Tough Love

Chapter 43

Riley's POV

"Can you drop me off at James house instead of my house?" I ask Charlie as we drive away from the movie theatre.

"Um, sure. But why?" He questions.

"Because James wants me to." I answer him, weary about his odd curiosity.

"Oh, I see." he mumbles. I slump down in the seat.

"So, are you staying at James house all night?" Charlie asks suddenly.

"Um, I don't think so. I mean, I wasn't planning on it." I reply, still creeped out at his nosy questions.

"If you need a ride home after, I can you drive you." He offers.

"Um, thanks. But James will probaly want to drive me home. Or I might just walk home." I tell him.

"Oh, yeah, sure." He mumbles. He takes his eyes off the road to look at me.

"I'm sorry, I'm probaly acting like some kind of stalkerish creep, aren't I?" He asks sheepishly. I laugh.

"Yeah, a little."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to." He laughs nervously. We pull up to James house.

"Well, here we are." He says. I nod.

"Thanks. And thanks for tonight too." I respond. He nods.

"No problem. We should do it again sometime. You know, since were friends now." He replies.

"Yeah, of course." I giggle.

"I can walk you to the front door if you want." He exclaims. I laugh uncomfortably.

"Um..."

"Sorry, I'm being creepy again." He says quickly.

"Just a bit." I chuckle.

"I'm sorry." He apoligizes.

"No big deal." I say, eager to get out of the car. Ne nods, and I get out of the car and quickly walk to the front door of the house and knock. Jenna opens the door.

"Hi Riley." She greets me.

"Hey Jenna. Is James here?" I asks.

"Yeah, he's in the living room, probaly waiting for you." She tells me, letting me inside. I nod and walk to the living room. James was in there sitting on the couch, on his phone.

"Hey." I say softly. He looks up from his phone and grins. He stands up.

"Hey." he replies, pulling me into a hug. He pulls away and studies me.

"What?" I giggle.

"Nothing, you just look really nice." He tells me.

"Oh, thanks." I say sweetly.

"You don't dress as nice as this when you go out on dates with me." He mutters.

"I do so." I say defensively. He chuckles.

"Calm down Riles, I was just joking." He tells me. He sits down on the couch and motions for me to sit down to. I sit beside him and curl up against his side.

"So, how was you date with Charlie?" He snorts.

"Oh, so now your calling it a date?" I say, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Whatever. But seriously, how'd it go?" He asks again.

"Alright I guess. Were friends now though." I tell him.

"Oh, are you?" He says surprised.

"Yeah. He apoligized, and stuff, so I forgave him, and agreed on being friends." I say. he nods slowly.

"Alright, but just watch what your doing when your around him." he tells me. I roll my eyes.

Me and James left the living room and went up to his room because his mom would look into the living room from the kitchen and tease us everytime we would try to kiss. I didn't mind, but James was getting annoyed.

We lie on top of the bed, me lying on my back, and James lying on his side so he's looking down on me. His arm drapes over my waist, hand rested on my hip.

We're deep in conversation, when suddenly he smashes his lips into mine. His hand travels from my hip, up my side and neck and than cups my face with both his hands. He continues to kiss me, but I couldn't find it in myself to kiss back. I just felt guilty about me and Charlie kissing.

It's not like I actually enjoyed the kiss with Charlie. To be honest, I don't even think it could even be considered a kiss. Our lips just barely brushed. It wasn't planned, and was defiantly nt supposed to happen. But still. Our lips touched. His lips touched my lips. My lips touched his lips. I just felt guilty. James pulls away looking disapointed.

"Are you okay babe?" He asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I assure him.

"Alright." He sighs. But than his face turns into a lopsided smile and he leans forward again and kisses me again. I kiss back this time, ever so lightly, I was barely kissing back at all. He suddenly pulls away.

"Riley, your lying to me." He says. Oh no, did he find out? How did he find out!

"W-what do you mean?" I ask, trying to sound calm.

"Yout obviously not fine. Why aren't you kissing me back?" He asks.

"I-I just don't really want to kiss right now. Can we just like, talk and cuddle?" I mumble awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Oh course." He says, although he sounds disapointed. I smile weakly and wrap my arm around him and nuzzle myself into him.

I listen to him talk, but start to zone out. I understand how James must have felt about kissing Beth now. It was to hard to explain, for fear you might hurt your loved one. But I could still easily go by without James ever knowing, unlike him, in which I saw the kiss him and Beth bad shared. I had agreed to keep it from James, but the guilt was tearing me apart! I start to breath heavy, shaky breathes as I fought for air.

"Riley?" James says, breaking me out of my thought.

"Charlie and I kissed!" I burst. It felt like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, but the expression on James face made me feel worse.

"Y-you what?" He asks.

"It was an accident, I swear! I dropped my phone and we both leaned down to get it at the same time, and our lips just barely touched, I swear! It was practically not even a kiss, and it meant nothing! I swear James, I promise!" I ramble. He nods slowly.

"Okay." He says. Wow, that was easy!

"So, your not mad?" I asks in disbelief.

"No, I just wish you would have told me as soon as you got here, so I could've gone out and beat some sense into Charlie!" James fumes.

"It wasn't his fault, it was an accident!" I tell him angrily.

"Seriously, your going to defend him? Before your stupid date with him, you were scared of him, and now what are you, best friends forever?!" He shouts.

"So what if were friends! Your friends with Beth!" I argue.

"But Beth is just...Beth!" He screams.

"There's no difference!" I shriek.

"Yes there is!" He argues.

"You know what? Maybe I should go!" I shrill.

"Where? To go make out with your beloved Charlie?" James growls.

"It probaly beats making out with you!" I bark. I walk to the door, just as James flings himself infront of me, blocking the door.

"Move out of my way!" I hiss.

"Your not going anywhere!" He yells.

"James, let me leave, now!" I scream. He doesn't respond verbally, but instead I see him raise his arm, and the next thing I feel is his fist colliding with my face.