Pages of Autumn

Chapter 10

Daylight was finally reached after hours of endless tossing and turning. My mind never strayed from replaying the conversation Riley had on the phone. I had questions and wanted nothing but answers.

"I'm going to take a walk to the coffee shop to check up on my application." I pried myself out of bed, stretching in the process.

"Want me to go with you." He asked this, shifting his body to get up.

"No, it's okay. You relax here, I'll be back in a jiffy." I planted a kiss on his forehead. I kicked my guilty consciousness for reminding me of this perfect opportunity to talk to Riley.

To avoid further conversation and the strong urge to blurt out every assumption running laps in my mind, I quickly slid on my converse and threw on a hoodie.

I could hear my heart beating from my chest on the walk to Lou Lou's. Sweat formed in my palms out of nervousness. I could only reassure myself so many times to steady my heartbeat.

Autumn, you need this job. Autumn, you can't keep relying on mommy's credit card. It's only people, not a set of monsters.

My fear of Riley hiding something major was now shoved in the gutter. I only wanted to get this over with and pat myself on the back.

An elder man with a little girl bouncing on his hip opened the door for me. I smiled and thanked him; the innocent girl giving me a sense of peace.

"Hi, my name is Autumn Hudgens. I was here yesterday and I wanted to check up on my application." Hopefully my smile will distract the warmth making its way to my cheeks.

"Just one moment, let me grab the manager." The teenage girl behind the counter informed me nicely, jogging lightly towards a back room.

I fiddled with my fingers, biting the inner corner of my lip.

"Hello, you must be Autumn." A high-pitched voice sounded, directing his hand out to shake mine.

"Hi, thank you for taking the time to talk to me." Jeez, my hands are sweaty.

"Come on back darling." He turned around, placing his freshly manicured nails on his hip.

My mind became jumbled as I paced behind him, my world becoming a clutter. You got this.

"Take a seat hun." He pulled out a modern, marble chair before sitting behind a white desk.

"You applied for counter help, correct?" He flipped through a packet while asking this, skimming through it.

"Yes. I just moved here and I'm looking for pretty much anything."

"Well lucky for you, I just lost two employees due to a family move. When would you like to start?" He placed the stack of papers down, resting his chin off the tips of his fingers.

"When would work best for you?" Excitement was clear in my words. I love Riley and his company. Although, if I continue spending day and night in that apartment, I'm going to throw some punches at the walls.

"You can start tomorrow morning if that works for you? You're schedule would be eight a.m to three p.m."

"That's perfect!" I stood up and shook his hand. Hell yeah.

"Amazing! I will see you tomorrow morning. Avery will be training you." He flashed his shiny teeth, walking me to the exit.

A cheerleader danced in my mind, chanting me on the entire way home.

* * *

"Hun, you'll neve-." My sentence was cut short at the notice of Riley laying on the floor unconscious.

My heart sank, my mind going blank as I ran towards him. Checking his neck for a pulse, relief flooded my body to find one. From the sight of things, I'm praying he only fainted.

"Riley, honey." I picked up his head, laying him on my lap with every ounce of strength I had in me.

After three minutes of chanting his name and almost having a panic attack, his crystal eyes opened.

"Riley, can you hear me?" To my surprise, he laughed as if nothing had happened.

"Yes love, I'm fine. I must have passed out." He propped himself up, resting his back on the couch. "Don't worry, it happens more than it should." Reaching over, he grasped a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better? I just had a damn near panic attack." I laughed at myself and him, lacing my fingers in his.

"I'm just glad you're okay. Why do you have these fainting spells anyways?"

He cleared his throat, removing his hand from mine.

"Usually it happens when I am super stressed out. My mind floats elsewhere, into fucking oblivion, and I guess it's too much for my body to handle. And boom, I wake up staring at the ceiling." He rubs circles into his eyes as he speaks; stress planted in the creases of his forehead.

"What has you so on edge? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I-I was worried about you walking in the city alone. You know, after the whole fucking Jack scene." The sentence that tumbled from his mouth caused the bully in my head to awaken. I didn't want me to be the reason for him waking up on the floor.

*Riley's P.O.V.*

I lied. I did a wrong fucking thing to the person I care about most in this world. Staring at the beauty sleeping beside me- not a single clue as to what was actually going on- made the guilt inside of me grow.

How could I do this to her? She has done nothing but fucking open up to me and I fail to admit the truth. This truth played a major role in my life- From one, two, three, and the man I am today.

I have known for a week now. Rewind seven days, my life crumbled to my feet. The idea of not being able to glue the pieces back together frightens me. My heart, my blood, and motivation is now gone.

Every second, hour, and day- I have no fucking clue what I will do without her.

*Autumn's P.O.V.*

I groaned in response to my screaming alarm. With hardly any will to get out of bed, I hit snooze and rolled onto my side.

"Uhm what are you doing?" Riley's morning breath hit my face.

"What do you mean?" I completely forgot to inform him of my job I'm starting today.

"Why is your alarm going off and why aren't you waking up?" He cupped the side of my face, his thumb rubbing light circles into it.

"I kind of sort of got a job at the coffee shop. I'm supposed to be there at eight."

"What!?" He sprung out of bed, yanking the fuzzy blanket from my freezing body.

"Get the fuck up! Why didn't you tell me?" He continued his episode by jumping on the bed like a five-year-old.

"I got distracted yesterday and I completely forgot." I mumbled into the pillow, rolling out of bed and onto the floor.

"Maybe I should call off, I'm not feeling too well." The nerves in my stomach resulted in my pounding headache and sensation of nausea.

"Autumn Hudgens." I was off the floor in seconds, Riley cradling me like a baby. "You are a strong, independent woman. You got this." He placed my feet on the floor, smacking his lips against mine.

"I'll make breakfast and you get ready. You'll do great hun."

You got this.