oxygen (e.d.)

chapter thirty-one

{riley}

i stumble through the party, saying hello to people and trying to get my mind off the encounter with ethan.

my thoughts are cloudy, and i feel warm.

"what it do baby?" sloane grins.

she's definitely a crazy drunk.

i laugh a little too hard, and keep moving through the crowd.

"riley!"

i turn to my side and am met with wyatt's friend, charlie.

"hey charlie," i grin, "thanks for cominggg."

"thanks for inviting me," he laughs, "how's it going so far?"

"amazing!" i giggle.

"happy to hear."

he looks up and last my shoulder, letting out a small cough.

"what?" i ask, confused.

i turn around, bumping chests with ethan.

"oops," i mutter, "sorry."

"no, my bad." he slips past me and probably goes in search of rowen the she-devil.

"so," charlie says, "can i get you anything?"

"i think i'm good," i shrug, "by the way, i'll return your button up. thanks for letting me borrow it."

"keep it. it looks better on you."

i smile and think, wyatt was right. this kid is a sweetheart.

my body gets even warmer as we continue to engage in conversation.

"so," he clears his throat, "i was wondering if um, you'd want to go out and grab dinner sometime?"

oh you poor thing.

did he think-?

"um," i say uncomfortably, "i kind of have my eye on someone right now. but like, i totally would."

"oh," he scratches the back of his neck, "of course. sorry to bother."

"no!" i scramble after him, "i don't want you to think i don't want to be your friend-"

"it's okay, riley."

but it's not.

here comes along this perfectly good kid, and he asks me to dinner, but i'm stupid and say no because of someone who has a whole girlfriend now.

i'm a jerk.

before i can think, i turn and run down the beach.