Ugly Girl

Chapter Five

Riley--> 

Chapter Five: Riley

                We sped along the highway in Mace’s car, the wind wiping through our hair as they all talked and joked. I was in the worst mood of my life. How the hell did I get roped into spending a whole weekend with these people? Oh yeah, my dad. He decided that I needed to spend some time with my new “friends”.

                At first, they were OK. They were the ones to welcome me to school, after all. But after that night at the carnival they started to annoy me. Why were they always so happy? Didn’t they know the suffering people went through every day?

                Anyway, I sat next to Zoey as Mace drove his convertible through the warm California air. Despite my shitty mood, it was a pretty nice day.

                Eventually, we reached a long row of brightly painted homes lined next to each other, only separated by a wooden fence and thin area of room. Mace pulled the car into a house painted a horrid blue/green. It was rather small but the backyard was literally the beach. Neatly trimmed hedges lined the wooden wraparound porch and flowers traced the walkway.

                “Mace, it’s beautiful here!” Zoey exclaimed as we all hauled our bags into the house. I quietly followed behind the rest as they all decided on their rooms. Since there were only three rooms, a few of us had to bunk with each other. The two girls together and the other two girls, Johnny and Mace, bunked together, leaving me by myself in the last room.

                Thank god.

                Music suddenly blasted out of the speakers down stairs as I slowly unpacked my suitcase, trying to avoid heading down. My room had a simple queen bed with peach colored sheets on it. A white wood wardrobe sat underneath a TV and two nightstands that match the wardrobe sat on either side of the bed. The walls were painted a light blue and had pictures of different sea life on them. It was actually I nice room, a little small, but nice.

                By now, I could hear Ally and Johnny singing to the obnoxiously loud music. I wish with all my might they would stop but I wasn’t lucky. Their awful voices carried all the way upstairs and into my room and didn’t stop for three songs. It may have been only ten minutes of hell but it seemed like an eternity. I decided against leaving my room for the night, even if it meant skipping dinner. They wouldn’t notice I was gone; they were too busy wrapped up with being positive.

                The next morning, I crept down the stairs, careful to not make a peep. Just before I reached the door to the kitchen, I heard two distinct voices; Johnny and Ally.

                “Hey, I just realized that guy Riley disappeared.” Johnny’s muffled vice said,

                “Eh, who cares? He is so-o whiny and mopey. Why’d we bring him?” Ally says with a huff.

                “I know right, let’s hope he hides in his room all weekend.”

                The two begin to laugh as they leave the kitchen through the opposite door and enter the living room. Take this opportunity to haul ass to the kitchen I was going to need a good breakfast to prove those to idiots wrong.

*Zoey*

                After stretching my back in bed, I leap onto the cold wood floor with a soft thud and begin to look through my closet. I was amazed with Mace’s grandparent’s beach house; it was beautiful. Ally wasn’t in her twin bed so I got undressed in the middle of the room. I pulled on a pink bikini and a sundress on top of it. I quickly snatched up a hair tie before going in search of food and threw my hair into a messy ponytail on my way down the stairs. I paused outside the window and stared at awe at the beautiful beach. Amazingly, not a lot of people were on the white sand. Good, I thought, more room for us! I chuckled quietly as I wandered into the kitchen. There stood Riley, still in sweats and a t-shirt from the night before. “Good morning!” I say cheerfully. I feel a sudden pang of guilt. Last night while Riley hid away in his room, the other three would not stop talking about how much of a pain he was. I hated to admit it, but he was. He was the “glass is half empty” type of people.

                He nods at me over his cup of tea then smiles. “Are we going to the beach today?”

                Shocked at his good mood, I have to take a minute to find my voice. “Y-yeah, it’s beautiful out today.”

                He nods again, I agreement this time. “Too bad Lilly couldn’t make it, it’s gorgeous out here!”

                “It’s Lizzy and yeah, she’d love it here.”

                He nods awkwardly. We stand there for a few minutes before I reach over and grab a banana. I smile tightly at him before leaving for the living room. Ally and Johnny are already there, sitting in the green sofa, a little too close for comfort if you know what I’m saying. In an attempt to leave them as they are, I quietly back up. However, I smash right into Riley. Before he can utter a word, I shove him back where he came from.

                “What was that for?” he hisses angrily.

                “Sorry!” I say apologetically, “Ally and Johnny are and there and…” I trail off and laugh shyly. “I just really want to see them together.”

                He raises an eyebrow and asks, “Why?”

                I peek out the kitchen door, they’re still there. Motioning for him to follow me, I creep out the back door to the beach. Without a word, we cross the white sand until we reach the crystal clear water and plopped down on the sticky sand.

                “Well?”

                “You know how Ally is, she isn’t very keen on the idea of dating.” I say with a sigh. “Her dad isn’t really in the picture so she hates men. Johnny is the only one she really likes.”

                “Why?”

                Officially annoyed with his one word answers, I sigh angrily. I then explain how he ditched all his friends to stand up for her.

                His expression suddenly changes to something else; admiration. “He did all that?” I nod, still studying him carefully. “Wow, maybe he isn’t that bad after all.”

                I stare at him in shock, “You thought Johnny was a jerk?”

                “No, I thought he was annoying.”

                My draw drops, how could anyone hate Johnny? He was naturally lovable, like a puppy. That’s why he was so popular, everyone loves Johnny Ricci!

                Riley lets out a snicker, “Maybe I should’ve gotten to know him. Judging from your face, it must be hard to hate the kid.”

                “It’s impossible!” I let out a loud laugh. “Ally might dislike you but if you befriend Johnny, she’ll come around.”

                He nods; a smile now on his lips. This time it was different-his smile I mean. This time it was genuine and I knew that from now on, he was going to be a lot different.

A/N: So tell me what ya'lls favorite character is and I'll makeit from their POV more often!(: Give me feedback and I'll love you forever!! 

Thanks!(: