A/N: hi, so I don't have any time to reread this chapter and look for mistakes before posting and I know I've made you guys wait long enough so I'll just post it now. Please let me know if you find any spelling or grammar mistakes (I'm sure there's a lot). And thank you for reading, loves<3
~•~
"Come on, say something... please" Riley asked, now sounding slightly desperate. She took her hands off the smaller girl's shoulders and grabbed her hands instead, now rubbing them with her thumbs.
AJ was speechless and Riley desperately needed her to say something. Anything.
"I-... why?" AJ asked.
Riley frowned. Why? What did she mean by why?
"What do you mean?"
AJ went quiet. Suddenly every single one of her flaws came to mind and she couldn't understand why anyone could like her. How could someone like Riley like her? Or Lindsey. Oh god, now she was thinking about Lindsey. Why did Lindsey like her? Why did anyone like her?
"What is there to like about me...?" She asked quietly, almost whispering. Riley frowned even more. Suddenly she realised that the way AJ saw herself was completely different from the way others saw her.
"AJ... what is there not to like about you? You're caring and kind and yo-"
"No, I'm not. I'm cold and closed off. I avoid people as if my life depends on it and sometimes it does. I don't talk to anyone and most of the time I come off as a mean person, if not mean then awkward and weird. I embarrass myself in front of strangers and even people close to me. I'm basically a failure at life. Seriously... what is there to like?" She explained, trying not to tear up. This was genuinely bothering her. How had she managed to get two people to fall for her? Two of the most amazing people she knew, two people she looked up to and even envied at times. What could they possibly see in her. Sad, pathetic AJ.
Riley blinked in shock. Is that what she saw in herself? That couldn't be further from the truth. Riley scooted closer to the other girl and straightened her legs, putting them on the two sides of the rock. Now AJ was sitting between the other girls legs. Riley noted how small she looked, and how small she probably felt compared to other people.
"You are not a failure, AJ. You're pretty far from it actually. I see how much you care about Lindsey and even me and Dana. I see how you care about total strangers even if you think you're bad at showing it. Trust me, people see you for who you really are even when you don't. And that person is amazing. She's the most honest and real person I know. I'm so glad I met you, AJ, and I want you in my life for as long as possible" Riley said.
The smaller girl was looking at her, now with tears in her eyes. Riley couldn't bear seeing her in this state. It made no sense that this was how AJ saw herself. How could she not see what others saw?
"Come here" Riley said, gently turning the other girl around so AJ could lean against Riley with her back. She was tense at first but then she relaxed as Riley wrapped her hands around her.
"Thank you..." AJ spoke quietly.
"For what?" Riley frowned.
"For saying all of that... it meant a lot"
"Oh" Riley chuckled, picking up a lock of AJ's hair and playing with it, "just decided to speak from the heart for once"
They were quiet. Riley could feel the other girl'd breathing become faster and less controlled.
"How are you?" She asked.
"Huh?" AJ looked up at her, confused.
"How do you feel right now?" She said, specifying the previous question.
YOU ARE READING
Four letter word
RomanceAJ Harrison, Riley Towers, Dana Brooke and Lindsey Brown have been in a relationship for three years now. It all started when they met in college and realised that they all had feelings for each other. But the path to a healthy relationship that the...
