First of Two

First of Two - Chapter Four

Yaay, an update :P This is a rewrite, for those who read the previous fourth chapter. It sounded kind of off, so I changed the scene. Enjoy!

-Daphne

First of Two – Chapter Four

 R I L E Y

“Riley.”

“Yup. That’s my name.”

Adrian smiled. Like he wanted to tell her something but couldn’t.  She looked away, pretending not to notice that he hasn’t said anything for more than half a minute now while holding unto his pendant. She thought he’d never shut up. Only then did she realize how wide the school actually was. Lucky that she got a scholarship at Hampton. Otherwise, she would have still been living with her stepmom back in Michigan.

“So,” Adrian started giddily as ever, “Um, what time is your next class?”

She turned back to him and shrugged, “I actually have only one class on Mondays.”

“Oh,” he replied and scrambled inside his bag. A few seconds later, he took out a notebook and flipped it open as he studied what was written on it. “Hm, turns out I don’t have fitness class after all. And I also have only one class on Monday.” It looked more like he was taking to himself that stating it to Riley. “Can you believe that?”

“Well,” Riley mumbled, “Maybe we’re taking the same classes. I have fitness class tomorrow at two.”

Adrian reread his schedule and smiled. “Oh, yeah. Me too... That’s weird... So if you only have one class today, what are you still doing here?”

“Um,” she raised an eyebrow at him, “excuse me, but you wouldn’t stop talking the whole time and I just… I don’t know, didn’t want to interrupt you.” That wasn’t entirely true; Riley knew that. In fact, what she didn’t really know was why exactly she was still there.

Adrian laughed. “I was just trying to be nice… filling up the conversation… you don’t talk a lot. Plus, your day started out pretty bad. I just felt like you needed someone to switch that around. You said you don’t make a lot of friends. Well, guess what. You just did.”

How could she not smile at him? Sure it was weird how interested he seemed to talk to her—contrary how people would usually treat her: as if she wasn’t worth anything. Not that she had problems with that, though. But he really was something, even if he talked too much.

“Um, if you’re forgetting, your day started the same way mine did. Coffee and all.”

“Yeah,” Adrian replied considerately, “But I took it pretty well. You should too. It was hilarious, admit it.”

Riley rethought about it. First, Becca lead her to the wrong way, getting her late. And because of that, she had to deal with Ms. Grumpy Teacher and her throw-out-my-coffee favor. If she hadn’t been holding that coffee cup, Adrian wouldn’t have bumped into her and she could have still attended class normally.

Nope. Nothing hilarious.

“A little,” she lied anyway.

He bit his lip, “Do you have to go?”

“Why?”

“You’re my first college friend ever,” he stated as if it was such a big deal. “We should know more about each other! No kidding.”

A D R I A N

He only suggested that she tell him more about her to get her to say something.

Or was that really the reason? At first, she only stayed silent. Like whatever he said didn’t make a bit of sense. But then she asked, “What… do you want to know?”

“Okay,” he replied, “Um, what brings you here to Hampton?”

“Well, it’s a good school. And it’s the only one that accepted my scholarship request…”

“Cool, cool. I live close. So Hampton was really perfect for me... Why were you late this morning, by the way?”

He almost expected her to take a few, long seconds to respond. She always did. “I got lost.”

“Oh… I memorized the whole school.” He had an idea. It would help her out tomorrow and she wouldn’t have to be late. “Riley, do you want to go on a tour? I’ll show you the shortcuts and the exits and where each Wing is located.”

She stood up and smiled slightly. “Okay.”

And so they went. Both roamed around the school as Adrian pointed out every single detail he knew about it. Huge as it was, he knew he was somehow confusing Riley. But she would learn. It didn’t take much time for him to know the hallways by heart.

“So if you walk all the way down that corridor, you’ll get to the cafeteria. There are three staircases you can take from the caf. And the one in the middle leads you to the library only. Beware. It’s in this hidden square—“ He stopped himself. It dawned unto him that he was the only one talking again.

“Riley?” She looked up to him, her arms folded as her backpack freely hung on one of her shoulders. “Let’s play a game.” Her eyebrow rose and they continued walking. “It’s pretty hilarious. I ask you a question and you can only answer with another question. We keep going until one of us fails to answer with a question.”

This idea was one of the games they played at the last Christmas party they had at the Center. Remembering the fun he had at the Center, where he got better, was like recalling the ladder that pulled him out of the pit. Adrian missed it, but at the same, he was glad that he got out of there by himself.

“I don’t know,” Riley replied. “I’ll probably lose.”

“Oh no,” he assured her, shaking his head, “Everybody who plays this game becomes so determine to win, it’s ridiculous. One time, I played this for hours. I won of course. You'll love it, I swear.”

It took her a few seconds, but she agreed. “Okay,” Riley said. “Go.”

He smiled and nodded.

“Am I a good tour guide?”

“Do you want me to tell you the truth?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Are you scared to know?”

“Why would I?”

“Because,” Riley replied and quickly added, “I mean… Why don’t you tell me?”

“Are you aware that you almost lost this challenge?”

“Are you aware that I’m actually going to win this challenge?”

“Are you aware that I’ve never lost in this challenge not once?”

“Prove it.”

“HAH! I think I just did.” He started laughing hysterically. “You just lost.”

Riley rolled her eyes and playfully punched his side.

“No kidding!”