The Back of my Truck

Chapter 9

"So, where are we going, exactly?" Riley managed to ask, after they have been in the car for about five minutes, without any talking being present. It wasn't awkward, at all, it even felt slightly natural, but Riley wanted to know what they were going to be doing in the middle of the night.

She actually wanted to ask what exactly the package was about, but she didn't dare to ask just yet, she didn't want to make herself seem like she cared too much about it.

"Somewhere." James replied, a smirk on his face as he kept his eyes on the road.

"You know, you are bringing my grades and dancing down, if you keep asking me to come out with you in the middle of the night." Riley looked away from him, a grin on her face, as she looked straight forward too. She heard him chuckle a few moments later, which caused her to feel a swarm of butterflies extend the pit of her stomach.

She could slap herself right now. Why did she have to start feeling something for someone who obviously didn't like her back in that way.

After a few minutes, James pulled in to a dirt road, which seemed rather familiar to Riley. Not too familiar, but she definitely has been here already once.

Before Riley could make out where they were going, James stopped the car a few feet away from the end of the cliff.

The Brick. Well, not technically the Brick, but the other side of it.

Why did he bring her here?

"What are we doing here?" Riley managed to speak up, after James got out of the car and walked to the back of his truck, Riley following him.

"Nothin'." James replied, the same smirk still plastered on his face, as he laid down onto the back of his truck, facing the sky, his feet bouncing off the right side of the truck. "Come on." He gestured Riley, a few seconds after he's laid down, and she was still standing there, staring at him.

"Okay." Riley slowly said, as she climbed up the back of his truck as well, laying opposite of him, so their faces were next to each other, her feet bouncing off the other side of the truck, just like James's did.

"Tell me, what do you plan on doing after High School." Riley heard James voice right next to her ear, which caused goosebumps to go down her spine. Her heart started beating faster, and her breath got caught in her throat, as she was longing for words to reply to his question to.

Get it together, Riley. She thought to herself, before taking a slight breath in. "Julliard. Mainly because my parents want to, but I guess that's what I'll be doing." Riley said, trying to stay as calm as possible, so James wouldn't notice any change of person in her. "How about yourself?" Riley turned her face to his', noticing that he was still facing the stars above them, so she did too.

"London. I'm going to go to London." He stated, a slight breath left his throat, which rather sounded like a sigh than anything.

"England? That's amazing." Riley widened her eyes, as he said that. She didn't expect him to be the person to want to go to one of those elite schools in England.

"Nah, not England. Ohio." James started off. "To the annual truck show." He added.

"Yeah, okay, but that is just like a day, maybe two. What are you planning on doing on the long shot, I mean." Riley started off, talking a little faster now.

James didn't reply. He just shrugged, turning his head to face Riley now, and as soon as she noticed that, Riley did the same.

They gazed into each other's eyes, for what felt like a few hours, while it was probably just a few seconds.

James felt the urge to just lean over and kiss her, finally, but he knew that this was not debatable. Not at any chance.

Though it was almost killing him inside that she was with someone else, and that they could basically be together, as he could tell that she liked him probably just as much. But what would someone like her even want with a nutcase like him anyway?

They were still gazing at each other, James being afraid that he would do something he wasn't planning turned his head again, to face the stars again, a smile on his face.

He couldn't help it. He could not help but feel good about the obvious fact that she liked him, but he couldn't do anything with her. Ever.

A slight sigh escaped Riley's lips, as she turned to face the stars again.

The rest of the night went without any talking at all, and two hours later Riley was standing in the middle of her room again, staring at herself in the mirror.

It was about three am, but the female was feeling more awake than ever, despite of the obvious fact that James kind of rejected her again, but at least he didn't get up this time, that was something.

She would need to wake up in two and a half hours, but Riley felt amazing. She felt like she could pull through the whole day, without feeling one glimpse of tiredness at all.

Riley laid down in her bed, her clothes still on, as she faced the ceiling of her room, her heart beating rapidly at just the thought of him.

Probably just the same pace James's heart was beating right now, as he was laying in his bed. His father was fast asleep and didn't even flinch one bit when James walked through the house to get to his room, he probably was used to it.

His mind was flustered with thoughts about Riley. About how he wished things would be different. But he wasn't able to change any of those circumstances. He wasn't able to take some things out of his life and just go on as if nothing happened. It wasn't possible. No matter what.

Sighing slightly, James fell asleep a few minutes later, his mind attached to Riley.