Invisible String (w|w high school romance)

But it's Not Like Christmas at All

Riley POV:

The next morning a woke up with a massive headache. I groan as I rolled over to grab my phone and check the time. My vision was so cloudy that my phone screen was a blur. I groaned again and placed my phone back on my night stand before covering my face with my arm.

I heard the bedroom door open and cracked an eye open to see my dad walking in. He carried a glass of water and a dish with bacon and eggs on it. He gave me a weak smile as he placed the food on the night stand.

I forced myself to sit up and look at him. "What time is it?" I rasped. I quickly reached over and drank some water. I didn't realize how badly I needed it. "Almost one." he replied. I nearly choked on my water.

"Remind me to never drink again." I groaned making my dad laugh. "If you ever drink again you'll be in serious trouble." he replied and I nodded. I seriously can't ever do that again. I could lose all my scholarship offers if I get caught. Let alone the fact that it's dangerous. I don't even know how the hell I got home. Josh probably saw me black out drunk and brought me home.

Once I finished eating, my dad left my room. I was feeling a bit better now and decided to go for a walk. I went around my room grabbing my hoodie and sweatpants but I couldn't find my favorite beanie. I looked everywhere for it but it was no use.

I sighed in defeat. Great. Not only had my stupid drunken activities land me with the worst hangover ever, I also must've lost my favorite beanie.

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Riley POV:

For a whole month and a half, Harper ignored me. She hasn't talked to me since the championship and that was the week before thanksgiving. It's now a couple days before Christmas.

In the corner of my room sat a gift that I didn't want to touch. It was the Christmas gift that I'd bought Harper. I couldn't bring myself to return it and I certainty couldn't give it to her. So there it sat, in the corner of my room collecting dust.

The gift was a small gold chain bracelet with a #13 charm on it. I also bought her a UNC soccer shirt. I knew it was her dream school and even if she didn't end up going there I knew that she'd appreciate it.

What I couldn't wrap my head around was Harper's comment at the championship game. Was she seriously ready to give up her one D1 offer to be with me next year?

That had me thinking long and hard. I had already decided before that I wasn't going to Notre Dame, despite it being my dream school. It was twelve hours away from UNC and I can't bear to be that far away from Harper. 

Now that we aren't together though I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. I can go wherever I want, but that doesn't stop my heart from pulling me towards something, or someone else.

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Harper POV:

I can say without a doubt that this is the shittiest Christmas I've ever had. It's the first time I'm away from my family besides for thanksgiving and it's hard. No matter what they've done to me I can't help but love them.

And I guess the same applies for Riley because no matter how much I want to hate her I can't stop loving her. I still have her Christmas gift sitting in the corner of the guest bedroom that I've been staying in. Thankfully Drew and his family were nice enough to let me stay in the guest room for the rest of the school year. I knew Riley would ask around for me and my suspicions were confirmed when she practically interrogated the entire team about my whereabouts.

Part of me warmed at the thought of knowing that she cared so much about me, but the other part hated it. I hated how no matter how much she lied to me, I still wanted to be with her. But I can't do that, and it's too late anyways.

I picked up Riley's gift from off the floor and sat on the bed with it in my lap. It was a photo album with every single newspaper clipping and media article with Riley in it since her freshman year. I wanted her to see how loved she is, not just by me, but by the entirety of the soccer world. 

I could only imagine how she would react when I gave it to her.

I sighed and placed the photo album back on the floor. Looking around the room felt so foreign to me. Hardly anything in here was mine. Hell most of the clothes in the closet weren't even mine. Some of it was Riley's stuff that she'd let me borrow and I'd never given back. Even though she was so much smaller than me I loved wearing her clothes. On the night stand I still had her favorite beanie that she let me borrow so long ago. 

I thought back to that night when she taught me how to skateboard and tears welled in my eyes. 

"Fuck." I whispered to myself as tears streamed down my face. I buried my face in my hands and let myself cry. Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." I mumbled. Drew cautiously opened the door and stepped inside. He stood there in the open door frame as if he was scared to come all the way in. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I took my face out of my hands and offered him a weak, fake smile. "I'm okay." I mumbled. He nodded and didn't push it further. He knew what I was upset about.

"We'll we are about to eat Christmas dinner if you want to join." he said quietly. I smiled, a bit more genuinely this time. "Sure, let me clean up and I'll be down in a minute. Thank you Drew." I replied.

He smiled back and nodded before backing out the door. "Anytime Harper. I'm always here for you." he said. With that her turned and walked back downstairs, leaving me alone once again. It seemed lately that no matter what I did, I always ended up alone.