Not Like The Rest » Dylan O'Brien

Chapter 1

Note: This story is for mature readers only! It contains foul language and may contain sexual content.

*Riley is portrayed as Sarah Hyland.

Riley Mathers

I wake up just as my head feels the impact of the hardwood floor. I groan and sit up, my head pounding as I sit up slowly, rubbing my back and wishing that I could somehow stop falling out of bed. My eyes glance at the clock and my stomach jumps as I read 7:40. I'm late again for work. I work at this small office that sells office supplies and stuff like that. Everyone thinks I'm an intern or something, it sucks when you're the runt of the group. I peel the sweaty sheets from my body and stumble into the shower, running my hands along the porcelain walls of the small shower as the hot water cascades over my body. I stay in the heat until my head pounds and wrap a towel around my body, taking the time to part my wet hair. As I do so, I stare at the girl in the mirror. Her blue eyes are shadowed by a dark crescent circle below her eyelids, her long brown hair dripping with water. After I blow-dry my hair, I rummage through my closet for a simply white blouse and pencil skirt. It's one of the nicest outfits I can afford, between paying the bills for my small apartment and for food, of course. I slip on some black pumps that my mother let me borrow and zoom through the kitchen to eat something before shuffling out of the door. I take the rickety elevator down and exit into the lobby, waving to the receptionist, who doesn't notice my gesture as usual. Another day, another miserable twenty-four hours of my life.

Dark clouds roll ahead signally incoming storms as I push through the doors. I run out to my white Nissan as a fat rain droplet splatters onto my hand. I curse under my breath and turn on the radio, and of course, my least favorite song is playing. It's 8:56 by the time I actually get on the road, but traffic just isn't on my side today. I'm stuck behind a large semi as I tap impatiently on the steering wheel. I'm offically late by the time traffic moves again. Once I reach the building, I run in as fast as my pumps will allow me to go. I wave to the receptionist, Erin, who smiles and returns the gesture. I take my seat in my cubicle opposite from my best friend, Maddie, and smile as I start up my computer. Maddie has been my friend since elementary. After we graduated, we luckily landed the same job selling office supplies. With freckles dotting her nose, blue eyes, and straight brown hair, she could easily be mistaken as my long lost twin.

"Did you fall out of bed again?" she snorts as she hands me a cup of coffee from the break room.

"I did actually," I respond as I lift the cup to my lips,"the usual, you know?"

"Oh, geez... Here comes Carl..." She giggles, her fresh curls bouncing about her shoulders.

Carl's been my boss for two years. He's not the kind of boss that you usually find, he's not strict in any way. Sometimes, actually, he isn't so... responsible. He's that fun boss that you don't usually find.

"Well, goodmorning, Riley. Looking nice today!" he says as he strolls through my cubicle.

"Goodmorning, Carl..." I reply, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, by the way... I've got a meeting at Corporate this morning, so sales calls are off for today."

"Oh, okay." I smile and turn back to my work.

For most of the morning, I stay on the phone with clients, negotiating prices of printers and supplies while chattering with Maddie. The hours seem to repeat themselves throughout the day, until I get a call on my cell phone. It rings rather loudly, earning me glares from Jodie, one of the older women who work in the sales department.

"Sorry," I whisper loudly as I grab my phone and run out into the hall. The number is unfamiliar, but I answer anyway. Anything to get out of there for just a few minutes.

"Hello?" I answer briskly.

"Hello, is this Riley Mathers?" says a deep male voice.

I frown. "Um, yes. Who's this?"

"Excuse me. My name is Jeff Davis, I am the producer for Mtv's Teen Wolf, you might know me?" My stomach drops. I can't believe that Jeff Davis, the Jeff Davis, has called me.

I try to respond normally, but it comes out in the whisper,"Yes, yes, I know you...."

"I have an offer for you. I travel around often, and I have made the effort to come to some of your plays. In my opinion, you have enough talent to audition..." My heart hammers in my chest. What is he saying?

"Yeah?" I choke.

"However, I am calling a bit late, and I have talked with my directors, and I have decided that you have some amazing talent that I've been looking for. So, this is give or take, Miss Mathers."

"Yeah!" I shout louder than intended. I clear my throat and smile. "Uh, I mean, yes."

"Excellent... I'll book you a flight for next Monday to L.A. and a limo as well to take you to your penthouse." L.A.? A limo? I must be dreaming.

"T-thank you... Thank you so much!" I say goodbye to the man who is making my dreams come true and leap into the air. I've been waiting so long to fulfill my dreams and I can finally do so. I take deep breaths and try to avoid squealing like a schoolgirl as I imagine myself being on live television. After I've calmed down enough to talk normally, I enter the office and brush off my skirt, acting like nothing happened.

I only have one problem now: telling everyone, including Carl, including Maddie- that I'm leaving. I take my seat and try to ignore Maddie's weird stares of confusion.

"What was that about?" she asked.

"Uh, nothing. I'll talk to you later." I grabbed my coffee in intentions of refilling it but find myself at the door to Carl's office. I knock twice and wait for a response.

"Er, come in!" I roll my eyes as I hear him listening to Don't Go Breaking My Heart at full volume. He clears his throat and turns off the stereo. "Have a seat." I pull up a blue cushioned chair and fold my hands in my lap.

"Um, something has come up-"

"Are you pregnant? Did it finally happen?"

I glare at him and shake my head. "What? No! No. That's not it.. uh..." He throws his head back in laughter and drums his fingers on his cherry wood desk. "I've been invited to begin an acting career in L.A."

He stands up and brings his hands down hard on the table, causing me to flinch. "What?!" He skips around the room enthusiastically. "That's a-m-a-z-i-n-g!"

"Yeah, uh, I'm still kind of thinking about it, but..." Lie. "I'm gonna miss everyone here." Lie. "I think I'm gonna do it. I think I'm ready."

"Well, good luck in Hollywood. Tell me if you meet Ashton Kutcher. No, wait. Kim Kardashian. Oh my god, you're gonna meet Kim Kardashian-" I laugh and put my hand up to stop him.

"Alright, Carl. Thanks for understanding. I'll miss all of you... Um, so, I'm gonna need my final paycheck by Friday, because I'll be leaving on Monday."

"Absolutely."

After dancing around the room quite a bit longer, Carl finally lets me go. I break the news to Maddie, who is even more estatic about it than Carl was. I can tell she's sad, too, because she won't be seeing me for a while. But it'll be worth it, won't it? After all of these years away from my abusive ex, Sam, trying to start a new life in Chicago, and working towards this goal, I'm finally ready.

And this time, everything I've done is going to pay off.

*Note: Maddie is based on my actual best friend, Maddie (duh) and she's got a Wattpad account! Follow her @moolove21 she's an amazing writer and she's my best friend so follow her or die

k bye