A disastrous book

Chapter 12: Unrequited Love

Alex's POV

All my life, I never knew what love felt like.

I've had a few minor crushes here and there, but I never really acted on it, knowing that all my efforts would be in vain.

Riley and I were the invisible kids. Her, the introverted, socially awkward, and me, the weird, impulsive. We would always sit alone, choosing not to hang out with the others because we simply liked it that way. Drama free. The less, the better.

It was always like this, and neither of us minded. Riley was used to my weirdness that she's now basically immune to, and I was used to her awkwardness whenever she stepped out of her comfort zone. We oddly complimented each other, both having an understanding of each other's brains.

A lot of rumours were spread ever since we started hanging out alone that we're dating and are madly in love. We both laughed at that.

Having Riley as my best friend is probably why I'm still sane. She puts up with my dramatic ass, and makes me feel comfortable being who I am in front of her. A lot of girls are turned off by my personality, saying that I'm too much, not cool enough, too weird... Riley never made me feel like I have to pretend to impress her, and she even talked some sense into me when I told her about what most girls think about me, but of course in her own sarcastic, non chalant way.

How does she manage to insult me and compliment me at the same time?

It's why she's my favourite person to hang out with. She's kind hearted, tells it like it is and not to mention her sense of humour.

But I would never admit that to her of course.

It's always been just the two of us. Well, until a particular someone came in the picture.

I sigh as I turn my head towards said someone.

I probably look like a creep, but I can't help not steal a glance of her every now and then. It would be a crime not to appreciate such... beauty.

Sat next to me, Riley 2.0 looks sadly out of the car window, her hand formed into a fist to support her head as it slightly squishes her left cheek, with a small pout making her angelic face look so childishly adorable.

We're waiting for Riley in the school parking lot to finish her tutoring session, and Riley 2.0 has been sulking ever since we arrived, and I think I know why.

"They've been in there for ever..." she annoyedly trails off.

A trait I noticed in her, is that she can't hide her feelings for the life of her. When she gets excited, it mirrors onto her face and radiates off of her, making whoever is in the same room as her feel it. It's so contagious.

But sadly, it means the same for the other emotions. And right now, whatever she's feeling is radiating off to me.

Jealousy.

Riley 2.0 is jealous of Riley, while I'm jealous of that chemistry teacher.

Mr X.

It's weird as shit, but that's how he introduced himself to us.

Ever since he stepped foot in our class, he had Riley 2.0 smitten. Of course I can't blame her, any girl would. He's the definition of, as Riley would put it whenever she was gushing about some male celebrity, a literal Greek God.

And here I am, a scrawny geek with arms about the size of a twig, and I get why girls wouldn't take interest in me.

And that fact never bothered me until now surprisingly.

Seeing Riley 2.0 obsessing over some middle aged dude who hasn't given her his time of day, while I'm sitting right here, ready to worship the ground she walks on if she asks me to, is frustrating. It's like we're both chasing the people who are too blind to see us.

Except she has someone who sees her, yet I don't.

The few days we've spent with her made me feel things I've never felt before. After first seeing her, I was awestruck, as was the whole population of the school. But hanging out with her took that feeling, and multiplied it by a hundred.

She feels so...familiar.

When she smiles, I don't just see a pretty mouth with a set of perfect pearly white teeth, I see her giddiness and excitement, something so pure and sincere, and I feel selfish for not wanting any other person to see it. When she looks at me with her big eyes, I see kindness, a kindness that the world lacks, a kindness that would make the cruelest man cry.

But what I see now is pain.

I know because my eyes now look the same.

-

Sorry for the short chapter, but we finally got Alex's POV! What do you think about his whole simping over Riley 2.0 thing? You think he'll feel any different once he finds out the truth about her?

As always, thank you for reading, plz vote and comment and let me know your thoughts! Until the next chap!