Finite

Chapter 4

"Great! I just need to go get Riley then we can decide where we're going." Eliana says before adding, "Oh you can come with, if you'd like, I'm just walking to the elementary school down the block." I nod, "I'll come with, just let me grab my wallet from my locker real quick." I say quickly walking out to my locker. Once I grabbed my wallet, I turned to see Eliana waiting for me. We walked out of the school and started down the block. As we walk, I look towards her, seeing her hair slightly flow behind her as she walks.

"So uh, how's work?" I ask in a poor attempt to start a conversation. I see her smile lightly before she looks back at me, "Good, although, there is this one girl. She keeps getting in trouble, the last time she got sent to my office for sleeping during her math class. When I asked her 'why?'she said, "Because I'm tired?". The audacity! Can you believe someone would get smart with their Principal?" She exclaims with a playful scoff. "Damn. She sounds like a punk ass bitch, if you ask me." I retort seriously. We both look at each other for a second, before I break and burst out laughing. She smiles brightly, laughing with me. "Jesus, It wasn't even that funny. Holy shit." I say through giggles, Eliana meets my gaze... and we both start giggling again. Anyone watching must think we're nuts.

"Okay, okay. How's school been, or work, or life? Whichever you're most inclined to answer." She asks once we've calmed down from our giggle fest. "Well, school's school so eh. Work is the same as always. And life well, that one's a doozy. I uh made a new friend, I think. He "appointed" himself as such, so I don't know how to feel about that but he's cool. Oh, I also hung out with this cool lady and her daughter this past weekend. I don't know if you know 'em, they got green eyes, dark hair, they're both adorable. You know them?" I say the last part teasingly. She blushes lightly, saying, "Hmm, I don't think I do. They sound like quite the pair." I grin, "Oh they are." I reply. We walk towards the entrance. Once inside I follow Eliana as she goes to the office and signs Riley out for lunch. After, we make our way to Rileys classroom.

As we approach the door we can hear Riley rambling to her teacher. "My mom and I met this lady and she's really nice and pretty, but don't tell her I said that because I'm pretty sure she prefers to be called handsome. She's also what my mom would call charming because she's funny and I think my mom likes her, like likes her. I heard her say to one of her friends the other day that she thought Alex was "hot" whatever that means, the last time I saw her I didn't think she had a fever but......" Just before she could continue Eliana opens the door. We both walk in, as Riley turns to see who's there. Her eyes widen when she sees me. "Alex!" She exclaims, "Riley!" I exclaim after her, as she runs towards me full speed and this time fully jumps into my arms. I stumble a little but catch her, thankfully.

"Riley! Be careful, you almost knocked you and Alex over." Eliana says gently. "But I didn't, besides Lex wouldn't let me fall, right?" She asks me with sass. I just nod along, "Right." I say looking between Riley in my arms and Eliana. Eliana just playfully glares at me for going along with her. "Yeah, yeah. Okay, let's get going so we have time to eat." Eliana says, walking out the door with us following. Once we got outside I put Riley down, as she pouted. We walked back down the block to her car.

After Riley was situated in the back and was playing on her ipad, we headed to a pizza place in town. "So uh, you think I'm hot?" I tease quietly, so Riley doesn't hear through her headphones. Eliana flushes red, "I-I..she probably misheard me. Don't take what she said seriously, she has a wild imagination." I nod, "Hmm. Well, that's okay, you don't have to admit it. I know, I'm wildly attractive." I say jokingly, smirking at her. She rolls her eyes, still facing the road. "Aren't you full of yourself." She states, the corner of her lips slightly twitching upward."Oh yeah." I reply, smiling. We continue the rest of the drive in comfortable silence.

When we arrived, we went inside, sat down and ordered. I ask Riley about her morning to which she gives a thorough explanation of what she did this morning. We all keep talking, stopping to eat once the food arrives before continuing. We leave fifteen minutes before lunch ends so we have time to drop Riley off.

Seeing as Riley was zonked out in the backseat, when we got back to school. I told Eliana I'd carry her back to her school, so she can sleep a little longer before we wake her up. After I said that she pouted, saying something along the lines of, "You're so sweet, I might just have to bring you with us everywhere." with a cheeky little lip bite towards the end. God this woman is killing me.

Once we dropped Riley back at her school, which she did not like by the way, apparently she wanted "mommy and Lex cuddles", so that's endearing. We walked back to the high school, I thanked her for inviting me and we went our separate ways. All I could think about the rest of the day was how much I couldn't wait to see them both again.