Love Shy

Chapter Twenty Five

Pulling up to my house my heart froze as I spied Rio standing outside my front door. Dad was standing there also and they seemed lost in conversation until Jordan shut the engine. "so im guessing by your reaction that's dude?" Jordan said strumming his fingers on the wheel restlessly. He was a fidgeter at the best of times but now he was almost twitching as he stared at two of the most important people in my life. "jordz I gotta go" I whispered hoarsely and he nodded thoughtfully. "do you kid" he said a little despondently and I looked at him with a questioning look. He immediately averted his eyes out of the window "be careful shy" he said affectively shutting the conversation down and I sighed before getting out of the car. I walked meekly to the house with three sets of eyes on me. Rio and dad both looked from the car to me. Rio brushed down his waves for a moment, jaw clenching before he turned his gaze back to me. I heard Jordan drive off and took a few more steps towards the house. dads voice broke the silence "Shy, Rio came by to say a few things, this once you can go in your..." "no I got to go don't worry about it Mr Monroe forget what I said. thanks for your time" me and dad both shocked from Rios interruption that we couldn't say anything. It wasn't until Rio wrenched open the gate and tried to walk past me that my body and brain kicked into gear. I grabbed his arm and he flinched. my heart broke further, I knew he was angry that I was with another guy. I couldn't blame him it looked all wrong. he looked at me for a long time. not shrugging out of my hold on his wrist. "you told me you needed space, needed to be alone." he sounded defeated and I felt like the biggest bitch, "its nothing like what you think. come inside lets talk" I said quietly and I looked at dad who nodded before walking back inside. Rio stood a few moments later not moving until I dragged on his arm. Reluctantly he let me grab him into the house and up the stairs. I thanked god that Rio hadn't walked away. I shut my door quietly as Rio hovered by my bed, walking past him I sat down on the edge and looked up at him. He looked lovely, but he looked hurt. I sighed. "he's just a friend" I whispered meekly and Rio moved to pace the floor. "this morning you needed space, now you got time for friends? male friends, that you aint ever mentioned before? give me a break shy" his frustration was like electricity shooting off him in waves. I looked down at my fingers locked in my lap knowing I looked as guilty as I felt. "why are you leaving?" I asked quietly and his pacing stopped. he looked at me for long moments and I peeked a look at him under my lashes he was brushing his waves with vigor. "cos you want me to." he said simply and I gasped. "I never once said that" I spat outraged "you never told me you wanted me to stay either shy" he said quietly and my traitorous eyes filled with tears. with them came the anger. "you did this to us Rio. I was happy, really happy and you messed that all up not me so don't you dare stand there like a victim in all this when im the one that's been betrayed." his eyes told me he was sorry. his mouth told me he wasn't, "its done now shy. what you want me to do I can beg, I can buy you gifts, I can do anything except take it back." he was leaning against my wardrobe looking defeated. "I don't want you to go" I whispered wiping my nose and he fired his answer back just as quietly. "then take me back" I shook my head sadly "I cant, its not that simple" he laughed without any humour. then rubbed his hand roughly over his face. "I cant be around you and not be with you. if you said there was a chance we could make it right when this all blows over id take it but if there's no hope I cant stay shy" he moved to sit next to me and I felt myself weaken. " don't you miss what we had shy? God knows id do anything you wanted. you know I can make you happy" I stood slowly and backed away. everything he was saying causing my defences to crumble. I couldn't be near him whilst he was saying these things. looking the way he did, smelling the way he did. "you can also hurt me like no one else Rio." I said leaning on my door, as I lifted my head to watch him I felt another wave of sadness take over as he hung his head in shame. "I know" was all he said. I sighed and he rested his forearms on his thighs looking straight ahead. "I want you shy. I cant help it. I don't try and hurt you. I don't mean to. I say things, do things to prevent upsets and end up making it worse." I sighed and continued looking up at the ceiling resting my head on the door. "I know you don't mean to, but it still hurts. and it scares me that you can cause that much damage" I noticed him nodding out the corner of my eye. "I don't know how to be what you need shy, what you want, or your perfect man but I want to be, I want us to be together not just now on some stupid school boy tip, but proper." he stood and moved towards me and I deftly crossed the room away from him. he cursed under his breath behind me and then his arms were around my waist. "stop running" he kissed behind my ear and I whimpered as my legs weakened. "we got this, and I got you. I need you princess" tears flowed down my cheeks blurring my vision of the moon as I looked out of the window. he turned me slowly in his arms brushing his lips across my wet cheeks before closing in on my mouth with the most tender kiss possible. My body betrayed me flowing into his arms even as my mind tried to keep a handle on the matter at hand. pushing away slowly I looked up into his eyes and saw the sincerity and pain. then his lips were crushing down onto mine again and I struggled to breathe at the intensity of it. I don't know how long we were there for but dads voice on the other side of the door was like ice water on us as we sprang apart me going to the window and Rio sitting on my bed. Dad called me again and then popped his head round the door. "you two ok?" I didn't turn around but I guess Rio must have nodded because dad said good. "shy?" I nodded still looking out of the window knowing I was crimson with embarrassment. what the hell just happened? "im good daddy. we wont be long" "ok its getting late so lets wrap this up and ill drop Rio home" I continued to stare out of the window barely hearing my dad over the rushing of my blood in my ears. The door clicked back shut and I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. " I can't even apologise for that shy. I need you. And I'm not sorry about that." I continued staring unseeingly out of the window not acknowledging rios words in the slightest. "I gotta go shy. Tell me not to move to my dads." I stayed quiet and I heard him approach me, felt him in fact. "Don't go" I said quietly and his foot steps stopped. His breathing hitched momentarily. "Meaning?" He asked although I know he knew. "Meaning stay" I said bring deliberately obtuse as I turned around to face him. "Shy i..." Before he could say anything I jumped in. "I dunno if this will work, How it will work and I dunno if I'm crazy. I haven't even managed to get over what you did But I dont want you to go" dads voice calling from downstairs told us our time was up. "You won't regret it I promise give me time" rio leant in to kiss me once more on my lips before turning to leave the room. Was I crazy?