Ian
When we close the door behind us and walk down the path, I can feel that Riley is no longer with me. Something has changed her mood. I lean against my motorbike, take her hand and pull her to me.
“What is it?”
“Mmm?”
“You’re acting strange. Distant. Did something happen in there?” I move my head in the direction of the house.
“No, I had a good time.”
“Did they embarrass you? Were you feeling uncomfortable?”
“No, Ian. Your family are great,” she says, not looking me in the eyes.
I take her chin in my fingers and she raises her eyes to mine.
“It’s just so hard.”
“What?”
“To understand why some people are like the ones in your family and others…”
I don’t let her finish. I take her in my arms and hold her tightly. She rests her head on my chest and lets herself be help.
“Everything’s fine,” she whispers. “I’m just a little sad, it’ll go away.”
“It doesn’t have to go away,” I tell her as she lifts her head to look at me. “I want you to be yourself. You can be sad when you feel it, happy when you feel it. I want you to tell me everything and trust me.”
At my last words I feel her stiffen.
“Is that the problem? You don’t trust me?”
“Can I?” she asks and I’m not sure I understand where this is coming from. “Can I really trust you?”
My head is telling me to tell her everything now, before it’s too late. Before she hates me and really can’t trust me anymore. But my heart…my heart is scared shitless.
“I’d really like you to,” I tell her, resting my forehead against hers. “I really would.”
Riley sighs against my lips.
“Promise me that you won’t ever lie to me. That you’ll be honest with me and you’ll tell me what you’re feeling even if it hurts me.”
“Do you really want that?”
She nods.
“I want to take you to mine.”
“N-now?” she mutters.
“Right now. I need to have you, Riley. I need to know that you’re mine.”
“Weren’t we supposed to be taking things slowly?”
“I’m willing to wait, to respect your timings. I am, I mean it. But today after seeing you in the stands cheering for me, and then seeing you in that house…”
“You’re pulling out all of your charm to get me into bed?” she smiles maliciously.
