and i oop...

ten

pov: mae's

time: 10:14 pm

location: talia's car

"thanks for picking me up," i say.

"that's all good, so do i need to pick up riley later?" she looked across to me in the passenger's seat.

"no she said she was getting a cab."

it isn't that i'm mad at riley, but i was just hurt. she was the one that dragged me to that party, insisting that it was for me but then she leaves me hanging, and doesn't come home to support me.

talia pulls up at my house and i see the lights are still on through the curtains.

"thanks," i unbuckle my seat belt and get out the car, before knocking on the door. i usually have my own house key but i left it at riley's house and i just wanted to come home and sleep in my own bed tonight.

*****

after mum lets me in, i go and have a shower and get in some comfy clothes. i then go on tiktok and read through some of my comments.

1275 COMMENTS

@user1 how the hell r u so pretty

@user2 this called me ugly in 278 different languages

@user3 when she thinks she's cute: 🤡

@user4 @user3 stop spreading negativity

maeeva liked this comment

END OF COMMENTS

after reading through some comments i realise it isn't making me feel any better so instead, i spend ages learning a dance. after i thought i had all the moves down pact i put on the g6 filter and clicked the timer.

3, 2, 1

"oh no, i got a disease, running around through your neighbourhood spreading all my fleas..."

i then finished the tiktok and captioned it: sad boi hours be like...

after posting, i decided to go to get some rest.

*****

buzz. buzz. buzz. that was all i heard throughout the night. I could have turned my ringer off, but that would have meant that i would have to travel the long distance across my room to where I had stupidly left it. 

tossing and turning all night, all i could think about was my embarrassment at the party and then my walk of shame out the door. i remembered the pain as riley had chosen a guy over me, but then i felt guilty as i should be happy for her. 

i just layed there for a while, staring at my plain ceiling, until i couldn't handle it anymore. crawling out of bed, i reach for my phone and leap back into the comfort and warmth of my bed. squinting at my screen i see hundreds of thousands of notifications from tiktok - from my recent post, i presume. but i also see a couple missed calls from riley and urgent messages. i click on the messages and read through them furiously.

riley <3 

where r u?

i need u!

help

i'm still at the party

come get me!

00:02am 

i immediately called her but there was no response...

urgently i ran down the hallway to my mum's room, i stormed through the door and shook my mum awake.

"mum wake up. wake up. i need your help!"

"mae? what's wrong?" she croaked groggily.

"i think riley is in trouble," i said with a wobbly voice and tears began to stream down my face. 

word count: 545