COLD TO THE TOUCH || RILAYA

E L E V E N

I arrived home to see a note on the door.

Hey kiddo. Your mom and I are out for the night. I hope things went well with Riley and food's on the counter. Love you! - Shawn

I sigh to myself, but at least I get some time alone. I unlock the door to find mac n cheese left on the counter with cookies. I grab the dessert and sit on the couch blasting music, trying to sort out different feelings.

I finally got exactly what I wanted, but I wasn't sure. Did she want what I want? Did she just kiss me because I wanted her to? Did Lucas tell her to? Did-

KNOCK KNOCK

I look over to the window and see Smackle in a new jacket waving to me. I wave back and open the front door. Before either of us can say a word, she jumps into my arms.

"I heard what happened," she said with her head buried into my sweatshirt.

"Good or bad?"

"Good. Very good. I'm really happy for you two."

"Thank you so much. Come in, nobody's home and I really need someone to talk to," I say, grabbing her hand and bringing her to my room.

"Hey, is that a new jacket?" I curiously ask on the way, "It's really nice!"

"Oh yeah, my friend Lindsay made it for me a little while ago with my name on the back," she answered as she slowly spun in a 360.

"I love it, it looks great."

"Thank you very much," she said, tossing it onto the coffee table. "Is Panic at the Disco playing?" she asks as she points to the stereo. "Sounds like Nine in the Afternoon."

"Yeah, Brendon's voice really helps soothe me when I'm upset or have something on my mind."

"I agree, I listen to him often."

When we enter my room, we spend the next two hours talking about our favorite bands, artists, and songs. She eventually brings up Riley and asked what we did.

"Farkle gave me an idea of what happened at the hospital. Can I get any details?" she asked as she finished her cookie.

"Yeah well Riley and I may or may not have kissed..."

We both were silent for a second. Smackle seemed to be on the edge of her seat.

"Well, duh, I knew that!" she exclaimed as she lightly punched my arm. "Details! Details!"

"Alright," I said as we laughed together, "She stroked my hair, I wrapped my arms around her, it was amazing," I said in a dreamy voice, "It's everything I've always wanted coming true in that moment."

"I'm really happy for you. But why would you need someone to talk to if everything seems to be working out?"

I sit in silence for a little while, afraid to answer her. She rubs my arm, making sure I was okay.

"Are you afraid she doesn't feel the same or Lucas told her to?"

"How'd you know?" I respond in a shocked voice.

"You think out loud a lot."

"Man, that's really embarrassing, I wish you didn't hear that..."

"We all have our little quirks. But I assure you that she likes you back," Smackle says confidently.

"Really?" I ask, turning my head to her.

"I really do. You two are inseparable. Without Riley, you're broken. If she doesn't have you, she's broken. That's not a friendship and I'm sure you know that by now."