All I Want

just love me | 26

•Eldon•

James pants heavily beside me as we jog through the woods. James stopped dancing for a year and lost all the muscle and endurance that he gained so hard for.

West and I continued dancing at small competitions around England to keep fit but James would always be sleeping, crying or drinking at the pub near Ella's house.

"Can we take a break?" James stops and sits down, gasping in air from his lungs.

I nod, not even tired and glance behind me, we're only two hundred metres from the cottage, I can see it clearly from here.

I squint through the trees and see Riley sitting on the porch, observing us. She's been really quiet since her date with James last night.

"So how was the date?" I ask, leaning again the tree.

James shrugs, "Yeah, it was good... well at least I thought it was,"

I sit down beside him, "What happened?"

He shrugs again, "I honestly don't know, Eldon,"

"Well, if you don't know why is Riley really quiet today? Normally she's talking to you or talking about you,"

James sighs, "I tried to kiss her last night. I thought she was feeling it, you know what I mean, but she pulled me into a hug instead,"

"Oh, well, girls are complicated, James. I mean Thalia only texts me on Mondays, calls me on Wednesdays and puts on her right shoe first-"

"Eldon, man. I don't- I don't really care Thalia at the moment," James sighs

I throw my hands up in the air, "Well, just try talking to her,"

"I don't know how to, I'm afraid if I say something wrong she'll leave me again,"

I place a hand on his shoulder, "James, Riley isn't going to leave you again, I know it,"

James gets up, "I guess, I'll have to think about it, let's get going,"

I nod and start jogging with James beside me again, "You know, I never got to thank you for helping me with advice on Thalia. It's kind of weird that you are asking me for advice,"

He nods slightly sad, "No problem, I guess I'm not the same as I was,"

"Sorry," I whisper

James shakes his head, "No, I understand what you were trying to say,"

There's a long silence, only broken by James breathing heavily as we crunch leaves beneath our feet.

"I just want her to love me," James whispers

"She does love you," I argue

James pauses before whispering, "So why can't we just be together again?"

I sigh, "Love is complicated,"

He nods and I tap him on the shoulder so we can head back to the cottage before I get lost again.

James goes silent and I leave him be for the time being. He just needs to think what's best for Riley and him and I know he'll make the right decision.

After a year of listening to him cry over her and destroy his life, he needs to make the right choice.

He needs to let her go.

***
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