Pretty Please - Riley McDonough Fanfiction

Chapter 22

Avery's POV

We hugged for a long time. After that we talked a while. He made me smile, then laugh. It was such a relief. He didn't look at me differently. Or maybe he did. With more trust and closeness. My chest wasn't burning from anxiety. I felt good. I didn't think about my parents much. Once or twice they crossed my mind but it didn't bother me. Riley didn't think it was my fault and nothing else mattered at that moment.

Riley asked where I was going when we reached the main road.

"I don't know", I answered. I was tired, but I didn't feel like being alone.

"I know you have classes tomorrow, but..." he laughed awkwardly, "do you want to come to sleep at my place? That way you wouldn't have to be alone."

I smiled. "That would be perfect." We stopped by at my house to get me clothes since I had left my tomorrow's stuff at my parents and there was no way I was going to get them. Now that I thought of it, I was probably going to force Ellie to drive there and get my things. I was such a good friend, it warmed my heart.

When I was done picking up my things, we drove at Riley's. At his house he pulled up and we stayed silent, not getting out of the car.

"Thank you."

"For what?" I asked.

"For telling me." He looked at me and this time my heart really was warm.

"No." I shook my head. "Thank you for listening."

The edges of his mouth curved up. "I'm always here if you need me."

I've noticed.

We opened our doors and walked inside. All the lights were on as we entered the living room. Toby was sitting on the couch and raised his gaze from his phone when he noticed we had come. "Hey", he said and watched us carefully. He looked at me. "Are you okay?"

There was a chance I looked like a complete mess. I was 100% sure my make up was smudged. I was 100% sure my hair was curled into a ball. I was 100% sure my eyes were a little puffy and red even though I had stopped crying a long time ago. I nodded. "I'm fine."

He didn't buy it. "Doesn't look like it."

"Where's Connor?" Riley said, cutting Toby.

"In the... workroom?"

"Okay." Riley smiled down at me. "I'm going to talk to Connor a little bit. Do you want to wait with Toby or do you want to go clean up?"

"I'll wait here." I glanced at Toby. "If it's fine."
"It is. We can make omelettes!"

Riley rolled his eyes and left me laughing at Toby. I had been right. Toby was only capable of making omelettes. But it didn't matter, his omelettes were great.

I followed Toby to the kitchen and waited as he took the ingredients from the fridge. When we waited our omelettes to be done by the stove, Toby started quietly.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

I sighed. "No, Toby, I'm not. But I'm fine for now and that's what matters."

"Okay." Toby stayed silent for a moment and flipped his omelette. Then he looked at me again. "Still, if you want to talk sometime... You have my number."

Wow, were all the... whatever-their-last-name-was this nice? "I'll remember that, thank you."

After that we didn't talk much. We both enjoyed the silence because it was so late and I knew I was going to be tired tomorrow at classes. I kept thinking about not going but then that would make my friends ask questions I didn't want to answer to.