Hope

Chapter 11

I have to make this right with Riley. She needs to know the truth.
I get ready quicker than I ever have before, bolting out the door before my mom can realize I'm leaving. I have to get to school and tell Riley before Kayden and Olivia can interfere. She needs to know what they're doing.
I decide I'll walk to school today, just like I walked home. I won't have to deal with the bus being late or the kids on it. They're all so obnoxious.
Briskly walking, I make my way down the road on the way to the school.
Please don't let it be too late.
My mind starts racing, doubting that I'll get there on time. I start to jog, faster than my brisk walk.
In about 5 minutes, I see the school ahead. Almost there. I'm so close.
As I arrive at the school, I burst through the doors, quickly going to Riley's hiding spot. She always stays in the same place before the bell rings for homeroom.
Her locker is right by the library, so she always sits in a chat that's outside of the school's library door. She's either on her phone or reading a book.
I start walking slower since I'm almost there which makes me super relieved. But then I turn the corner. That was a mistake. I shouldn't have done that. Not once, not ever.
Riley was there in her normal chair, but Kayden was beside her. His arm around her shoulder. I stopped dead.
She looked up from his face and made eye contact with me. Both with so many emotions running through our eyes. Confusion, dismay, hurt, and dread.
My hands started to sweat and the world started to spin. I didn't want Riley to be with Kayden. That's not right. I have to fix this.
This was when my next mistake happened. I approached them.
"Riley," I stammered, walking towards the two of them. "He's-"
"What, Asher? Do you need something?" She spits out at me, Kayden grinning evilly.
"What did you do?" I snap at Kayden, not answering Riley's question. "What did you lie to her about?"
"He didn't lie to me about anything. The only thing you wanted was a good grade. You couldn't give a crap how I felt. You're the one telling lies, and I'm glad Kayden will tell the truth," Riley answers for Kayden.
My black heart drops to my stomach. It sizzles away, leaving me without any empathy.
I clench my fists, eyes burning with rage.
"You know what, I'm done. Have fun with that lying douchebag. I thought you were decent enough to realize an f-boy when you meet one," I spat out. I stormed away from both of them, off in the direction to find Olivia. She was right all along about Riley. She's just a dork with no sense. I'm coming Olivia, I'm realizing you were right about her. Thank you.

•••

I watch as Asher storms away, rage bubbling up in my throat. Kayden brings me closer to him and it instantly diminishes.
I don't know if this is a scheme. I don't have anymore energy to think about that. I just want someone to be there for me, and Kayden is. He was right about Asher. I just want someone to love me, and the one I thought that did is an idiot. But now I have Kayden, who is telling me everything about Asher.
"I warned you," Kayden said after Asher had gone. "He's a nutcase, he's only nice to girls to get them in bed and then he leaves them in the dust," he said, intertwining his fingers with mine.
"You were right, and will forever be right. Thank you for basically saving me from him," I said, still shaken up. Something still feels odd, but I don't want to think about it.
He nods, and his phone starts to ring.
"One second," he says, and answers it. He puts it up to his ear and stands up. He says "hello" into the phone as he walks away into the guys bathroom.
I sink back into the couch, wondering who it is. It's probably like his mom or something

_

"Hey Olivia," Kayden says into the phone.
"Hey Kayden. Asher came to me. It went flawlessly, he ranted and then I comforted him. He thinks we're dating now, I said yes when he asked me out. All good over here, what about Riley?" Olivia says to Kayden.
"Perfectly here too. She believed all the lies I told her, and she said yes when I asked her out. She hates Asher now. I can't believe someone can be this naive. I'll be moving things along quickly," Kayden says back into his phone to Olivia.
"This is great," Olivia says. "I'll start telling Asher lies. We'll keep going like this until it's time, then we can embarrass them by like us kissing or something so they find out it's all a scheme, and bad guy won't be so powerful anymore and geek won't have the bad boy," she says.
Kayden smiles. "I'm so ready. Alright, better not let her get suspicious, bye Liv," he says.
"See you Kay Bae," Olivia says and they both hang up.

_

"Sorry Riley, that was my mom," Kayden said to me as he came out of the bathroom. I suspected that anyways.
"It's ok," I said as he sinks back down beside. "Thank you again, for everything," I said, looking over at him.
He smiled. "Please stop thanking me, I should be thanking you, you poor thing being tricked like that," he said and pulled me into a close hug. I close my eyes, unaware of his evil smirk behind my shoulder.

•••

"Thank you Olivia for being the only girl here that isn't fake," I say to her.
"Oh my gosh, don't thank me. Thank YOU for finally realizing who Riley really is," she says and leans in for a hug.
I pull her into a tight embrace and kiss her lightly on her cheek. The bell rings and we both head to our separate classes, and I can't see her evil smirk as she's walking the other way.

AUTHORS NOTE:
I'm so so so sorry that I didn't get this out sooner. I really like how this story is going, but do you think I should drag it out or roll kind of quickly into the ending? I feel like I should find a happy medium, too many things like this stuff happening a lot just isn't fun to read after a while. I'll think about it, but thank you so much for feedback and everything!