his little girl // jiley

Chapter X

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C H A P T E R
T E N
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Rileys POV

I WALK UP to the apartment door, filled with dread, the same feeling as when I first came here to apologise.

I look down at the hoodie in my hands. I feel like I just keep making excuses to come here. Which I don't get, because I don't love James anymore. I shouldn't feel a compulsive need to go see him.

I knock a few times and I hear voices on the other side of the door.

A few seconds later, Hazel swings open the door, still in her pyjamas. "Hi," she says.

"Hey, Hazel," I say back. "Remember me? I'm your daddy's friend." The word 'friend' tastes sour in my mouth.

Hazel nods. "Riley. I'll get Daddy now," she turns and shouts to James, then turns back to me. "Are you my mommy?"

The question is so sudden it stuns me. I wish is what I'd like to say, but I can't. "No, no. Of course not," I say quickly.

"Oh." She seems sad. "Well, the search continues..." she says the last part under her breath, so I only just hear her.

Suddenly James appears, a goofy grin on his face. It drops when he sees me.

"Riley."

"James."

Wow. Awkward. I can only imagine how bad it would be if he knew I kissed Alfie.

"I... um. Wanted to give this back." I hand him the hoodie. I've had it since one night he was at my house, and he left it there, so I kept it and wore it all the time because it smelled like him.

But now I need to give it back.

James takes a deep breath. "Thanks." He says through his teeth, a sign he's mad. At me. Oh shit.

"What's... what's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing." He spits. "Just go back to that guy, Riley. You seem pretty happy with him."

I gasp. "You seen that?"

"Yes."

I sigh. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't bother." He says coldly.

"James, no harm, but we're broken up. I can kiss whoever the hell I want." I say, letting a tiny bit of my anger to the surface.

"Fine." He says.

"Fine."

James rolls his eyes. "Goodbye Riley," he says, closing the door.

I clench my hands into fists and mutter curse words under my breath. Damn him. I can do what I want. I don't need him.

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James's POV

When I wake up, I can hear the tv blaring in the living room—the familiar sound of those Disney channel shows. My head practically throbs in agony. I'm still so mad at Riley, and it's making me miserable.

"Hazel! Turn the TV down!" I yell.

The volume goes down a fraction.

Today (Saturday) I don't have work. It's heaven, yet I'm so moody I can't enjoy it that much.

I should be working my shift at Starbucks right now, but I don't have to because the mall it's located in is being renovated or something so I don't have any work for the weekend.

I sleep for another 10 minutes, before getting up and trailing into the kitchen. Hazel made cereal for herself, and left the stuff out so at least I can make mine easily. Trust me, I get really lazy when I have no work.

"Morning, sweetheart," I say to Hazel.

"Morning Daddy," she grins, showing off her lack of front teeth and inherited dimples.

Suddenly she looks as if she'd just remembered something, "oh! This woman called this morning. Said she wanted to talk to you but you were asleep."

"Oh, alright. Did you get a name?"

"Miss... something. I don't 'member."

"Miss Kate?"

"Yeah! That's it."

I furrow my eyebrows. Why was Miss Kate calling? I'm no longer a part of The Next Step.

"Okay, thanks baby," I say to Hazel, grabbing my house phone. I check the most recent call and redial it.

Miss Kate picks up on the third ring. "James?" She says, expectantly.

"Hey, Kate," I say. "How's it going?"

"Good, good. Really good actually," she says. "But I think the question is how are you doing?"

"Uh... grand?" I say. "Is that all you wanted?"

"Yes. And... no," she's confusing me. "I called earlier, but Hazel picked up. I should of remembered you weren't a morning person."

"Oh, yeah, sorry— wait, how do you know Hazel?" I ask her. I never told her. Eldon and West have most likely told everyone, though, so I'm not that surprised.

"One of the dancers told me," Kate says. "You should of told me, James."

"I know. I just needed to..." I pause. "Work things out."

"I get that." Kate sighs. "But, I was also told you got laid off your job," she adds.

"Yeah. Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Definitely." Kate agrees. "But I'm acctually low on staff here at The Next Step. J-Troupe need a choreographer who... isn't Phoebe. She's a little too voodoo for the children."

I laugh. "Are you offering me a job?"

"I wouldn't want anyone else."

I smile widely. "Thank you so much, Kate!" I say. I can't believe I'll get to work and do what I love again — at the same time.

I thank Kate again, and she tells me when I'll be starting, and tells me what I'll get paid (which, by the way, is a hell of a lot) and then I hang up.

Wow... I definitely do not need Riley now, turns out my suckish life might acctually not be that bad. Without her.

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A U T H O R S
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Okay, I SWEAR TO GOD, jiley drama will be resolved soon!
Thanks for 1k reads btw!! That's acctually so amazing!!
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Hope everyone has/had a nice day :D
- emma xo