Pages of Autumn

Chapter 7

*Riley's P.O.V.*

Autumn slept next to me, her heavy damn snoring filling the room. I hardly had the space to complain, I will never understand how a girl like her would ever want a fucking loser like me. Besides that point, sleep was barely met the past couple of days. It's probably super wrong of me to be thinking what I was for the past hour. I failed to neglect the idea, no matter how hard I tried.

My eyes stared into the soul of her journal that peaked out of her tribal-print purse for the last twenty minutes. I wanted nothing more than to go over there and look at her most recent thoughts- I suppose that's what she's busy writing in that thing every night.

I slowly lifted the covers, placing my feet on the wood floor. The bed squeaked as my body weight left it; luckily Autumn still slept peacefully. I tip-toed across the room, peering behind my shoulder every so often to check on her. The guilt made itself at home, I know for damn sure I was going to regret this later.

Maybe I was overthinking or maybe I was paranoid as fuck- but the way Autumn shoved her journal into her purse the very second I sat down with her at the coffee shop, screamed she was hiding something. I don't care about small-town drama, her ex-boyfriends, or whatever the hell she writes about; I just want the reassurance that she is okay. The amount of care and love I have for her amounts to no other feeling I have ever endured.

Making my way to the bathroom, notebook in hand, nerves danced on my insides. I have to tell her about reading her journal eventually, otherwise it's going to fucking eat at me. Sitting on the toilet seat, my fingers dragged up and down the edges of the pages. Gaining enough courage to open the damn thing, I quickly flipped to her most recent entry not wanting to snoop more than necessary. I sound insane, what the fuck am I doing?

Skimming the page, with each word that passed the anger built inside of me was ready to explode. Jack, forced, unbuttoned, and scared were the four of many words that resulted in clenched fists, her journal falling to the floor.

*Autumn's P.O.V.*

I woke up, springing out of bed, heaping for air. I had yet another nightmare, the absence of Riley stemming to my anxiety.

I threw the covers off my sweating body, padding around the apartment in search for him. This didn't take long being it was an open space, the only closed off part of it was the bathroom. Seeing he wasn't in there or anywhere in sight, I slipped on my vans and put his hoodie on over my head.

My journal laying face-up on the floor gave me a slight indication as to where he could be, but not a for-sure one. The desire to punch him in the face for invading my privacy was blinded by worrying where the heck he was. I hadn't been in the city enough to know where the mall was, let alone where Jack lives.

I ran down the stairs, almost tripping and falling on my face. Anxiety created my thoughts to be unclear, but the one place I knew of was where he worked- the bar. Luckily, it was only a couple blocks down from Riley's.

My feet moved in quick strides, with every step was heartache and worriment. As the neon pink sign came into view, the bile in my throat rose. This time around, I might actually throw up.

Bodies dancing and grinding on one another filled the disco-lit area. I shoved and pushed past the crowd, only caring for one thing in that moment.

A circle growing bigger by the second had my attention. The music and screaming in the room became faint, my hearing focusing on nothing but Riley's voice.

"What the fuck is wrong with you man!?" Riley's screaming continued, pulling almost everyone in the bar to where he was.

I squeezed my way through the nosy people until I was in the front. Riley's face was red with anger, the veins in his neck and arms bulging- I thought for a moment they would burst.

"Why in fucking hell would you do that!?" He slammed his hands against Jack's shoulders, shoving him back.

"C'mon man, look at her." He nodded his head in my direction, triggering Riley's head to turn- the look on his face shattering my heart. "I guess I wanted some. Probably like the rest of the men in this fucking place." He laughed with a vile appearance.

Riley's fist made contact with Jacks nose, before grabbing his shoulders and head-butting him. His body became limp, falling to the ground. Sadly, my assumption of Riley stopping was proved wrong. He climbed on-top of him, throwing punch after punch.

Stepping in to try and prevent Riley from getting into anymore trouble than he might, the fear of embarrassment left my frame.

"That's enough!" My attempt to pull him off of Jack was unsuccessful as anyone would predict. A kind sir that looked way too old to be in a bar this late, pulled Riley off of him.

He was breathing heavier than ever, looking around the mass of people, his eyes setting on mine.

"Parties over people. You can get back to fucking dry humping each other." I couldn't prevent the look of disgust evident on my features.

"What the hell Riley!? You could have killed him!" I pushed back the tears that fought to break through.

"What, you're saying he doesn't deserve that?" Riley pointed his finger towards Jack's unconscious body.

"No! No one does. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid." I wiped the salty liquid that ran down my face. I no longer cared who stared.

I turned away from him, desiring nothing but to leave this place. Looking down at the floor, I made my way through the mound of people.

* * *

"Autumn I'm sorry." I entered the apartment, hearing this for the hundredth time from behind me.

"Why the hell would you do that? Why?" I put my purse on the table, bringing my undivided attention to Riley. The man didn't have a scratch on his face.

"You think I would find out and celebrate with the man? Fuck no. I wanted him to pay for what he did to you." He inched closer towards me, sympathy laced in his words.

"It doesn't make it okay." He placed his hands on my hips, instantly I became weak for him.

"I know. I have anger issues if you haven't noticed." A chuckle broke free from his throat.

"And you shouldn't have read my journal. You're aware of that right?" His head rested against mine. I refused to let his affection lesson my anger. What he did tonight was wrong, on so many levels- I wanted to make that clear.

"I know. I should have waited until you were ready to tell me. I was just worried." A warm kiss was placed on my cheek, followed by about ten more.

"We will finish this discussion tomorrow. I'm exhausted and my feet hurt. And guess whose fault that is?" I slid my vans from my feet, making my way to the bed.

"Mine. I know, I know." A grown of frustration caused me to laugh.

We crawled into bed like a pare of zombies. The warmth of Riley's body against mine made me feel everything would be okay.