Rise

Chapter 3

I want to throw them both across the room and into the fryers.

They both look at me, all smiles.

"Do you want a ride? It's just a car ride I'm not going to kidnap you and rape you in a fucking mini van out in the middle of nowhere." He teases.

I flinch at his choice of words, though I use fowl language a lot, it surprises me to see some stranger using it to speak to me.

He leans closer, his lips brushing my ear. "Unless you want me to."

I gasp, moving away and punching his arm.

He laughs, his friend beside me laughs too.

What the fuck is this?

I decide to give in. "Fine, take me home and that's all."

He smiles. "Alrighty then."

He leaves the booth and I do too, his friend watching us walk out into the pouring rain.

"I never got your name." He says softly.

"Melanie, I go by Ella."

"Cute, I'm Riley."

I nod. My hands are stuffed into my pockets.

He lightly grabs my arm, leading me to his black Toyota.

He unlocks the car and opens the door for me, I get in and sit down.

I quickly close the door as I watch him walk around the front and into the seat beside me.

He bites his lip.

I never liked boys, or anyone, but I find this extremely attractive.

He starts the car, warm heat blasting through the vents.

I feel cozy, It's nice.

"Where do you live, Ella?" He grins.

I tell him my address and he nods, pulling out of the Taco Bell parking lot.

It is the longest ten minute drive in my entire life, we make small talk, I learn that we go to the same college, he spits out a few jokes, and I laugh at all of them.

He is quite funny and silly for some gothic guy.

He is also my age.

We arrive at my apartment.

He parks the car.

"Should I walk you in?" He asks.

I freeze, what is he intending on doing by walking me in.

I sit silently, not knowing what to say or how to react.

He giggles. "I'm not trying to get into your pants if that's what you're thinking."

I sigh, believing him. "If you say 'Unless you want me to get into your pants' I will drive your car into a ravine with you strapped to the back."

He flinches and smiles. "Ooh feisty."

"But yes please I'd like you to walk me in." I smile, trying to be somewhat cute.

We exit his car and walk into the complex.

We go down a flight of stairs and through a corridor, finally arriving at my apartment door.

"I'll have to remember where you live so I can stop by." He teases.

I groan, trying not to punch him in the face.

I fiddle for my keys, opening the door.

The warm aroma of vanilla evacuates the room and out into the hall where Riley and I stood.

"Well um thanks for the ride." I say.

"Melanie, what the hell?"

I'm startled, Riley isn't the one who said that.

I look at him, he wears a mask of confusion.

We step into my apartment and see of course, Harry.

"How'd you get in?!" I shout.

He rolls his eyes.

Why was he being so cocky? He's never rude.

He's always sweet and kind, laughing off everything.

"Who are you what are you doing here?" Harry snaps, his eyes a dark color, focusing on Riley.

Riley balls his fists. "I was about to ask you that."

"Oh so you're already bringing guys home and having sex? I didn't know you had it in you Melanie." Harry says, each word clawing at my insides.

I walk up to him. "Me bringing home people?"

I laugh, confusion covering every inch of Harry's stupid pretty face.

"So you can bring home girls and I can't bring home one guy?" I snap.

His eyes darken. "It wasn't like that Mel, you know that."

"Don't call me 'Mel' or 'Melanie.'"

He smirks. "And if I do?"

"I'll rip your arms off and glue them to your face."

"Okay then Melanie."

I want to explode, I want to push him down the stairs and hug him and use every single cuss word on him that's in the book.

"I don't know what's going on but I think you need to go." Riley snaps at Harry.

Harry laughs. "No, you're the one who needs to."

I step into the middle of them both, my hands on their hard chests.

"Harry fucking leave." I mutter.