No Good For You

LII

I'd woken up to Riot gone and my phone having six missed calls.

Malcolm buzzed into my room.

"Leila, you have a visitor." he stated.
I rolled my eyes because I knew who it was then buzzed back.
"I'll be down in a second." I replied then headed to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

...

I headed downstairs and found Jack and Riot standing in the foyer.

Riot was staring at him with his arms crossed. And Jack was uncomfortably staring back.

"What do you want?" I asked him.
He looked at me instead. "I want you to stop being mad at me and let me explain."
I rolled my eyes.
"Look." He brought his phone over to me and showed me a picture. "It's our family picture we took like last year. She's my sister."
I looked at the picture and saw him and Lia standing together in between his parents. There was a Christmas tree in the background.
I looked back up at him.
"I only let you leave because at the time I didn't really have proof. So I made my mom send me a picture so I can show you."
"Oh..."
"I'm not cheating on you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. It never came up in conversation."
I looked down at the floor.

My arm was grabbed and I was pulled off into the kitchen.

Riot turned around and faced me.

"Are you fallin' for that bullshit?" he asked me.
"Well-...I don't know..." I looked down at the floor again.
"Whatever. Fine." He started to walk past me and I grabbed onto his arm but he yanked it back.

"Don't touch me, man." He kept walking.
"Riot..."

I didn't know what to do.

I walked back over to Jack.

"Um..."
"Would you like to get breakfast with me?" he asked.
I took a deep breath. "Uh...Yea. Let me just run upstairs to change first."
"Okay." He nodded.

I walked to the elevator.

___________________________________

"Is it bad?" Jack asked.
"Hm?"
"The cinnamon roll."
I looked at it in the box in my hand and noticed I hadn't been eating it.
"Oh. No, it's good." I said and took a bite to sell it.
"If it isn't you can tell me. I won't be upset with you because you don't like the taste. It's alright."
"No, no, it's good. Really. My mind is just elsewhere."
"If you say so."

Jack and I had been walking around the park after breakfast because it was a beautiful day outside.

"Jack..."
"Yes?"
"What do you think of me?"
"Well...I think you're great."
"Oh..."
"Pretty. Nice. Funny."
I smiled softly at him then took another bite of my cinnamon roll. That was an okay response I guess.

I wondered what Riot was doing.

"It's still pretty early, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" he asked.
"I don't think so..."
"Oh. I saw this really lovely jewelry store that I think you'd like. I wanted to show you but kept forgetting."
"Oh...okay, yea."
"Come on." He grabbed my free hand and led us towards the car.

...

He was right. It was a really nice store. But I spent the entire time thinking about someone else.

"Alright what's wrong?" Jack asked.
"Hm?"
"You've been zoned out the entire time we've been together. And we're shopping right now which makes it even more strange. What's the matter?"
"I'm just feeling a bit tired." I stated.
"Would you prefer to be at home?"
"...Yea."
"Alright. Come on."

I followed him out to leave. I didn't know why I couldn't enjoy myself. I wanted to. I wanted to spend time with Jack but I couldn't.

____________________________________

I made it back home and Jack kissed my cheek and said he hoped I'd feel better. All I did was say thank you and walk inside.

My first thought was to find Riot.

But I bumped into someone on the way.

"Where're you goin'?" B asked me.
"To see Psycho."
"He ain't here."
"Oh..."

That meant I had to turn around to seem less suspicious.
I walked back towards the elevator and he came with me.

"Um..." I began.
"I know you purposefully set my alarm wrong." he stated.
I didn't respond.
"Wanna tell me why?"
"No..."
He stopped the elevator then leaned against the wall and looked at me with his arms crossed.

I tried not to look at him.

"Look at me when I'm speakin' to you." he commanded.

I turned and looked at him.

"Why did you do it?"

I looked at the floor.

"Answer me."

"Because..." I began.
"Because?" he questioned.
"...I missed him..." I answered quietly.
I could hear him sigh.

"I don't know what to do about this high school crush you got but you don't like him like you think you like him and that's why I'm keepin' you two separated." he claimed.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you don't know what you actually want but I know it ain't him. I don't know what fake image of him you're seein' but that's not what you want."
"Why do you keep saying that? How do you know I don't see the real him and you see some fake tough guy image he keeps trying to show you?"
He rolled his eyes.
"Exactly. You don't." I argued.
"So you think the guy that has a new girl in his bed once a night, has anger issues and will punch anything for the hell of it, and can't make coherent sentences about how he feels...is good relationship material? Really?"
"Stop making fun of him."
"I ain't makin' fun of him. I'm callin' it how I see it. And how I see it is, I can't swear that he won't hurt you. I can't swear that he'll be loyal to you. I can't even swear that he won't put his hands on you. And you think I want you with that?"
I looked away from him.
"I know you ain't stupid. So stop makin' these dumb ass decisions. Keep the Brit. He looks like he's scared of bees. I trust him because he's a pussy. I don't trust Riot because he ain't afraid of shit. We can threaten him all we want but he'll just do what he wants anyway because he truly doesn't give a fuck. I don't need you with somebody that don't care. That's dangerous."

He pushed the button to start the elevator again.