his little girl // jiley

Chapter VI

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C H A P T E R
S I X
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Rileys POV

"EM, I FAILED," I call out as I open the apartment door. Em looks at me. "He doesn't want anything to do with me." I explain.

I plonk myself down on the couch next to her and stick my hand into her crisp bag. She rolls her eyes.

"I told you." She states. "You were a bitch to him; why should he forgive you as soon as you apologise? Give the boy time."

I pound Emily's arm with my fist, furrowing my eyebrows in anger. "I was not a bitch!"

"You kinda where." Emily says, before sighing. "I'm not doing this with you. Sort it out yourself."

Sometimes Em is a really good sister. I'll admit. But then there's those times where she's just so shit. This is one of them times, for sure.

And these are the times I call my backup.

Michelle, of course.

I stand up and storm out and into my room, picking up my phone and failing Michelle's number. On the third ring she picks up.

"Ri, what's up?" She says casually.

"The sky. And, like, everything that's happening in my life." I sigh, "help."

"What now?" Michelle's asks.

"Everything." I repeat, frustratedly.

"Talk to mama."

That means we'll be here a while. It always does.

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I walk into dance, a spark of hope that James would show up and talk to me. I know it's stupid to hope, when he made it clear that he didn't love me any more. But I still do.

I start stretching with the girls but keep my eyes on the door for most of the time. He's late...?

That's normal now, though. His jobs. And... her. Hazel.

"James'll be here in a minute, Ri." Stephanie reassures me.

"Okay," I sigh.

Five minutes later, Kate walks in, and rehearsals start. No James. I'm kind of worried, he's so close to getting kicked off, what if Kate cracks and then decides James is done for? He won't be able to go to Miami.

Eldon picks up on this too. "Yo, where's James at?"

Everyone shrugs, and Miss. Kate looks a little sad.

"He... quit." She tells us. A murmur erupts in the studio, as everyone gasps and mumbles to each other. "Personal reasons, apparently."

Oh no. He gave up this chance for the kid. He's so dumb. Ugh.

"Anyway! Rehearsal, now," Miss. Kate orders, and we reluctantly get in our positions.

I end up faking all the lifts because James isn't here. He's my partner for pretty much everything. It's so weird without him here.

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James's POV

I practically collapse onto the sofa when I get home, groaning and squeezing my eyes shut.

I was so wrong when I thought I could handle this. This is hard. Harder than I ever thought, to be honest. I'm so fucking exhausted, I can't even think straight.

And I still have to take care of Hazel. She's my priority. And probably the hardest job.

Not her, technically. But the things she requires, like food, and clothes, and money. And honestly I don't have much of that. Even with working.

Hazels at a friends house at the minute, but she'll be back in an hour or so. I start making myself food, once I finally get off the couch, and I plug my earphones in to keep me awake.

I have my music on at full blast, so it's vibrating in my head, and I can almost feel the beat throughout my whole body. It's so loud I barely hear the house phone ringing.

I quickly pick it up and hope I didn't leave it too late. People seem to get annoyed when I do that.

"Hello?" I say, nonchalantly.

"James?" Ugh. It's Mr. Herron, my boss at the supermarket. My awful, bossy, evil boss of whom I with death apon. "I need to talk to you."

"Go ahead." I stifle a yawn.

"The supermarket is closing down," he begins. A string of panic tightens around my chest, and I raise my eyebrows in alarm. "What?" I exclaim.

"It's closing," he repeats. "I'm very sorry, but the funding just isn't working out."

"No, Mr. Herron. This job is my main source of money!" I panic. "Without it, sir, me and my daughter are going to starve!"

"Sorry, Son." Mr. Herron sighs. "Best of luck."

Then he hangs up. Well, shit.

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A U T H O R S
N O T E
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This is pretty bad but I need something to post so... I don't know...
is this story boring? I feel like it is. Give me HONEST feedback!
- emma xx