Mixed Feelings

10.

Eldon 

"Where is Roo this evening?" Hunter asked grabbing both Michelle and I's attention
Last time we heard, she was practicing with James but like it's 10pm now, curfew is literally in 30 minutes. Why would they need to be this late?
"I don't have a clue" I said making Hunter look ever more concerned
"Well James isn't here either?" Michelle said nodding over to where West, Beth and Giselle sat on the sofa 

"You don't think Riley would be hanging out with him do you?" I asked making Hunter's eyes darken
"she better not be" He warned

Hunter and Riley have a past, the type of past that I couldn't even explain if I wanted to but what it's ended with is Hunter having this protective instinct with Riley. More then I do which says a lot 
I've known Riley since she was in nappies but even I let her breath more then Hunter does

"What are we waiting for?" Michelle chuckled rising to her feet

 We started to walk through the corridors, as far as the eye could see there was nothing suspicious going on but there will still no sign of Riley or even James for that reason 
The closer we got to the dorms the closer we got to some sort of answer but it wasn't until James came into view that we were left confused again
He nodding at us in passing before continuing towards the common room to meet his friends.. So where was Riley?

We got to her dorm and instantly opened the door to see Riley laid on her bed looking through a book, she looked up from her book and smiled at us before closing it

"What are you doing?" Hunter asked nudging her
"This little thing some people call ready?" Riley asked making him roll his eyes

After a little persuasion, we managed to get Riley to join us in the common room where it was obvious James had just joined his friends

"Where have you been all evening?" Michelle asked when out of the corner of my eye I noticed James strategically listening in..
He should count his blessings it was me who caught him and not Hunter 
"I was practicing then I ended up back at the dorm where Emily called followed by trying to unwind" Riley offered

And on a normal day, I would have believed her but not today.. it's too suspicious right now

Usually after and Emily call, she'll grab at least one of us of even shoot us a text letting us know she needs sometime
But this time around we got nothing
So what really happened? 

--

The night was finally coming to and end after I had just dropped Michelle off at her dorm, but I couldn't help but think there was something else going on with Riley but knowing her well enough, I knew she wouldn't be the one to tell me 

I walked into my dorm room to find James smiling at his phone and when I tell you I don't think I've ever seen that boy smile since I got here.. I mean it 

"Can we talk man" I said making him look up from his phone, he cleared his throat before nodding
I took a seat at the edge of my bed glancing at him
If I was really going to ask him about this, I had to do it in a way that wouldn't disrupt them both 

I'm not stupidly protective over Riley, I'm protective enough to make sure she doesn't get hurt but I won't stop her from doing something

"you and Riley, what's going on?" I asked making James look at me a little taken back
"What do you mean?" He questioned making me raise a brow
"Just that? What is going on" I continue

"Nothing man, we were just working on our duet then she left because someone called her?" James said sticking to the story Riley had given me 

That's when it solidified, something was actually going on..