had a class first thing this morning but that was from nine to ten-thirty and right now it's . . . 

11:05. 

I hold in my sigh and drop my phone back down on the table. 

I hope I'm not doing wrong by asking her to meet me here - although, to be fair, I never did ask her if she had a boyfriend. She could have one and I wouldn't even know. 

But if she had one, surely she wouldn't have welcomed herself to sitting above my lap the other night in the studio? Whatever the situation may be, I just hope I'm far from becoming the other guy. I want to be any guy other than the other guy.

I didn't want to finish my drink until Riley got here but this is my second refill in only five minutes. I drink a lot when I'm anxious - which isn't very often - but when it does happen, no matter the kind of beverage, it makes me prone to urination and defecation. 

I throw that thought to the back of my head because it's definitely not something I want to bring up if not when Riley gets here. 

"Sorry I'm late." 

My head snaps up but Riley's not stood at the opposite end of the table. I look around and realize she's not stood around anywhere. It was the girl talking to her boyfriend on the opposite table. She gives him a hug, her arms flinging around his neck as if they hadn't seen each other in ages. 

I saw Riley yesterday in the common room but it feels like I haven't seen her in months. Dammit. 

I don't even know if she's single. She could be like the girl next to us who hasn't seen her boyfriend in ages. Maybe she's doing long-distance. Maybe she's not dating anyone at all but she just got out of a relationship. Damm-fucking-it. 

What am I doing holding a flower in my hand beneath the table to give to her? What am I doing holding a flower at all? 

She could be perfectly single but that still doesn't give me the right to give her a flower. I know nothing about her. Other than the fact she's a photographer. She's pretty. She takes awfully good photos. She's observant. She has a passion for taking pictures. She's sweet. 

Fuck. 

All I really know about her is that she's good with photography, but I want to get to know more. I want to be in the position the guy sat on the table next to ours is in. Not that I want to stop seeing Riley for as long as he's not seen his own girlfriend, but I want to at least be able to call her my girlfriend. 

"Who are you hiding that rose from?" 

My head snaps up again but this time I watch Riley as she smirks at me. 

She takes off her jacket and hangs it on the back of her chair then sits down opposite me. 

I smile at her - probably a grin wider than the one she's presented on her own face. 

She crosses her arms over her chest and takes a look around the place. Her eyes fall onto the couple next to us, just like mine had previously done, and she bites her lip before facing me again.