So we all know Riley is gorgeous.
She's beautiful, she's the literal sun.
But lately she has become brighter. Everyday there's always a smile on her face. She always looks calm or sometimes excited. Maybe it's because Christmas is coming soon? Even if that was the case were not kids anymore, what's there to be excited about? It's not because of me is it? If it was because of me then I'm finally doing something right for once.
"Riley." I said as I greeted her the hallway. She looked up at me and smiled brightly, Her braids were neat as always as they rested on her shoulders."Hey, so I found out that their selling funnel cakes in the cake shop by my house, we should go."She said as she took a black binder of her bag."We should definitely go." I said as I smiled at her warmly."Liam?" I looked behind me to see Melanie.
"Melanie?" I said as I turned to look at her with a confused face."Liam, I can't believe you, after everything we've been through, you end up with her." She said as she pointed her finger at Riley. Riley looked at as she had just lost her mind."Excuse me?" Riley said as she stepped closer, but Melanie ignored her and kept her focus on me."Everything we've done? For all I know we just met, and I don't even see you in class."
Melanie's eyes began to water and crowd began to form.
This is bad.
"You are so selfish Liam. You dragged every girl along with you and you didn't even tell them that you weren't interested. How many years have you been doing this. But I forgive you, everyone forgave you because you were attractive. As soon as you hooked up with her, everything collided, The news spread like wild fire. But not even once did you tell any other girl you weren't interested. And that's why it's so hard to hate you." Melanie's eyes began to fill with tears.
The crowd was now surrounding Riley and I. I was being painted as a selfish person, but with all that's happened recently and in the past, is it true? Am I really selfish?
"I'm sure it was never his intention to be 'selfish', but can you blame him? He's a human being with feelings of his own. And as soon as he finds someone he likes it's painted as selfish? Why is it selfish? Is it selfish because I got the man of your dreams and you didn't? Grow up Melanie." Riley said as she rolled her eyes and scoffed. The crowd began to whisper and I heard various different voices all at once.
I was getting anxious.
"Maybe you're right. I might be selfish, but I have never once told any girl that I liked them, except for Riley." I looked into Melanie's eyes sternly. I bent down slightly and leaned towards her."I thought I made myself clear when I told you I will never fall four you, not even in a million years." Her face scrunched up angrily and she raised her hand to slap me. The crowd gasped as Melanie angrily shoved past them.
I looked back at Riley who had a confused look on her face."Are you okay?" I asked and she looked at me then at the crowd of people that slowly became scarce.
I don't like attention.
"I'm fine, but are you okay?" She asked and I nodded my head."No you're not, your cheek is bleeding." She said and raised her hand to touch my left cheek. I immediately winced, and she knew I was visibly lying through my teeth. She grabbed my hand and lead me down an scarce hallway. We stood in front of the nursing office and Riley quietly opened the door while still holding my hand.
She looked around briefly before sitting me down in a chair nearby. I watched her curiously as she moved around the room and towards a cabinet that was on the wall. She grabbed a medical kit and her back over towards me."Sit still, it might sting." She began to gently pat my check with a cotton ball."There's still so much I don't know about you." She said and I just studied her face. It's been a while since I've seen her up close.
"Really? Then what do you want to know?"I said and she was silent for a moment, she was concentrated on cleaning my wound."About Yvonne, why did the two of you break up?" My body became stiff."It's a long story." I said as I tried to brush the topic off.
"Luckily for you, I have until 3:15." She said and smiled brightly at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes."Yvonne and I dated for three years before breaking up. The reason was because, we were still young and in high school and wanted to be older already. One day I went to a club and got absolutely wasted, when I came home that night she was with another man, they weren't in the scheme of doing anything, but the fact that she was so close to him and so obviously intimate before I got back, it just hurt to much, and I judged too quickly."
I looked all around me, but Riley's eyes I didn't want to see her reaction just yet.
"I didn't want to start over with her, because I was afraid she would hurt me, but I continued to have feelings for her for over a year and I eventually got over her, but I was in a weird sad spiral for a while." I finally looked at her and her face had a sad expression."B-But it's fine now, I'm with you," I grabbed her hand and held it tightly,"and I couldn't be happier."
"Should we have a label?" She asked and I looked at her confused."Label?" She nodded her head as she placed a band aid on my cheek after cleaning it."Yes label's, should we boyfriend and girlfriend, or should we just be Riley and Liam?"I smiled at her amused,"What you like to be?" I asked and she made a thinking face."How does boyfriend and girlfriend sound?"
I nodded at her happily.
"Why did Melanie suddenly come and make a scene like that?" She as she put away the things she used on my wound."Not sure, I haven't really seen her around after the drinking party." I said as I watched her clean around the room."What do you think?"
She paused briefly to think.
"I think she's being selfish." I slightly widened my eyes surprised."Do you want to know why?" I nodded my head as I stared her down."Enlighten me."
"When you're selfish you tend to do whatever's in your power to get what you want,"She said as she slowly made her way towards me. I raised my eyebrow at the sudden change of her tone and the power in her walk. Her dark blue jeans, collared, and her pale purple sweater suddenly stood out to me.
"The most selfish person in the world is me." She said as she straddled my legs as she sat on my lap to face me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer to her."It can possibly be the sweet and caring Riley." I said and her face scrunched slightly."Oh I am, and I want you all to myself."