Bittersweet

Chapter 4

"How could he reject me and then just show up here!" Kate screams. I know her when she's furious, and it's not good. "No one rejects me and gets away with it!" She glares at him as he takes a cup from a short guy with glasses. I know exactly what's running through her mind right now.

"Kate, don't worry about him. You have Seth right there and-" she cuts me off short before I can even begin to calm her down.

"No! He's going to pay for this." Kate gets up and storms away. I follow her, calling out to the guys "I'm sorry for that, we'll be right back."

I find Kate talking to Emily and Sarah over by a picnic table. Sarah runs over to me. "What the hell is her problem?"

"Well.." I start off "Riley is here and he told her he couldn't come because of some family thing."

"Oh shit.." Sarah's eyes grow wide. I just nod. She pulls me over to Emily who trying to calm Kate down.

"Kate." Emily says firmly "You are going to go back to Seth and you are going to have fun. Okay? We'll take care of Riley."

I know Kate doesn't like the idea of not confronting him, but she sighs reluctantly and walks away towards the bridge. Emily turns to me and Sarah.

"So how are we going to handle this?" I frown at Emily and she grins at me.

"We aren't going to do anything about it." I glare at her. "You are." Somehow, I knew that was coming. But I'm still not okay with it.

"Why me?!" I insist.

"Because we can't let Kate deal with it. And Sarah and I were busy until this interrupted us. So that only leaves you."

"You don't have to be such a bitch about it." Sarah is always so blunt. That's something I admire about her.

"Fine. I'll deal with it." I hate conflict. "But what am I supposed to say to him?"

"I don't know. Just keep him distracted and away from Kate. You'll figure something out." Emily turns away from me pulling Sarah along behind her.

"It's always me." I mumble to myself. It must've be louder than I thought though, because someone replies.

"What's always you?" Riley stands behind me grinning. I just realized that he has the most adorable dimples in his cheeks.

"Nothing." I reply a little too quickly.

"Someone's got an attitude."

"I'm sorry." I apologize. "My friends drive me a little crazy sometimes."

"I'd believe it." He laughs. "So is this what you guys do for fun around here?"

"Well, most of the time." I admit. "though I find it rather boring if you ask me."

"I wasn't asking you, but it's good to know."

"Now who has an attitude? I mock.

"Still you." He says coolly. There's a long pause and neither of us say anything. I look up and see Justin staring at me from the bridge. He looks disappointed and I feel like I should go back to where he's sitting, but before I can make that decision, Riley speaks up again.

"Wanna ditch this place and grab a bite to eat or something?" He asks in a shy voice. That's weird, he's never shy. I mean, I've only known him for a day, but still!

"Sure." I think I say it a little to cheerfully, but I can help it. I'd go anywhere with him. He's just so enticing...

I follow him down the dusty path to his truck and hop into the passenger side as if I've done it a million times. When he puts his hand on the steering wheel I notice the tattoos on his arms. Every time I think that he couldn't get any more attractive, he proves me wrong.

"So where do you want to go?" He asks me.

"Umm.. I'm not sure."

"Well what are you in the mood for?"

My stomach growls and I didn't realize just how hungry I was until now. "How about the diner by the school?" I suggest, mostly because it's the closest thing I can think of.

"Fine by me." He says and turns on the radio. A song by Pierce The Veil begins to play and again, he gets even more attractive. A few songs later he laughs and I turn to him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You!" He smiles.

I'm confused. "What'd i do?!"

"You were singing to yourself in the mirror. I don't know, really, it was just..."

Oops.. I didn't think he was watching me.

"Just what?" I demand.

"It was cute." He laughs again.

"Oh." I blush. I'm cute?

---

We walk into the diner and take a seat by the window. A few minutes later a waitress comes over to us.

"Hey baby doll, what can I get ya?" She asks Riley.

"I'll have what the lady has." He says and gestures to me. I order for the both of us and the woman goes back to the kitchen.

"So you like Pierce The Veil?" I ask him after a moment of silence.

His eyes light up. "They're my favorite. I've seen them in concert twice."

"Lucky! I love them!" I exclaim.

"I never would've guessed that."

"Well I guess you're not very good at reading people then."

"Is that a challenge?" He raises one eyebrow at me.

Before I can respond the waitress is back with our food.

"Y'all enjoy your meal." She says, handing us the plates.

"Thanks aunt Karen."

She smiles and turns away to wait on a small family that came in a moment ago.

"Did you just call her aunt?"

"Yeah. I moved here last weekend to live with her, my uncle, and my two little cousins." He stares down at his plate when he speaks. I'd like to ask why he moved here, to a small town in the middle of February, but I don't press him.

"That's why I've never seen you around before. What do you think about Harland?"

"The city or the school?"

"Both I guess."

"They're both dumps." He laughs, and so do I. It's true, they're both old and small and boring.

We spend the rest of the time at the diner talking and laughing about the most random things. He offers me a ride home and I accept. The whole way there he blasts his ptv cd and we sing along. We arrive at my house around 10, and just as I'm about to get out of the truck, he stops me.

"Wait." He grabs my arm before I can open the door. He looks me over, studying me.

"What are you doing?" I giggle.

"I'm reading you." He says, referring to our conversation at the diner.

"What do you see?"

"I see that you're a shy girl who loves books, music, and late night adventures. You live with your mother and you have..." He pauses to think. "One older sibling."

"Wrong!" He frowns. "I do have one sibling, but she's younger."

"I see." He laughs.

"Thanks for the ride. Oh, and the food." I smile up at him as I realize that the space between us has grown small.

"Anytime. Goodnight Elizabeth." His eyes are soft as he speaks my name and removes his hand from my arm. I almost forgot it was there.

"Goodnight Riley." His name rolls off my tongue so smoothly and I want to say it again, but I don't. I turn and get out of the truck, not bothering to look back before going into the house and straight to my room. I plop down on the bed and sigh, closing my eyes. The thought of his crooked grin and messy hair tucked into a beanie comforts me, and I drift off to sleep.