Our Strange Love

Chapter 5

Since arriving at school, all Riley could think about was Eran-related. In Riley's world, there were no students chattering before the start of homeroom. Shit. I hope I got it to him in time. I was able to put it in his mailbox last night, but what if he didn't check his mail? He laid his head and arms across his desk.

His friends Tony and Jay passed by. "Hey, Riley. What's wrong with you?" Tony asked.

Riley waved his limp arm to send them off. They gave him uncomfortable and curious glances but walked down the aisle of desks. He then crossed his arms, holding his elbows, and hid his head. Maybe I should have stayed to hand it to him myself. No, he probably hates me.

Even through lunch, the obsessive thoughts didn't stop. If I hadn't taken his wallet, I wouldn't know his name or anything else about him that I found out. But by taking his wallet, I ruined any chance of ever... and I inconvenienced him. I don't know why I care. But I fucking care.

"Riley!" Riley jumped at his friends' call.

"What?" he demanded.

"That's what we wanna ask you," Tony remarked.

Riley put his hands over his ears and whined while shaking his head, "Noooooooo."

"It's withdrawal from lunchtime smoking," Tony jokingly offered. It was too windy to eat outside in their usual hidden spot, so they ended up having lunch standing on the landing of a lesser-travelled staircase.

"Smoking..." Riley muttered. He wouldn't have met Eran if he hadn't been smoking.

"Did you get more cigarettes?" Jay asked.

Riley answered normally. "Yeah. I wanna cut back though."

Jay held his hand out in front of Riley. "In that case, mind giving me a few?" He grinned, and Riley was sure there were invisible fangs.

Riley dug into his pocket and pulled out the pack.

"What's this?" Tony picked up a card that had fallen out of Riley's pocket.

Unsure as well, Riley took the card out of Tony's hand just as Jay took the pack out of Riley's hand.

"It looks like a bus—" Tony suddenly became speechless when he saw Riley's abrupt shift in mood.

Riley had failed at hiding his joyful expression. It was Eran's business card. How did it get in that pocket, he wondered. It must have fallen out yesterday. Did I move the wallet to another pocket? It doesn't matter. I don't care if a gnome put it there.

"'Eran Kristiansen. Research Specialist. Department of Microbiology—'" Riley took the other business card out of Jay's hand before he could continue.

"Why do you have two?" Tony asked.

"Why do you have one?" Jay pointed to the card. "Isn't this a private university?"

Protectively, Riley pulled the cards away. "What is on your hands?"

"Cheese... powder?" Jay put another chip in his mouth and Riley brushed the crumbs off the card carefully. Riley's friends were staring at him oddly because he was definitely acting oddly, so he knew he needed a good excuse. "This came from a wallet I borrowed yesterday. This card is going to make me rich."

"Oh really?" Sarcasm marked Jay's reply.

"Rich in a lot of things, I mean. Basically, with this card, my life will improve." It was vague enough where it wasn't a lie and Riley could look convincingly excited, while it still sounded like he was planning on doing something dishonest. "You'll have to find your own though." He smiled mockingly as he pocketed the cards and the pack of cigarettes.

The rest of the day Riley's change in demeanour caused his nearby classmates to exchange confused looks. Occasionally he pulled out the card and read it again. Walking home, he chatted with friends normally. But once they split up, he took out the card and continued to stare at it. His grin had settled. Riley slipped the cards into a snug part of his own wallet. "I shouldn't use this recklessly. When the time comes to pull out this weapon, I'll know."