A Fine Romance

Chapter 1

Riley was waiting in traffic. She sighed and rested her head on her steering wheel. All she wanted to do was get home. It had been an exceptionally long week, or that's how it had felt anyway. Work had been gruelling, not to mention the LA heat. It wasn't even summer yet. It was still spring. Riley had the AC on, and the radio was on low. Paramore was drifting across the insides of the car. Riley turned the volume up and started singing along.
"IGNORANCE IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND!"She sang out loud. That's when her phone rang. It was her father.
"Hey honey." Robert Anderson said.
"Hi Dad," Riley replied. "How are you?"
"I am good, Ri. Listen, I know it's kinda early, but I need to know that you will definitely be home for the 4th holiday weekend."
"Of course, Dad. I wouldn't miss it." Riley smiled. 4th July was always their thing. Robert cooked a good bbq. Riley had a sister a year younger than her, Kelly. Kelly was a senior in culinary college. She was training to be a chef. Riley was so proud of her. Riley had been out of college a year now and planned events. It was mainly corporate events, but she did get the odd celebrity or fun client.
Finally, the traffic starred to move, and Riley got onto the freeway for home.
20 minutes later, Riley was pulling into her driveway. Riley had a split level 3 bedroomed house. Her job paid well enough to afford a house like this. Riley had done so much to the house. It had been a shell when Riley bought it. She had ripped up floors and knocked down walls to have the home she wanted. Now it was beautiful. It had hardwood floors through the ground floor. She knocked a wall out to combine the kitchen and dining room into one. There was also a breakfast bar that got used a lot more than the dining table.
Upstairs, apart from the 2 bathrooms, there were sumptuous deep pile carpets in every room. Riley bedroom was big. She had a king-sized bed and a walk-in closet. There was also an ensuite bathroom.
Riley opened her car door and went to get out.
"Riley!" Was all she heard. Riley exhaled loudly and looked up. Her ex-boyfriend Bobby was standing there.
"Hello Bobby." She said, going to the trunk of her car to get the groceries she had bought." What do you want?"
"Riley, you know I love you. Why are you doing this?" He asked.
"Bobby, I am not doing anything. We don't work. You want me to be something that I'm not."
"Please, Riley," Bobby begged.
"No, Bobby. We are over. Accept that." Riley said, getting her keys out to unlock the front door. Bobby stood right behind Riley on her front porch. As Riley opened her door, Bobby tried to push past her. "What are you doing?" Riley demanded.
"I want to prove what a mistake you are making." Bobby said.
"By forcing your way into my home?" Riley asked, rolling her eyes.
"N-no, I mean I'm in love with you, Riley."
"Bobby, I am sick of saying this to you now, but I do not feel the same way. Please leave my property or I will call the police!" Riley slammed her door shut and deadbolted it along with the chain. She walked through to the kitchen carrying her bags and briefcase. The AC was more than welcome against the LA heat.
As Riley unpacked the groceries, her cat Nico came through the cat flap, meowing and rubbing himself against Rileys leg. Nico was small for his age. He had been fixed and was a rescue cat. He had been abandoned in a plastic bag, covered in his own faeces and fleas.
As soon as Riley saw Nico, she knew he was coming home with her from the adoption centre.
Riley had named him Nico Boyd Purie. Panic! At The Disco was one of Rileys favourite bands, so it only seemed right that she named her kitten something panic related. Nico is from a song called Nicotine that Panic sing.
"Hey there, little man." Riley said and picked Nico up to give him some affection. Nico immediately purred with contentment.
Riley put some food into Nicos food bowl and set it down in the spot where his dry food and water were. Nico trotted over to his dinner and started to eat it.
Riley fixed herself some packet mac n cheese for her dinner with a glass of squash and sat at the breakfast bar eating and reading her kindle. She was currently reading The Housemaid.
After dinner, Riley cleaned up and went to watch some tv. As she settled down, she got a text through from her best friend Linda.
'Fancy a night out?' It said. In all honesty, Riley was exhausted, and she wanted nothing more than to watch some tv and go to bed. But she did that every night, so she replied back to Linda.
'Sure. What time and where?'
'That's my girl!' Linda gave Riley the details.
Linda was always trying to get Riley out for the evening. Her and Bobby's breakup had been quite brutal.
Riley and Bobby had dated on and off for 18 months. Bobby was too clingy and made Riley feel suffocated. He wanted to know her every move, who she spoke to, and what she wore. Riley would break things off, and Bobby promised that things would change. Riley had commitment issues to begin with. It had taken her a long time to get into this relationship. Her past boyfriends had either cheated on her or just ghosted her.
Riley wanted to give Bobby the benefit of the doubt, and that was why she took him back so many times. Her friends knew that he was bad for her, but she refused to see it. In fact, the more they protested, the further she dug her heels in and took Bobby back. Eventually, Rileys group of friends stopped saying anything. That was when Riley noticed what all her friends had been talking about. She noticed all the controlling things that Bobby was doing to her. So the last time they broke up, which was a month ago, the longest time they had split for, Riley knew it was the final time. She wasn't going back, like ever.
Riley went and got herself ready. She decided on a black dress that finished just above he knee and showed off her curves in all the right places.
Riley wasn't a skinny girl. She had thick thighs and a tummy. But she ate right and went to the gym a couple of times a week. It was just the way that her body was made. Riley accepted herself now. In the past, she had had body issues. Bobby had fed into her insecurity. He said she shouldn't eat cookies all the time, even though she didn't.
So now Rileys long auburn hair was in a side braid. Her makeup was a smoky eyeshadow blush and red lips. Riley grabbed her matching small black clutch bag and slipped the black heels on. They were kitten heels because she couldn't hack high heels. Who needs to be that uncomfortable?
Riley ordered an Uber and waited for it to arrive.