Just another love story [BeforeYou Exit Fan Fic]

A shoulder to cry on

*Riley's POV*

10 minutes were wasted.

And for what? Going back and forth about dinner plans until I realized that I wasn't even that hungry. So I just let Thomas decide in where we should dine.

I was wandering around aimlessly backstage. What to do...who to talk to...? I continued moving until I saw Dani sitting by herself on a small bench. I wonder where Connor went. Why did he leave Dani to sit by herself?

I swiftly made my way over to her, only to notice a wad of tissues crumpled up in her hand. She was looking down at her lap and sniffled. "Hey," I said in an even tone. She looked up at me with glazed eyes and half smiled.

"Hi Riley," she said in an almost whisper.

I wanted to ask her what was wrong but I didn't want it t come across as intrusive. "How are you ?" I already knew that her answer wouldn't be 100% truthful, but it would be enough for me to get to the point of asking her why she was upset.

"I'm fine." she bit her lip and looked back down at her lap.

See, unlike most guys, I know that when a girl says that she's "fine" she really isn't. At least in most cases. I didn't want to call her out on her answer. "Are you sure?" I offered, "wanna talk about whatever's on your mind?" she slightly nodded her head but failed to say anything. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure," she said softly. Okay, good. We were making progress.

I held out my hand to her then we walked out the back door. The first thing she did as we made it to the bottom of the steps was burst out in tears. We stopped in our tracks and I welcomed her into my arms. Then she went on and told me everything that had just happened with Connor. At some points it was hard to understand what she was saying. Her words were mangled and mumbled in-between her sobbing , but I understood enough to realize how hurt she was. I didn't like seeing her upset. If I had known, I wouldn't have let Connor lead her on like that.

She clenched onto me tighter. I didn't mind. But it still didn't occur to me why Connor, of all people, would do anything to put Dani in so much pain.