Mixed Feelings

32

James 

"We have like 10 minutes before we have to go in for early curfew and we still haven't found her" Eldon groaned as we all resurfaced into the common room. Nobody had heard a peep from Riley and we tried all of her usual hiding spots and nothing
"Shall I try call her again?" Michelle asked but after hearing a small giggle, I would know who that giggle belonged to anywhere

I looked up to see Riley and Beth walking into the common room
Beth is the last person I expected to see Ri with

"No need" I said earning everyone else's attention, the all had the same look of confusion on their face as Riley and Beth made their own way over here
"I believe you lost someone" Beth said pushing Riley forward slightly 
"How did you, of all people, find her?" Hunter asked making both Riley and Beth share a smile

"Great minds think alike" Beth said making Riley roll her eyes
"Anyway, I'm out" Beth finished before turning and walking away 

Riley turned to look at me and I could tell by the look on her face that something was up, besides the obvious
We all knew she was on edge since Marcus got here but something tells me, I was about to find out what is going on

"Can we go talk?" She asked making me nod, I rose to my feet intertwining our hands as we headed back to her dorm room 

--

"You know the rules, if you are sitting on my bed-" Riley started making me roll my eyes as I took my shoes off before instantly jumping onto her bed making her chuckle 
She came over and sat next to me cuddling up to me slightly but in a way that only confirms something is going on 

"Talk to me Ri" I said making her sigh looking up at me
"What if it changes everything?" She questioned instantly causing me to shake my head

"I think we are long past that, don't you?" I asked 

She looked around for a little before she began to play with her hands when she signally sighed looking up at me
"Marcus and I dated for 2 years. When we were at our old school, we were the one couple everyone knew about but nobody never really knew the full extent" She started

"He was one of the most toxic people I have ever met. But at the time I was blind to it, I didn't know it was wrong, I didn't know what he was doing" She whispered
"What did he do Riley?" I asked making her look at me with almost tears in her eyes
"He made me out that I meant nothing, that the only thing that could make me something was him. He made it out that I had to listen to him no matter what it cost" She muttered, I placed my hand on top of her thigh to stop her picking at her skin 

"If he thought I needed to lose a couple pounds, I did it. He thought I'd look better with short hair, I cut it. It went to the extend of one night he told me that if I couldn't lose the fat I could cut it out, dig it out " She said bowing her head 

"Ri" I breathed out watching as tears began to form in her eyes
"and I listened, I sat in my room doing just that until Hunter and Eldon walked in" She cried, she looked up at me, her big brown eyes tainted with pain, full with tears 

"I believed I wasn't good enough, I got to the point I didn't want to live anymore and I almost took that choice away from myself" She whispered before wiping her tears

"But I'm okay" She said instantly making me shake my head
"No you're not but that's okay Ri" I whispered pulling her in close

--

I went back to the common room to make some arrangements, I wasn't going to leave Riley tonight but I also didn't was Giselle feeling uncomfortable with me sleeping in the room with her so Hunter is now crashing in my dorm, West and Giselle are in West's dorm meaning I had Riley for the entire night 
And I think that is exactly what she needed right now 

As I got back to her room, Riley was sat at her desk working on some homework, as per usual
I walked past her placing a soft kiss on the top of her head in passing before laying in my spot on her bed 

We'd spoken about everything to do with Marcus and honestly, if that boy comes near Riley I'll drop his ass faster then he can sat boo

"This isn't what I wanted" Riley said making me snap back into reality only to see her laid next to me 
"What's wrong?" I asked making her look up at me
"When I told you this, I didn't want you to go all spacey on me James. I didn't want you to stress about it" She rambled
I sighed leaning down to press my lips against hers 

"I'm going to stress Riley but not as much as you think. You're my girl, the fact he ever touched you like that is enough for me to kill him right now ignoring the fact he's back around" I muttered making her sigh

She looked up at me, her brown eyes looking like she wanted to say something but she was scared
"What is it?" I whispered cupping her cheek
She bit her lip lightly before smiling at me again 

"I love you" She breathed out making me widen my eyes before smiling back 
"I love you" I replied crashing my lips against hers

The moments our lips were attached, I repositioned myself to hover over Riley, her arms wrapping around my neck pulling my in that much more while her legs wrapped around my torso
I pulled away slightly to see a wide smile on her face as she pulled me back down for another kiss 

It didn't take long until Riley had pulled my shirt over my head while I trailed kisses down her neck earning a light moan in one specific area only making me smirk more 
"James" She groaned making me chuckled as I re joined out lips together pulling her in even closer 

--

Riley lay with her head flat against my chest with her duvet draped over both of us as I traced small circled against her arm, she looked up at me before gently smiling and pressing our lips together
"What's that for" I asked making her smile again

"Just because" She giggled making me roll my eyes as I pressed my lips against her 
"What was the for?" she mimicked 

"Just because I love you" I winked making her blush instantly