Smash!

•T H I R T Y F I V E•

Riley's POV

I've been waiting in my car for almost fifteen minutes now, but I don't mind. My old blue car is parked by the curb outside of Jamie's bakery. The bland, dust colored sky looms over, looking vast and empty without any sunshine. From my car, I can see Jamie helping out a few last customers, even though her shift ended twenty minutes ago. She dotes on an elderly woman and a guy around our age with a head of blonde hair, and an eager smile pointed in Jamie's direction.

I can't bring myself to be jealous. From the very moment I meet Jamie, I've wanted better for Jamie than me.

"Hey," Jamie quietly greets as she climbs into the car.

"Hey." I nod.

"Big tippers?" I joke as I pull away, but my heart isn't in it.

"Mrs. Church and her grandson Nicolas?" Jamie starts, "Yeah, they're nice tippers. They feel pretty generous, since they come in every Sunday after church." Jamie explains, folding up her apron into a neat square.

"So, he isn't a mommy's boy, St. Nick has granny issues?" I'm too aware of the attitude on the edge of my voice. I suck in a deep breath, knowing how much Jamie deserves attention from a nice guy.

"He doesn't have mommy or granny issues. He hangs out with her every Sunday just because she is his grandma. They have the TV family bond." Jamie elaborates, cranking up the heat in my car. Whenever Jamie's isn't looking, I take a long look at her. I take in her long curtain of red hair that I always want to run my fingers through, raised in a high ponytail on her head. I take in every freckle, finding a new sandy dot every time I count in an unexpected place, like behind her ears, or the curve of her neck. I take in the faded evergreen knit sweater that hugs her collar bones, and bunches up at her wrists.

Then she nearly catches me looking and I glare out the windshield.

My mind goes back to that tall blonde boy, and his smile. He has a thing for her. It's clear as day. A part of me hopes that he keeps smiling at Jamie, till she smiles back. A part of me hopes he asks her out soon, and takes her out to a fancy restaurant and holds the door open for her. A part of me hopes he treats her better than I ever could, and tells her to kick me out of her life, because I don't deserve her, I never did.

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Jamie's POV

It's dead silent as we climb the nine flight of stairs up to our apartment. Just the occasional taps of our feet against the wood, but other than that, complete silence. I want to ask what did Nate have him do last night that kept him out till 3am, but then I decide I don't want to know. Killer's muffled barks break the silence as we approach, the door shaking in place from how much he is scratching at it.

As soon as I unlock the door, the small golden retriever charges at our ankles. He circles our feet in excited circles, sweetly licking our ankles now than his old defensive habit of biting. The Christmas tree sits in corner of the cramped living room, its undecorated branches a constant reminder that we bought a Christmas tree when I don't own any decorations.

I've never had the space for it, so my brother has all of my grandmother's old Christmas boxes.

"About the other night." I speak up, referring to the night Riley pined me against a Christmas tree, and nearly kissed me in the snow. He visibly flinches, and swears under his breath, but meets my gaze straight on.

"Yeah, about that..." He starts.

"I still love Robin."
"You still love Robin." We both state at the same time. Just at the mention of her name, a bright, feverous look brightens his brown eyes.