between the lines • e.d & g.d

0.4

riley was finally able to go back to school once a week had passed and she was honestly excited. jacky came by a few times after school but the twins had practice so they couldn't come by as much. it upset riley because they wouldn't answer her calls either. riley and alex had apologized to each other and spoke but things were still a bit rocky.

"riley!" she turned around to see jacky running towards her with a huge smile on her face.

"hey." she smiled. her eyes scanned the hallways, not knowing whether it was in search of ethan or grayson. her time in isolation had only confirmed two things.

she had feelings for both twins.

she just didn't know which twin she liked more.

"they're not—they don't walk down this hallway anymore, at least grayson doesn't. ethan rarely does." riley could sense something in jackys' tone. pity?

"what do you mean? alex and his teammates always walk down here."

"grayson isn't on the team anymore, only ethan."

"what? what happened?" riley asked as she closed her locker. the girls began walking down the hallway.

"i don't know, he hangs out with michael and his friends." rileys' eyes widened. michael and his friends were nothing but trouble. they were always causing fights, skipping school and hooking up with random girls. why would grayson hang with them?

"what about ethan?"

"he's still on the team and acts like nothings wrong while his brother is doing bad." she scoffed.

how could this possibly happen in a week? is this why grayson wasn't answering her messages? what was ethans' excuse?

the girls took a turn and rileys' heart dropped. against a couple lockers, grayson and michael were making out with two girls.

she didn't understand why but the sight in front of her made her throat burn and it was as if it had taken her breath away.

"see, i don't know what happened to him." jacky mumbled. she could see the expression on her bestfriends face, riley was hurt.

the bell rang and riley saw the girls and michael walk away from grayson. he looked up and their eyes locked. his heart fluttered once again but she only looked down. she began walking past him to get to her class.

"hey." he spoke up while walking by her.

"hi."

"how ya been?"

"you would know if you stopped by or at least answered my calls." she muttered. she wasn't interested in what he had to say.

"riley, i—"

"i have to go." she cut him off as she walked into her class. she let out a deep breath as she plopped down into her seat.

outside the door, grayson stood there with a shocked expression. grayson knew she had seen him with another girl but he didn't know how to explain it to her. before they moved schools, this is exactly how he was.

he turned away and sighed to himself.

he wasn't a sweet guy like she thought he was. he wasn't a football player.

he wasn't ethan.

••

it was after school and once again, she couldn't get a ride from her dad or her brother. alex had to take care of something or whatever so that meant her last hope was jacky.

"sorry, can't. i have to go help my dad with something on the other side of town." riley groaned as she saw her bestfriend get into her car.

"why can't your brother do it again?"