All I Want

working through pain | 17

•West•

I rub my tired eyes and glance out the window. James is on the ground doing his best to do a push up as Riley shouts in encouragement.

He shakes his head in frustration and gives up.

"I can't do this, Riley," James tells her, looking at the floor and gasping for breath.

Riley places a finger on his chin and leads his face towards her, "You told me once to never give up. You fought for me back then James, now fight now. Fight for us, our relationship, this pain you are feeling. You are better than this, you just have to believe,"

James stares into her eyes before nodding and going back into a push up position.

I've realised that James would do anything for Riley. Once we were going to have a massive action movie marathon at Eldon's place when James bailed last minute because Riley was fighting with Emily.

It kind of ruined our plans with the bros but he eventually made it up for us by buying us food for a week. I was mad at him then but now I realise that it's because he truly cares about Riley.

She's his life and I can see in the way he looks at her like she's the only person worth living for.

While others look at him sympathetically, Riley looks at him differently. She empties out his pain and fills him with courage, determination and strength. Riley does not pity him like others do.

They both work through this pain.

I hear Eldon sneeze from behind me and he ruffles his hair, looking out the window as well.

"Wow," He remarks, watching James run up and down the stretch of gravel.

I nod, "I've missed him, bro... the old James,"

"I've missed him as well. I gotta admit that I even miss his insults," Eldon chuckles

I pause before I ask the next question, "Do you reckon Riley's the one?"

Eldon raises an eyebrow, "Riley's always been the one. She's made him James again, I promise you bro," Eldon taps me on the shoulder, "Right now you have other things to work on,"

I frown, "What do you mean?"

"Emily," Eldon smiles

"No- what? Man, no," It's true that maybe we've both liked each other in the past but now it's different. There's no hope for us anymore. "Right now, all I'm focused on is my best friend,"

Eldon nods slightly, "Okay,"

"James, you can do this. I believe in you," Riley tells him when they sit down to have a break

"I know you do, you always have," James responds and drinks his water.

I notice how Riley looks at the ground shyly. It kind of reminds me of when she was younger. It also reminds me of how much we've grown up.

"Do you ever miss it?" I ask Eldon

He looks at me in confusion, "Missed what?"

"A-troupe, our A-troupe,"

Eldon nods with a faint smile, "Always,"

***
i don't really know how i feel about a completely new cast for season 5 of the show. i get how actors move onto different things and so do their characters on the show but it sorta saddens me that things are coming to an end for this, I guess, generation.

We've basically known them for like 4 or so years of our childhood.

But I understand and just like James said in Season 3 "things are going to change but we can't be mad at that"

It's still TNS and this show all brought us together. So I'm happy that I got a chance to be part of this.

kids younger than us will see the new cast as their A-troupe but I will never forget the OG's.

they were my A-troupe.

SEE YOU ON MONDAY'S UPDATE! ❤️