AFTER YOU.

002.

CHAPTER TWO

 Leia decided to text him, her long sleeved sweater blowing with the wind on her it felt like. 

Come to Cornelia Street? 
Always.

Seeing Riley’s text back made her smile. Before she knew it, they both were watching the stars on her roof together. Leia turned her head, meeting Riley’s eyes. “Don’t make me hate you.” Riley thought for a second on what she meant by it. “Then don’t break my heart.” She smiled smally. “We’ll see if we even get there.” All he could do was chuckle. “I’d never be on Cornelia street again if something was to happen between us.” She rolled her eyes at how desperate he seemed to be. “Keep wishing. You have to work for the slightest possible chance.” 

He gave the stupid salute he always did. “Yes ma’am.” She stared back at the night sky. He couldn’t help but wonder where her parents were at that point – he never saw them. It got late from school to now quickly. “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Leia thought about it. “Making the bed. I can’t choose my own decisions with the type of people I call my friends – stupid I know.” He shook his head. “Not necessarily stupid. Just different.” 

Bad, different or good? She couldn’t figure it out. She knew things like this weren’t supposed to be logical.  “He broke up with me after allowing me to think we’ll be married. But the thing is love isn’t supposed to be logical. I looked stupid.” He just listened. “No, I get it.” 

He understood – but she didn’t. And that was the difference between the two, she needed an explanation and gave one but he was understanding. He made her feel understood, the first person to do so. He was the first one to make her feel understood. “How could someone do something he did so easily? Just walk away from 365 days.” He kept his eyes on her face even if she wasn’t looking at his. “It takes strength to fight but weakness to walk away. He was weak.”

She looked back at him. “What are you going to do when you’re eighteen?” He didn’t hesitate or think about it. “Come onto Cornelia Street.” She never got why he said the things he said to her. Especially so easily. She wanted to ask why but she didn’t bother much. “Where do you see yourself in five years Riley?” He took some time to answer that to give her an honest but real answer. “Having my own business of some sort.” She felt like she was floating – it was the effect of being close to him again. She couldn’t tell him though. It wouldn’t be fair on who either of them were, especially with their friends. It’ll only cause chaos. 

“What about getting married?” She whispered softly, his small quiet chuckle– a different type of one made it clear those weren't his intentions. She needed real words and not just a chuckle. A chuckle could mean anything. “I don’t see myself dating for a long long time, Leia.” She nodded understandingly. “Oh, okay.” There wasn’t much to say. He didn’t seem like the person she knew anymore but that was okay. She wanted to learn the new Riley even if it’s like peeling a layer of onions. “You’re like an onion. You have to peel off each layer.” He stayed quiet for a moment. “What do onions do?” She looked back to confusion. “Fulfill everything and give flavor.” He sighed out. “They also make you cry.” She hated to admit he had made her cry before.

“What? Now you don’t have anything to say Leia?” 

“That’s not how I meant it.” He sat up, his eyes darkening with anger towards her this time. “Bullshit.” She sat up looking at him. Trying to keep him from leaving her alone on her rooftop. “Riley…. No you know what? That fight was about you Leia and this is all you say?” She took a deep breath in. “You made it seem like you hurt me emotionally but if anything you help me a lot. Or at least you used to.” His jaw clenched. “Goodnight Leia.” That’s all? Goodnight. 

“Goodnight Riley.” Seeing him leave made her eyes water just like an onion was in the room. “Proved my point again.” She whispered to herself before getting down. She got into her bedroom before laying down in her bed. Staring at her ceiling, unsure if she could call or text. Just as she was about to brush off the idea, her phone chimed telling her she got a notification. 

I’m sorry. 
He was sorry. “Great.” She groaned. Her fingers typed along the screen but then deleted it. She silenced her phone, going to bed. That’s all she got from him after he assumed what she was trying to say. He saw that she left him on read and it made him feel guilty in his bedroom. “Fuck.” Who assumes something? Riley Johnson does.  That’s his nature– to just assume what people are trying to say. 

She woke up to a familiar text he used to send before. But the difference is she didn't bother even looking at it. It hurt. The two passed each other at school, he stared at her while she stared at the ground. Something about her was different today for some reason. Someone’s pain is going to get the knife twisted. It feels like my death is going to be death by a thousand cuts. There wasn't a spot he missed when he started an argument that didn't need to be started.

Arabella texted her to make sure she was still doing okay.
Are you okay? I saw you in the hall but you looked out of it.
Leia just left her on read too. She wasn't feeling the most social which confused herself. She shrugged it off and just sighed out. Riley on the other hand wasn't going to let it off that easy.

In her study hall, he came in and sat next to her seeing how she stared hard at her paper. "What's going on? Is it about last night?"

"No." She lied straight through her teeth. It bothered what he told her and now she wondered if it was over now. This time for good. He sighed heavily. He knew she lied about how she was feeling. His hand went over one of hers gently. "Come on, talk to me."

"Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" She looked up at him, wanting to cry at the sight of him. His eyebrows knit together in concern, his eyes all soft. It wasn't everyday that she saw him like that. "You were pretty harsh."

"I know and I'm sorry." He frowned. "But are you really sorry or are you just feeling like you are?" She didn't mean to snap at him but she wished she could shove all her words back in. At the sight of him leaving made her want to chase after him.

She stayed in her seat, feeling glued into it. "I'm sorry." She mumbled under her breath, apologizing to them both.