The Summer Before Senior Year

Seth

I don't know if I was furious, frustrated or sad after Riley had bolted right before kissing her. I do know that I was tired of her avoiding me like the plague since it happened. Two days. Two. Fucking. Days without a word to me. Not even a single text and she can't bear to stay alone with me. She'd only talk to me if we were with a group of friends but I'd become tired of her bullshit and was going to put a complete end to it during dinner.

"Are you still avoiding me?" I quirked an eyebrow as I dropped into the seat opposite her in the cafeteria and she jumped.

"What the fuck!" she said attempting to calm herself down. "Don't do that again!"

"You haven't answered the question." I smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she feigned ignorance.

"You know if you stopped pretending that it never happened, you'll be able to get over it." I said sliding beside her.

She dropped her phone to face me squarely.

"Look Seth, what happened on Saturday is an indication that we're both horny and sexually deprived. All you need is one of your brain-dead bimbos to fulfill your little problem down there," she pointed to my pants, "and I'll find a way to curb mine. It meant nothing."

Classic Riley. But I wouldn't dwell too much on it because I didn't kiss her. Not yet anyway.

"So if it didn't mean anything, why did you avoid me?" I smirked and she paled. Got you Riles.

But I wasn't prepared for what she was about to say next.

"Did it ever occur to you that you're not the only person in this camp I talk to?" she asked. When I didn't answer she saw it as a chance to continue, "I can always talk to you Seth but I also want friends from here too."

She was lying and I could tell. She had already bitten her lower lip twice.

"You see Cormack that's the thing," I whispered lowly in her ear, "You're forgetting that I'm your best friend. I've known you for a long time so I can tell when you're lying. Try again."

When I looked at her face, she was flushed which made me a little satisfied. She made no move to talk to me as we settled into an awkward silence but I wanted to hang out with her, maybe seduce her a bit so I tried to act like past ten minutes didn't  happen.

"Wanna hang out later?" I asked.

"Your cabin or mine?" she asked.

"Anyone is fine with me. Just text me later. Oh and please don't stand me up like last time."

She smiled wryly before mouthing an 'okay'.

Fifteen minutes later, a text chimed in.

Rileyisbae: come over?

I didn't even reply before going to knock at her cabin.

"I need your input on something." she said pulling me inside.

"What's up?" 

"So I want to have a birthday get together and I want the girls to come home with me for the week. What do you think?"

"What do you plan on doing for the get together?" I asked lying on her bed.

"I want to have a Brett Michael-style party." she smiled.

"I loved those parties." I reminisced.

Brett Michael was the most popular guy at our school before he graduated. He was a senior when we were sophomores and his birthday parties were the most prestigious events ever. They were always held in an open garden with white seats scattered at different parts of the garden. His parties were invitation only and you had to RSVP to attend them. The best one was the one in his senior year and I was lucky to have attended. It had a Coachella theme and the flowers around were in full bloom. There was an amazing DJ, Twenty One Pilots performed live and there were food stations at random places. It was the perfect excuse to buy from H&M's Coachella line. The best part was that the alcohol was minimal so if anything happened, you know you were sober when it happened.