The Bet

Chapter 37

James's POV

I see a tear roll down Riley's cheek before she walks away. I turn back to my parents, anger taking me over.

"I can't believe you two." I growl.

"Whatever do you mean?" Mom asks. Her act of innocence just made me angrier.

"You treating Riley like that! You completely embarrassed her, and topped it all off by making her upset." I seethe.

"She isn't of our kind James." Dad says.

"Our kind? Really dad?" I growl. "Before you found out she about her job and family, you practically loved her!"

"He's right James. It's obvious that she just isn't good enough for you, or us." Mom tells me.

I stare down at my half eaten supper. The anger in me was practically burning. I needed to get away from these sick people.

"I'm going to go check on Riley." I mutter, standing up before I can hear their objections.

I strode down the hallway to the bathroom. I can hear faint sobs behind the door. I lightly knock.

"Riles, it's me." I say, leaning lightly on the door. "Can I come in?"

The door opens, and my poor Riley steps out.

"Can you bring me home? Now?" She asks before I can say a word. I smile weakly at her.

"Riles..." I begin, but she cuts me off.

"Please James." She begs.

"Riley, I'm sorry about my parents." I frantically apologize. "But can you please stay for a little longer?"

She looks down at te polishes marble floors. She sniffles, and I know I'm just torturing her more by making her stay.

"Please Riles." I beg. She looks up with teary eyes.

"Alright." She finally says. I embrace her in a hug, giving her any sort of comfort I can right now.

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Riley's POV

Needles to say, it was very awkward when I sat back down in the dining room. I was excluded from conversations, and gazes never fell my way. I was like a mere ghost.

"Riley, are you going to date my brother longer than the rest of his girlfriends date him?" Jacob suddenly asks me when there was a moment of silence. I smile a little, but I notice his parents scowling at me.

"I don't know." I respond.

"I hope so. I hated all his other gifriends."

"Jacob!" His mother shrills. Jacob slumps in his seat, as his mother turns to James.

"Although speaking of previous girlfriends, I had seen Ashley just the other day." She tells him. I see a badly concealed smile on James's face at the mention of the name.

"Oh did you?" He inquires.

"Yes, I did. You know, I thought you two would last longer. You seemed to awfully like her." She says.

"Yeah, I did." James responds, still smiling, like in a daze. I bite down hard on my lip. Here I am, in the shadows again. Even the name of a past ex girlfriend being more included than I am. Shunned even by my ow boyfriend.