The girl next door

Chapter 27

James-
"Mom I have a massive headache and a sore throat, do I have to go to school?" I ask my mom lying. I just don't want to go today. Or ever again. Not with Riley hating me. I can't stand the thought of having to go to Amanda instead of her at lunch. And having to hold Amanda in my arms instead of her every morning. "James went to dance last night, your fine." My mom tells me not buying the act. "Mom please, I never miss school." "James, no. You need all the schooling you can get to get into a good college." I sigh in defeat and head to my room to get ready. I don't think I'll ever be ready.

I'm sitting zoned out with my arm around Amanda as she gossips with her friend from cheer before school starts. Then I see Riley walk in the front gate. She's wearing a green top and shorts with her hair in a pony tail and her glasses. No j necklace. It breaks my heart all over again not seeing it on her neck. Then Amanda's finger snaps me back into reality. I look and see her friends gone and she Amanda saw me staring at ri. "James I get your still hung up on Riley, but you have to put her behind you. I'm your girlfriend now." She tells me. I take my arm off of her. "Or at least fake it. Or the pictures get sent." Amanda says. "What? I did what you wanted. I ruined my relationship with Riley and started dating you, you can't use the leverage against me anymore." "Oh yes I can." Amanda finishes putting my arm back around her and going on her phone. I guess there's no way out of this. She's always hold those pictures over my head.

Riley-
Math was everything I thought it would be. I could feel James's eyes on me the whole time. I wanted to turn and look back at him but I couldn't. At lunch me and the girls sat together. Our groups split again. But out of the corner of my eye I see hunter coming towards our table. "Hey." He says awkwardly looking at Emily. Emily looks away and back at her food. "Riley could I talk to you?" He says. I'm surprised I'm the one he wants to speak too, but I agree. I get up from the table and we start walking and talking. "I'm real sorry about what happened with James." He tells me. Just reminding me of the pain. I take a deep breath and push my feelings back inside. I'm not about to start crying in the middle of the quad. But I really feel like it.

Hunter-
Me and Riley walked around school talking. I made her laugh a couple times. She has the most adorable laugh. But she would uncross her arms the whole time. I could tell she was uncomfortable. Probably because of what I did to Emily. I basically told her I had no idea James was gonna go that and how sorry I was. "Um I was actually wondering if you wanted to go out some time?" I ask her. Her eyes widen and she begins to say something when the bell rings letting her off the hook. "Oh crap my stuff is still in the cafeteria." She says frantically walking back to where we came from. I sigh and head to the cafeteria as well. If the bell hadn't rung, would she have said yes?

I go back to the boys to get my stuff and we walk to class. All of us have English together. "Yo bro are you ever gonna tell us what happened with you and Riley? You seemed perfect for each other." West brings up. James looks down at the ground trying to form an answer. "Yeah I just lost feelings I guess. But I'm happy with Amanda." He lies not making eye contact with any of us. I'm impressed he hasn't straight up told us what happened. Keeping that photo away from Riley's dad is really important to him. I'm hoping Amanda will keep him busy enough so I ask Riley out again.