"Do you like Ace still?" This was obviously an unusual question, especially coming from my boyfriend. We were sitting in Mr. Latoba's class when I heard this, and I was shocked, to say the least.
"What makes you ask that?" I was almost hesitant to answer. No, I don't like Ace. Ace was the last thing on my mind right now, considerably so after homecoming.
"I just worry..." River trailed off, his eyes sad. I knew River trusted me. There's no way he couldn't, we were together 24/8. But that didn't stop me from being inraged.
"What, don't you trust me?" I'm not sure if my voice cracked was a sign that I was about to cry, or a signal of my anger. I was sad and angry. The way River had made this feel in a matter of two sentences was more than offensive.
"I just..." I desperately wanted to wait and let River finish that, because who knows how he's feeling. Instead, I got up and switched seats. This was starting off terrible. My boyfriend didn't trust me, and I had Ace to consider now.
Lunch was lonely. I took a seat at my old table, my spot next to Read gladly opened up for me. River was no where in sight.
"Where's the dirty hippie?" Brady asked, a mouth full of sandwhich. Everyone laughed, and in turn I playfully rolled my eyes, throwing a grape at him in the process.
"He's not dirty. And we had a little quarrel today. I'm sure he's just hiding in the bathroom, figuring out how to apologize or whatever." My emotions were suddenly stopped, like I could have cared less what River was doing. I realized then and there I had been living in two different worlds. The nice world, and then my secret bad ass world. River was away, so therefore my kindness was, too.
"Actually, he's not here. He ditched." A voice said from behind me. We all turned our heads, and there was Keanu. Leather jacket and distressed jeans, his white Converse covered in dirt. "He said you know where he'll be." And just like that, Keanu was gone.
"Who the fuck was that?" Drake asked, watching my friend walk away.
"That's Keanu. He's cool. But the real question is, since when does River skip school?" The last part was rhetorical. I almost expected him to ditch. River told me he couldn't imagine getting through the day without me. But truth is, I have no bloody idea where he went.
"I can't believe your little boy toy ditched." Read said as we entered class together. Read reeked of weed, giving me a seriously dangerous withdrawl, which I set aside.
"I'm sure he's fine." I didn't really want to talk about River. I couldn't believe him. Maybe I was being too sensitive, or maybe I'm in the wrong, or whatever people may believe, but God damn. I'm dating him for a reason, right?
"He's so wrong not to trust you. You're more loyal than half the people I know." Read said. We continued chatting as we took a seat, but it wasn't long until our conversation was interrupted.
The door flew open, and there was Keanu, in a sweat.
"Hope." He called my name out. The class looked at me, but I ignored them, strutting over to Keanu. I walked right out of class, and didn't even question when Keanu led me to his car.
"We ditching?" I already knew the answer. His car whizzed out of the parking lot, and down the road.
Keanu brought me to River's house, which had a tree house in the back yard. So that's where River was hiding. I could see the top of his blonde hair poking out from the window. There were no other signs of life around this area.
Me and Keanu walked to the hideout in silence, knowing exactly what was coming. We entered without making a sound.
"Talk it out." Keanu demanded. I reluctantly sighed, my eyes locking on River. River looked irritated, which was unusual. He didn't even glance at me. So this was suddenly my fault. Great.
"Why would you even think I'm not loyal?" I barked, my voice still low. River scoffed, his eyes dancing in annoyance. He looked at me breifly, a small scowl crossing over his face.
"Because you had it all before I came along. Don't you get it? You were popular, with popular friends, and clearly, there was another guy in the picture, who is, big surprise, popular! I come along, me, a hippie freak from Oregon, and you suddenly drop everything for me?" River could have shouted if he wanted, but really, it reminded me of any argument in a soap opera. It was petty and generic. Typical. Totally TV worthy.
"You do shit like that for people you fall in love with." That was all I had to say before dipping. I climbed out of the treehouse, and totally skipped Keanu's car. I knew he wasn't coming down to catch up.
Even though I didn't go back to Keanu's car, I did walk to his house, which he gladly texted me the address to. Keanu was a supportive third party, which was more than Read. I needed someone who didn't totally differentiate from my current half-boyfriend, but someone who think like him, either. Keanu was my best bet.
By the time I got there, he was already home. I just strolled right in to the large house, the smell of freshly made tea selling my nostrils.
"Head up to my room. I'll be there in a second." Keanu called from the kitchen. I didn't respond, I just headed up. His room wasn't hard to pick apart, either. The posters and already blaring music set the alarms off.
Keanu came up not long after I did, two cups of steaming tea in his hands. I took one from him greatfully, taking a sip of the blistering hot liquid.
"Why'd you bounce? You could have sorted it out, but didn't. Why?" Keanu was also understanding, which was a good best friend quality.
I hummed, thinking. "Because he doesn't trust me and I'm not sure how to get him to. My anger is a big problem. It would've been worse if I had stayed." This was the truth. My anger is terrible, and if I had stuck around, the situation would have gone south.
"This isn't about you. He knows your loyal. Deep down. But he doesn't think he's good enough for you. Give him time, he'll figure it out. Right now, let's leave him alone." Keanu wrapped a friendly arm around me, his awkward side hug making me laugh. We drank our tea and talked, the River situation dying off.
I stepped out of Keanu's car, ready to possibly face an angry mother. I said my goodbyes and headed to the garage, only to find the car gone. Another late shift. With my luck, I could die and my mother wouldn't know for another month. Her job really messed with her being over protective. She was a nurse, so she didn't have much of a choice.
I sighed, my feet dragging me up to my room. I was half expecting flowers, or maybe even River himself, in attempt to make up for everything. But alas, my room was exactly the way I left it. No River, no flowers, not even a card or note. My room months before I knew River was all I could see. Boring. Bland. Lonely. Scary.
One thing is for certain. It sure as hell is cold here without a cuddle buddy. So I did the only thing I knew how to do.
I called Mercury.
YOU ARE READING
Together // River Phoenix // *modern* High School AU
Fanfiction"I thought you said you wouldn't leave?" "I didn't plan on it." "You're going to forget me now, aren't you?"
