It's Always Been You

chapter eight

Riley

Four years ago

It's been a week since my encounter with Chase at the house party.

A long ass fucking week.

My head is a complete mess and I'm going into overdrive with all these feelings I'm experiencing.

I really like Chase, and if he was about to kiss me too that means he likes me right? That means more than friends, because friends definitely don't nearly kiss each other or tell them how good they look, especially the way Chase told me.

Then how come he pulled away before anything could happen? And why hasn't he spoken to me all week? I mean I haven't made an effort to talk to him either but I don't know what is going on. Did I do something wrong?

I'm replaying every little detail over in my brain of the past year, every time he has come over and cooked for us, helped me study, given me his hoodie when I've been cold. Have I mistaken all those things for what they actually were. I took him for granted in assumption that we were just friends.

But could we be more than friends? I have no idea.

Suddenly feeling extremely overwhelmed, I decide to throw on some jeans and a hoodie and go for a walk. Anywhere is better than here. If I stare at the same four walls of my apartment anymore, I think I'll go insane.

***

"So you haven't spoke to him at all?" Evie asks as we down our fourth shot together. Maybe fifth? Who knows. We chose vodka as our poison and I don't care about any consequences right now.

I met her at the local student bar after walking around for the past hour and I've resorted to telling her everything and then necking way too many shots than my small frame can handle. And did I mention it's only 3pm.

Yeah I'm in for a long night.

"Nope." I grab another shot glass from the tray that the bartender placed infront of us barely ten minutes ago and I start tracing the rim of it with my middle finger.

"Do you like him like that? I can't get over the fact you nearly kissed!" Evie whispers over to me.

"I mean yeah I like him, but I thought we were friends." I shrug.

I have always found him attractive, but never once acted on it, thinking he only saw me as Luke and Nate's younger sister.

"Well, I hate to break this to you, but lover boy is coming our way."

"What?"

"Riley."

I freeze.

His deep voice has a slight sharpness to it.

I turn to look behind me and there they are. Noah and Chase stood behind the booth we crashed at, glaring at us with their arms crossed over their chests.

Rolling my eyes I spin back to the table and tip the next shot into my mouth in one go.

I whistle as my face contorts from the harsh vodka hitting my throat.

"Alright, that's enough." Chase comes closer to me as I pick up the next shot on the tray.

"Riley. That's enough."

"What?"

"Come on. I'm taking you home."

He picks up my bag from beside me and holds out his hand for me to take. I go to step out from the booth but my footing isn't the best, as the shots I've just downed hit me all at once.