Sitting In Traffic | Formula 1

Chapter 77- Birthday Number 2

Samantha came over early that morning to get Ava and Sloan. But Sloan wanted to stay. She didn't see why she had to leave when everyone else was going down to Florida in a few days anyways. Riley told Samantha it was fine, Sloan could stay as long Levi agreed to take her back down. Riley wasn't making that trip. Ava was upset she had to leave so soon though. Tears were shed on Ava's part when Samantha started driving down the road away from the house.

But Sloan was quiet all day. She didn't talk unless spoken too, it was like Riley at a grid dinner. But she was with family and Riley picked up on it. Everyone went out for lunch together. They were trying celebrate both Riley's and Holden's birthday by doing something together with Sloan and Nathan before going out for drinks later that night. Even if Holden didn't want to celebrate his birthday twice, he never wanted to the first time. Holden only celebrated for his family, for his mom, and his brothers. All of them.

Riley was eyeing Sloan throughout lunch, trying to figure out what was wrong. But Sloan was avoiding eye contact. She tapped Sloan's leg under the table with her foot, getting her attention.

"What's wrong" Riley mouthed, she didn't want to gain everyone's attention and have them question her too.

"Nothing" She said quietly, looking down at the glass of water in-front of her.

"Fine" She shrugged, looking away from her and to the menu that was placed before her. "What are you getting" She said in a normal tone now.

"I don't know" Sloan took a sip of her drink.

"Well I'm thinking about the grilled Salmon" Riley sighed as Sloan's dryness.

"Can I have a bite?" Max overheard Riley, "A small one"

"Can I have a sip of your drink" Riley pointed to his gin tonic. "A small one"  She mocked him, looking up, not meeting his eyes but his side profile.

"I might as well order another one because you'll drink the whole thing" Max passed her his drink.

"No I don't like gin like that" Riley picked up his glass and brought it up to her lips, listening to Max talk.

"So you don't like Gin, you don't like Tequila, I've rarely ever seen you drink Vodka" He tapped Riley's side with his elbow.  "What do you like"

"Whiskey" Riley mumbled before taking a sip of his drink.

"You do not look like someone who drinks whiskey" Levi laughed overhearing her.

"Well she barely drinks it so that checks out" Max added, taking a sip of his drink when Riley handed him the glass.

"All she drinks is tequila because she's depressed about Jonah still so," Sloan mumbled, but everyone heard her. Riley's smile faded away as the tabled quieted down a little. Everyone at the table knew about Jonah, not in high details. That was Jennifer's doing. Mike told her, but never crossed Riley's boundaries with sharing her story with Noah. Just Jonah.

"Thanks" Riley said, feeling Max put a hand on her shoulder furthest from him.

"Bitchy move" Holden mumbled, drinking from a glass that happened to be filled with tequila. Sloan only heard Holden because she was sitting next to him. She knew she shouldn't have commented on Jonah but Riley had been pissing her off the past few months. The fame she didn't even want was being handed to her on a silver platter. 

Simply because she started dating Max. No one even looked her direction when she was with Logan. Riley was nobody until Max and Sloan was nobody but Riley's sister. That's how it felt now.

"I'm actually packing his room up" Riley told her, holding Max's drink again, "So take that as you will" She brought the glass to her mouth, "Cunt" She whispered, Sloan didn't hear, but Max accidentally broke a laugh. At the end of the day it didn't matter how much Riley cared about Sloan. They were still sisters, and sisters fight. Sometimes it can just get messy.