The Player And The Nerd •Jiley•

•PART 15•

The school morning went on for what seemed for hours. James sat watching the clock tick by, thinking about Gabriella/Riley?. Today he saw her face properly..their eyes had met one another's and he couldn't help but see the beauty within. He knew she was hurt and damaged, but surprisingly he saw beyond that. He saw something special and mysterious.

As for Gabriella/Riley, she was in English chewing her fingernails nervously. She glanced at the clock every few minutes;

Not long now till I somewhat open up.

She was beyond nervous. Nobody had a clue what her life was like. Nobody understood. She just hoped James did...

As soon as the bell rang, signalling the start of lunch, James was throwing his bag on his back and sprinting up the steps to the library; completely unaware that Riley had been held behind in English.

The teacher, Miss ball, looked at her from behind her desk.

"Riley, this is the third assignment not handed in yet. Is everything okay, or can't you be bothered to work hard anymore?"

Riley looked down disappointedly. Nobody understands.

"I uh-uhm I got the due in date muddled up.."

The teacher didn't look convinced.
"So what about the last two which I asked to be handed in last week? Where are they? You're weeks behind everyone else and I just don't understand. You were 10 minutes late for class with no explanation and people are starting to worry about you".

Riley fought back the tears before whispering sadly "I'll have all three assignments and the work I missed today in by next week."

"Look, I'm not asking for you to do the work, I just want to know if everything oka-"

"I'll have them by next week." Riley cut Miss Ball off and walked out the classroom quickly.

•James POV•
Gabriella, or Riley? I don't know, asked me to meet her in the library this lunch but she isn't here yet. I've been waiting about 10 minutes and I was just picking my bag up to leave when the door creaked open and she walked inside.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming" I laughed, only to be hushed by her teary eyes.

"Hey what's wrong? It's not them girls hurting you again is it?" I said. She shook her head and sniffled a little.

"Nope, im fine..I am good" she mumbled.

Lies I thought to myself.

"Okay well let's go and sit down and we can tal-"

"SHH be quiet, this is a library not a hang out area!" The librarian hushed me. Gab/Riley and I glanced at one another, annoyed by the librarian.

"Maybe we should talk somewhere else?" I suggested, but she shook her head firmly.

"No, I'm staying here..maybe you should just go" she said while looking down at the floor.

I put my hand on her shoulder and she flinched so I moved it again.
"I'm going nowhere."

•Riley's POV•
When James did that I knew I could trust him a little more. Not completely, but it was a sign that he genuinely cared about me. Maybe he's different...just maybe.