Riley's POV
It's been about a week since I met Nate, Logan and Mr-my-smile-can-put-anyone-to-shame. I thought that by this point in time Nate and Logan would have been blowing up my phone with calls and texts but they haven't, which I'm completely grateful for.
I think.
Maybe.
There was absolutely no time for me to focus on anything other than my dancing. Dancing has been something I've always wanted to do and now that I have the opportunity I can't waste it on some guys - even if they do look amazingly yum yum and deliciously scrumptious.
That last part was purely observational. Not a fact. Or my personal opinion, I'll have you know that I have been to many museums and consider myself an art connoisseur because I can appreciate —
Never mind.
"Do it again this time really extend your legs and your arms. And then when you get to the chorus, I want to see you breathe with the movements." Sly and I were in a dancing studio in downtown LA, practicing a routine I was going to film and put on YouTube.
"Wait!" I called out just before Sly restarted the song. We had been rehearsing for hours and I need to catch my breath. I drank a little bit of water before going back to my starting position. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply as the music started.
"I find shelter in this way
Under cover, hide away
Can you hear when I say
I have never felt this way"
The music gets cut off just as I start dancing. Getting slightly irritated I turn to Sly to see what the problem is this time. I just wanted to dance but he was being a pain. Just as I open my mouth to ask him why he stopped the music, Sly answers a call on his phone and he puts a hand up shushing me.
The nerve!
The audacity!
The...
Again I got nothing.
Water deprivation is a serious thing.
"Yeah," he says into the phone. "We're in studio B." I raise an eyebrow at him and he just smirks back. "Alright see you in a bit...bye."
See who in a bit? I wonder to myself. By the look on Sly's face, I know something bad is going to happen.
Well, mostly bad for me.
"Are we just gonna stand here and stare at each other or can I get back to rehearsals?" I asked in a clipped tone. I'm not in the mood for games and I just know Sly has something up his sleeves.
"Of course!" he smiles brightly. I eye him cautiously as he presses play on the song I was working on. The music starts again and I get into the starting position. Closing my eyes, I take another deep breath and start to move. Once the first verse passes I open my eyes to watch my movement in the mirror, trying to breathe through the movements like Sly suggested. Although, I thought opening my eyes was going to keep me focused but instead my attention was taken by the three guys that were standing next to Sly.
Stopping, I walk over to the sound system and stop the music.
"Hey!" Sly shouts. "What are you doing? Who said you can stop?" I look at him, then at his new 'best friends.'
Seriously what are they doing here?
"Sylvester." I grit out. "Can I talk to you in private?" I knew it was going to be something bad. My irritation was making my blood boil and it was visible on my face.
"What?" Mr-my-smirk-is-just-as-sexy-as-my-smile says before Sly moves "Don't we get a hello?" His voice smooth like vanilla ice cream on a hot waffle.
Mmm waffles. No, flapjacks.
Yup, definitely flapjacks.
Oh great, now I'm hungry!
Gee Thanks.
"You're welcome?"
Fucking cockwaffles!
I really need to learn how to keep my thoughts to myself. For a second I look away from the three boys and stare at Sly, raising an eyebrow challengingly.
"We'll be right back guys." Sly tells them, then pulls me to the side. When we're separated by a substantial amount of space, I get ready to scold Sly but he slaps his hand over my mouth. "Before you speak, I'm sorry. They wanted to hang out with us but I knew if I asked you, you would say no."
Well duh.
I like to look but not at the cost of my dignity.
It's clear I'm a bowl of embarrassment waiting to tip over.
I give him a blank look.
"They really are nice and genuine. Give them a chance." Sly begs. There's silence for a few seconds, then Sly looks at me expectantly. "Say something."
I can't respond because his hand is still covering my mouth. I point to his hand with my eyes.
"Oh." He removes his hand "My bad."
"I don't want to hang out with them." I tell him honestly.
"But I do." He huffs.
"They're distractions." I tell him.
"They won't distract you, I promise."
Too late.
Sly is older than me by a good three years but he still treats me like I'm his equal. We always make decisions together. Kinda. "Please! All I do is hang out with you, it'll be nice to have some guy friends."
"Ouch!" I punch his shoulder "I happen to think I'm great company"
Sly sucks in a breath between his teeth "sure, we'll go with that."
Uhm.
"Please Riley."
"Fine!" I give in. He should have more guy friends I guess.
Sly and I walk back to the boys, who seem to be in their own deep conversation. When Logan sees us approach he nudges the other two and they turn to face us.
"So is everything all good?" Baby blue eyes asks.
"Dandy." I mutter.
"Someone's moody." Mr-I-think-just-because-I-have-a-sexy-face-I-can-say-what-ever-I-want says out loud. Rolling my eyes I walk away from them and start the song I was dancing to for the third time.
Again, I get into my starting position and close my eyes. This time though, I'm aware I have three more pairs of eyes on me than before. I suck in a deep breath from my mouth then exhale through my nose. I decided to dance with my eyes closed for majority of the dance, except for when I'm doing any dangerous stunts.
When I'm done, I'm on the floor curled up into a ball. The music fades out and then the clapping starts. I push off the ground, while doing so, only then, do I realize what I'm wearing. Oh gosh! I was basically naked. My legs were bare, the spandex shorts only covering my ass and a bit of my thighs. My stomach was exposed and so were my arms and cleavage. I was never one to feel uncomfortable when I was in my dance clothes but now with all these eyes on me. I couldn't help but find flaws.
"Do it again." Sly brought me out of my thoughts. "But this time, make sure to extend your legs and arms." He was back to being a dance coach.
"Maybe I had said something that was wrong
Can I make it better with the lights turned on
Maybe I had said something that was wrong
Can I make it better with the lights turned on"
I went over the dance four more times before Sly said I were done for the day. At some point I got comfortable having Nate, Logan and Mr-my-face-sees-into-your-soul there.
"Do you want to get lunch?" Logan suggested as I was gathering my things to go change. Both Nate and Nathan were talking to Sly about something but kept peering over to Logan and I.
"I do, but not with you guys." I replied honestly.
"Why? What did we do?"
"Nothing, I just think we've spent enough time together as it is." I tell him, wiping my neck with a small white towel.
"We hardly spent time together." Logan counters "you were dancing most of the time so it doesn't count. Believe it or not we actually want to talk to you?"
"Why?" I say.
"Because we think you're cool." I look at Logan deep into his brown molten eyes to see if he was lying to me. Disappointed that he wasn't I grumbled a few choice words under my breath.
"Let me go get changed." I didn't bother waiting for his answer.
.
.
.
.
.
"Riley can I ask a question?" Baby blue eyes asked.
"You just did." I retort, taking a forkful of fries.
Nate chuckles a little his eyes lighting up "I'm serious." His amazing blues keep me in a trance.
"Sure." I find myself saying.
"Why don't you uhm — not that you have to but I'm just curious — why is it hard for you to uh..." He was struggling to say whatever it was he wanted to say.
He really just needs to spit it out.
"Why are you so rude to us? Is what he means to say." Mr-i'm-so-amazing-even-when-I'm-rude.
"Nathan!" Both Logan and Nate say in shock. They give him an encrypted look that I don't understand.
"What? It's what he wants to know." Mr-I'm-so-candid-but-because-my-face-was-carved-by-the-likes-of-Michael-Angelou-I-think-I-can-get-away-with-it, says.
"I'm not rude." I interject.
Mr.-it's-okay-for-me-to-be-blunt-because-my-smile-makes-up-for-everything gives a sarcastic chuckle "Right. So your attitude towards us has been what? You being nice?"
"Exactly."
"I don't believe it." He presses.
"You don't have to." I take a sip of my drink and lean back into my seat.
"This is exactly what we mean." He points at me "this attitude."
"What do you want me to do?" I ask nonchalantly.
"Be a person."
"Been one for twenty-four years, don't know how to be anything but." Usually I'm not a person who argues but something about Mr-I-want-you-to-conform-to-society's-standards that riles me up. He makes me want to scream.
"No." He leans forward. "No you aren't. Normal people talk to each other and have nice flowing conversations."
"Well than, I guess is a good thing I'm not normal."
"you're so infuriating!"
"That, I am."
I looked over to the other people at our table and saw Logan and Sly smiling brightly, while Nate baby blue eyes was confused. He was completely lost, his enticing orbs darting between Mr. Park and I.
"Okay kids." Sly cut in before Nathan countered. "Play nice." I rolled my eyes at his comment and continued to eat my food.
There was an intense debate going on at the table but I just blocked everyone out and focused on my food and my phone. I was checking out different dance styles and moves that I could incorporate in my next routine.
"Riley what do you think about that?" Sly asked.
"Huh? About what?" I questioned, tearing my eyes away from my phone.
"Watch movies at Logan's."
"Why?" I voiced.
"Because it'll be fun." He said forcefully, then turned to Logan "We'd love to."
30 minutes later, we were at Logan's house. It was huge. It reminded me of the house I grew up in, in the UK but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind.
"Make yourselves at home." Logan said when we walked into his massive TV room. There was a black L shaped couch in front of a big plasma screen TV. I was beyond exhausted, I hadn't even taken my daily nap and being around these guys wasn't really my cup of tea.
I hadn't embarrassed myself yet and I knew it was bound to happen soon.
Does anyone want snacks?" Logan asked, being a good host - which I couldn't deny.
"Yes!" Sly, Nate and Nathan responded. I rolled my eyes, they're such guys.
"Alright be right back." Logan started walking towards the kitchen "Pick a movie" he called out behind him.
I took a seat and waited while the guys argued over what movie to watch. Nate wanted to watch "The Black Garden". His blue eyes danced excitedly as he argued that he hadn't see the movie yet so he wanted to watch it. "Come on. Please?!" his youthfulness definitely showed at that moment.
"Fine!" Mr. Park responded.
Nate did a fist pump in the air, and I couldn't help smile at his excitement.
"What do you think Riley?" Baby blue eyes turned his attention to me. "Have you watched The Black Garden?"
"Nope, what is it?" I asked innocently. I knew exactly what it was. Nathan had won an award for his role in 'The Black Garden'. All three guys were actors and were staring in a very popular TV Series called 'The Witch-hunt'.
I knew they looked familiar the first time I met them. They were very talented actors -so much so that Nathan had gotten a 35 million dollar deal to star in the four part series, 'TheBlack Garden' - and in high demand from what I researched.
I google the boys last week...
What?
It was all innocent I promise! At least most of it was.
Don't judge me, have you seen their photos online?
If not, go ahead search. I'll wait...
Exactly!
"You don't know The Black Garden?"
Nate's youthful eyes squinted at me.
"Nope."
"Bullshit." I turned to face Mr. Park.
"How is that bullshit?" I asked, pulling my - skinny jean clad - legs to sit Indian style.
"Have you been living under a rock?" He grills. "How can you not know The Black Garden?"
"Excuse me if I'm too busy working to notice some movie."
"Some movie?" Mr-I-can't-believe-people-actually-have-lives scoffed in a bitter tone. "I worked hard on that movie!" he shouts getting up from his spot on the couch.
"Good for you, do you want a cookie?"
"I'm not doing this with you." He walks away.
The room falls quiet. Nate and Sly look at me.
"What?" I ask.
Just as Sly is about to reprimand me Logan walks into the room with a tray of snacks.
Food!
My mouth starts to salivate when I see skittles. "What did I miss?" he asks, setting down the tray. I push off the couch and reach out to take a handful of skittles but Sly slaps my hand away.
"Ouch!" Rude much.
"Go apologize." He points to the same direction Nathan just went.
"What? Why!?"
"You know why. Now go." Sly doesn't leave room for me to argue.
Rolling my eyes I walk to where Nathan disappeared to - which was to the bathroom down the hall. As I approach the door, I hear voices behind the closed door. "Get yourself together Nathan!" the faucet gets turned on then it's off again after a few seconds.
Thinking this is my chance I knock on the door. "Occupied." Nathan utters angrily.
"It's Riley." I state.
Silence.
That's all I get as a response.
"Please open." I know that if I don't mend things with Nathan, Sly will have my neck. Again no response. "Seriously dude?Forget it." I groan and just when I turn to walk away the door bursts open and Nathan pulls me in.
"What do you want?" His face is serious and that throws me off a little.
"I wanted to apologize." I say vaguely.
"For what?"
Damn it! He's not going to let me get off that easily.
"For offending you." I say through clenched teeth.
"What happened to you?" The question catches me off guard.
"Excuse me?"
"What happened to you?" Nathan repeats. "Something must've happened to you in your past, for you to be so emotionless." The blood in my veins run cold and a shiver runs down my spine. Nathan is swimming into uncharted waters, that I can't even deal with right now. My posture is ridged and I can't find the words to speak - they're stuck in my throat.
"Oh wow, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bring up any terrible memories." Nathan quickly says.
Turning on my heel I wrap my hand on the cold doorknob. This bathroom is getting smaller. The walls are boxing me in, I need to get out of here right now.
"Wait! Don't go." Nathan grabs my hand, instantly tingles shoot up my arm. We both retract out hands as if we got burnt.
"What was that?" I don't bother responding because I just want to get out of here. "I'm sorry." That stops me. I stare at Nathan in his intoxicating brown eyes.
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Why?" I repeat.
"Because, ever since I've met you, I've had this weird desire to figure you out." I furrow my brow and he smiles at me effectively stopping my heart.
Okay I'm dead.
Yup.
I just died and went to heaven.
"I don't know why but I guess it frustrates me that I can't figure you out, either that or I'm frustrated that I don't mind your annoyingness. And I really don't like annoying people." He takes a step forward. Why is he looking at me like that?
"At some point I'll be able to figure you out. But for now, I'll let it drive me crazy...because I actually love this feeling." Mr-my-smile-will-make-your-knees-go-weak-and-insides-turn-to-mush walked out the bathroom leaving me to deal with my jumbled mind.
"What just happened?"
Wait.
Did he just call me annoying?
****
What's on your mind?