Senior Year-Rucas

Toxic

Chapter 30

Riley called into work, realizing after the fact that it probably would've been best for her to go. She needed a distraction, but the brunette never wanted to be alone more than she did right now. She sat in the far back booth, like she did when she was hungover, hoping to hide away from the world. Her brown, swollen eyes were covered by sunglasses and she only wished that she was drinking, maybe that would help. Riley knew she had to quit thinking about him, if she was going to get over him. Which, seemed impossible. The weather outside was fitting for the mood she was in, rainy and gloomy. Her backpack was unzipped slightly revealing his hoodie that he gave her. It still smelt like him. "Congratulations universe, I fell for a guy and you pull this stunt. You win." She whispered and took a drink of her water. "I've got to move on." She stared out the window after removing her sunglasses and watched rain drops race down the glass betting on which one would fall off first, a game she invented when she was a little girl.

"Hey." She kept staring out the window.

"Hey Josh." Her uncle slid into the booth and glanced at her.

"I saw you weren't at work." Riley gazed at him and then instantly out the window, hoping to hide her eyes.

"Is there a question?"

"I'm worried about you Riley." She chuckled and held her breath hoping to stop the tears.

"I'm guessing there was never a question."

"Riley, Lucas is hurting just as much as you are." Her arms crossed and she rubbed the goosebumps off of her arms. Funny right, how a name can do that to her. "Talk to him and-"

"We've talked."

"Stop!" He snapped and the brunette stared at him, as intently as she was at the window. It almost frightened him. "Listen, for once in your damn life, just listen. No witty remarks or sarcastic jokes." Her hands were up in surrender. "You aren't the only one hurting! He has loved you for a long time Riley." Her stare softened. "He never told you, for reasons that are beyond my understanding, but he had his reasons. My guess is when we were mudding, I saw the way he looked at you then, but I don't know for sure. You'll have to talk to him about that, i'm not saying run back to him. All i'm saying is if you truly love him like you say you do then you'd take his feelings into account also."

Her head was slowly nodding. "Am I allowed to speak now?"

"Yeah."

"You don't think i'm taking into account how he's feeling? Honestly? You think that?" Josh didn't reply. "That's all I can think about, his eyes that turned red from the tears that he openly shed. His shaking hands and the look on his face-" She stopped to cry and took a few short breaths to hinder her feelings, but when that didn't work she wiped the tears away. "The look on his face, and in his eyes when I told him we were done, that breaks my heart more than anything. All of those things flash into my mind, like its been burned permanently, whenever i'm sleeping, or even sitting here by myself, because I love him."

"Than why are you doing this?"

Riley exhaled and stared at the table. "I spent a year in a relationship that was toxic for me, and I finally got out. This is probably the first sign of a toxic situation, and i'm not sticking around to find out."

"Key word is probably." His hands tapped the table as he slid out, Josh started to walk away when she began to mumble.

"I said probably with Charlie too."

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Luke, where are you?
Sittin' on my porch.
She's at the diner.
I'll be there in 10 minutes.