Opposites Attract - Riff Lorton

chapter fifteen

All the boys were ready to go in about ten minutes, whereas the girls took a little bit longer.
Kathleen decided to wear pants today. She hadn't worn pants in quite the while. Ever since she started teaching, she never really had the dress code to. She paired the rolled up denim slacks with a blue gingham shirt, tucked in.
She walked downstairs, before most of the girls, but not being first. Immediately she went to the kitchen to find Riff snacking on an apple.
She opened her fridge,
"Hey Riff, do you want me to bring anything? We could always come back here for lunch but just in ca-" Kathleen's rambling was stopped when Riff grabbed her by the waist. He turned her around, the fridge falling closed.
Kathleen's eyebrows raised in confusion.
"Everything okay?"
Riff took a step back, leaning against a counter. He examined Kathleen's clothing with a smirk as he took another bite of his apple.
"What? Do you think it's too much?"
Kathleen asked, turning on her toes and raising her arms.
"I think you look swell. You look amazing, doll."
Kathleen blushed.
"Thanks Riff." She put her arms back against her sides and stepped closer to Riff.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I love you."
"I love you, too," Kathleen replied without hesitation.
Riff stepped forward and gave her a hug, Kathleen immediately returning the gesture.
"Can I kiss you?"
Kathleen simpered.
"You don't have to ask every time, you know that right?"
"I know but I like to."
Riff smiled, and bent down slightly to reach Kathleen's lips.
After letting go he buried his head into her shoulder.
"I really do love you."
"You think I don't, doll? I do. I love you."
The loud whispering in her ear made her push him off her head and hold his hands.
"I think almost everyone's done now. Let's go see."
His smirk was still plastered on his face, the blush evident too.
"Your cheeks are very red Riff."
"So are you, sweetheart."
Riff let go of her hands and walked back to the front entry, where everyone was listening to a radio while waiting.
Kathleen took out a cup, filling it with water. She took a long gulp before she set it down, and headed to the front.
"Alright, is everyone here?"
Kathleen scanned the crowd before determining that Mamie, Mack, and Tessa were still missing.
"I'll go check on them, hold on."
Kathleen skipped up the stairs to find the girls.
The Jets and their girls were all conversating; someone had turned off the radio, so everyone was just talking.
"So Riff, are you and Kathleen official or not?"
Riff looked up to see everyone waiting for an answer.
His face was a bit rosy, but expressionless.
"Yeah, we're going steady."
Cheers broke out over the group, some of the Jets patting Riff on the back.
"What's happened?"
Kathleen came down with the three girls, who immediately went to their respectable Jets.
"Nothin' doll. Ready to go?"
"Yes… What's going on?"
"Nothin'- I told them that we're going steady and they got all cheery and sh- stuff."
Kathleen smiled at him remembering to mind his language.
"I see. Well, time's wasting now, let's go!"
Everyone agreed, so Riff opened the door and stepped into the cool spring air.
Kathleen tossed the key to whoever was at the back, and told them to put it under the doormat.
She turned back around and grabbed Riff's hand.
"You put on a bag."
Kathleen laughed.
"Great observation, Riff. It has my wallet in it, and a few snacks if anyone gets hungry before we come back for lunch."
Riff's face contorted into a bit of confusion.
"Aren't you tired of us living in your house?"
"Riff, I've been alone for the past two years, that's the last thing I'd get tired of. Besides, my house is always open for you and your Jets."
Riff let go of her hand, which caused Kathleen to look over.
He took out a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth and lighting it.
"Riff!"
She pulled the lighted cigarette out of his mouth and stepped on it.
"What the he-"
"Language! And smoking is possibly the worst thing you could do to yourself Riff!"
At this point, everyone in the group had stopped walking.
"Doll I'm sorr-"
"Honestly Riff, how could you smoke?! It's so bad for you! It'll give you cancer and it's wastin' money for no reason! Chew a toothpick or somethin', but I ain't never wanna catch you smokin' again!"
Riff was getting full on screamed at.
In front of his gang.
Kathleen stole the pack and the lighter from Riff.
"Who else has these."
Her tone was frighteningly calm, even the non-smokers of the group were scared.
Almost everyone raised their hands, which just about made Kathleen's jaw drop.
"Hand them to me right now."
She went around the group and collected the boxes and lighters from everyone who had them.
She went over to the closest garbage can and threw all of them out without another thought.
No one had seen her like this. No one wanted to.
Kathleen dusted off her hands, and turned back to the group.
"I don't ever want you guys to smoke again,"
Her tone was a lot softer, which made everyone, including Riff, relax.
"I care about you guys too much, and that crap can do so much damage to you. I'm sorry for getting so mad at you, I- I just don't want you to hurt yourselves."
Riff started walking towards Kathleen, everyone doing the same.
"Come on doll. Let's go."
Riff grabbed her hand lightly. Kathleen immediately felt horrible that she had yelled at them.
"I'm sorry Riff."
"For what darlin'?"
"For yelling at you like that. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."
Riff chuckled as he swung her hand back and forth.
"It's okay. You only want us to be safe."
"Yeah but I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was so mad that you unlocked my accent. That hasn't happened since… It hasn't happened for years."
Riff hummed.
"You started talkin' like us for a second."
Kathleen blushed.
"Yeah, and it sucked. I'm surprised I didn't start crying."
Kathleen's eyes were darted toward the floor.
"You still okay with goin' to the dance with me?"
"Yeah of course. That reminds me, I have to buy a new dress though. I haven't gone to a dance in years."
Riff paused for a second
"Get a blue one."
"Why?"
"Because that's what I'm wearin', and I think we should match."
Kathleen smiled.
"Oy Riff, do you want us to wear blue too?"
A voice that Kathleen recognized as Ice's asked.
"What do you think, doll?"
"Yeah, They'll be more identifiable that way."
"Alright. Yeah everyone come wearing blue to the dance. Blue, black, or white," Riff shouted back at the group.
The group behind Kathleen and Riff started to speed up as they approached the junkyard, leaving Riff and Kathleen to catch up on their own.
"Alright babydoll, we're here."
Kathleen stepped inside the musty trailer, and frowned at the smell of smoke. There was barely any light, the counters were dusty, and the "mattress" of the bed was so thin, Kathleen wondered if Riff had back problems. Still, there was no judgement on her face.
Riff was waiting for Kathleen to say something.
"It's nice. It could use a little revamping, but it's nice."
Riff let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Um… Riff, I was going to ask you this last night, but it still might be too early, and you can say no if you want, but… do you want to move in with me?"
Riff didn't even hesitate.
"Yes. I do. I hate livin' here."
"Oh! Well great then. When do you want to?"
"When do you want me to?"
"Tonight? Right now? Whenever really,"
Riff looked around his trailer for things he wanted to take.
"The only thing I really have are clothes. And knick knacks."
Kathleen hummed.
"Do you have a box?"
Riff bent down to grab one from under his bed. It was a folded up cardboard box that was dustier than the countertops. He folded it back up, and put it on his bed.
"Do you want me to start folding these up?" Kathleen motioned to the clothes, and Riff shook his head.
"I'll just do it all after we come back from getting ice cream."
"Alright. Just come by my house whenever you want."
"Oy, Riff, are you guys done in there? We want ice cream!"
Kathleen sighed with a smile, and headed out the trailer door.
"God damnit."
Riff whispered to himself.
He really didn't deserve her.