Inside Out: Riley's First Love (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 2: Love at First Sight

The emotions all stood idly by and observed this new emotion. How elegant he looked! How smooth he sounded! He was definitely different from the others in every way. He sounded mature, as if he had been there from the very beginning.

"I'm sorry, but...who are you?" Joy was the first to speak up.

The new emotion chuckled and stepped away from the console. "How rude of me," he said in a cool manner, taking his hat off. "My name is Affection. You may call me 'Love'."

The emotions exchanged glances at each other. They had all been able to allow Riley to feel love before. In fact, it was her love that formed the Family and Friendship Islands.

"Um, we've been perfectly capable of handling that ourselves, so we don't need you," Disgust said in a hotheaded manner. Affection only laughed, but his laugh was mature. Almost disciplined.

"Only through the power I bring," Affection said with a slight smirk as he put his hat back on. "I've been here for a very long time."

Anger stepped forward, and fumed through gritted teeth, "If you're so old, why haven't we seen you before?!"

Affection only grinned at the small emotion. "My, my... You're a feisty one."

"'Feisty'?!" Anger shouted as he rolled up his sleeves. "I'll show ya 'feisty'!"

Joy stepped between him and Affection. "Anger! Calm down!" Turning to Affection, she said, "I'm so sorry for them. It's just...we all thought Riley was through with new emotions, so..."

"My arrival was a bit of a surprise?" he asked, walking back to the console. Joy simply nodded. Affection presses a few buttons, the console turning his signature soft pink color.

This caused Riley to blush slightly, but not out of embarrassment, no. Her blushing was the result of a new emotion rising up in her... Love.

III

"I-I'm sorry if I hurt you..." the boy said, his hand extended. Riley, blushing and slightly nervous, reached up and took his hand.

When she stood up, she shot him a shy smile. "It's okay... It happens..."

The boy stares into her deep blue eyes, seemingly mesmerized.

"W-What's your name? I-I'm Riley," Riley introduced.

"Andrew," the boy responded. "I'm new here. Val said that you'd, uh...show me around?"

Riley's eyes widen slightly, but subtly. So, this was Val's ex...

"R-Right. Val told me you were new here, so I'm gonna show ya around. I mean, i-if you want to. I dunno why you wouldn't want to, I mean..." Riley continued to ramble, only embarrassing her more and more.

Embarrassment was pressing a few buttons himself. Mingled with Affection, it caused Riley to become more embarrassed than she ever had been.

Riley fell silent, looking at her feet, her face completely red.

"O-Of course..." Andrew finally said, causing Riley to look up at him in disbelief. "That is if...um...y-you want..."

Riley grinned, bearing her braces in her smile. She led him away and showed him to his classes, both of them as awkward as ever.

III

"So...Affection...can I call you 'Affie'? Anyway, what do you do, exactly?" Joy asked. Affection stepped away from the console, dusting his hands off.

"You people really need to take better care of your work space," he mumbled under his breath. "My job is to guide Riley through her various relationships and heartbreaks...and to make sure she finds the one meant for her."

"We could've done that..." said Ennui in her usual bored tone of voice, on the sofa and scrolling on her phone. "What else can you do?"

Affection rolled his eyes, and mumbled, "This generation..." He then adjusted his suit jacket and tie, and cleared his throat. "I'll show you. This way."

He started up the stairs of Headquarters, to an office on the far side of it. The others followed him—well, all except for Ennui, who was perfectly content with staying on the sofa.

When they reached the once empty room on the far side of Headquarters, it was filled wall-to-wall with books and held a large desk in the center with his name tag on it.

"Woah..." Joy interjected. "When did this get here?"

"Bruh, you have your own OFFICE?!" Envy chimed in. "I wish I had my own office..."

"I'm well aware you were using my space as excess storage. The maintenance crew told me," Affection said as he sat down. "No harm done."

"Yeah, it's really cool and all, but I'm not hearing what you do..." Disgust rudely interrupted.

Affection sighed and placed his hat on the desk, beside his computer. "I oversee Riley's emotions from here. On this computer, I regulate the amount of love she feels. Too much love will make her obsessive while too little love will make her bitter and cold. All could very well affect her Sense of Self, either positively or negatively."

"You still haven't answered my question, ya Frank Sinatra wannabe!" Anger interrupted. "Where were you before? If you're so old, where were you?!"

Affection stood, and answered, "Higher up. The hypothalamus was where I resided before, but the time came for me to supervise Riley's behavior from here; the residence of Riley's other emotions. Her entire personality in one room."

The emotions looked at each other, clearly intrigued by Affection's unique personality.

"Anyway, I must get back to work," he said, sitting down again. "So...go..." The other emotions stepped out of the room and walked downstairs.

"I don't trust him, Joy," Anger said. "The last new emotions took over Headquarters and changed Riley into a completely different person!"

"I know that, but it all worked out! Right?" Joy said. "And, who knows? Maybe Affie knows what he's doing!"

"I know you're right, Joy..." Anger said through gritted teeth. "But, I still don't like it..."