Taming My Player

Revenge

Recap

 I had a feeling every song I would listen to right now would somehow associate with Jaiden in my mind. I aimlessly started driving, not ready to get back to Hollows just yet. 

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Jaiden's POV

 Walking out of the Italian restaurant, I felt the tears start to collect in the corner of my eyes. Riley looked over at me and sympathetically smiled. He wound his tan muscular arm around my waist bringing me to a stop.

"Jaiden, don't let that girl make you cry! You are so beautiful. Don't listen to a word of the crap she said. She was just jealous," Riley said his blue eyes filled with compassion.

I let out a shaky breath and responded, "You're right."

My words wavered and cracked making me sound less sure of myself. Riley pulled me into his chest and held me there rubbing soothing circles on my back. A few tears escaped, so I cuddled into his chest further feeling some comfort from his warmth.

"Sweetheart, don't cry please," he whispered in my ear.

He started sweetly calming me down by whispering in my ear. He practically cooed into my ear, and I started feeling better. I drew in a deep breath knowing I had cried enough over what that bitch said. I stepped out of Riley's arms which caused him to frown slightly. Even though I found comfort in Riley's arms, he didn't feel like Ash. For some reason, even though I know Ash was one of the reasons I was crying in the first place, I wanted to turn back into the restaurant and let him hold me until I felt better. I knew I couldn't do that, so I searched for comfort in another way. With Riley.

Riley grabbed my hand, making me lose my train of thought.

"Come on. I know this small place that sells the best hot chocolate. Will you go with me please?" Riley asked sweetly.

I threw a half-smile on my face hoping he'd buy it. He was being so sweet. I couldn't say no, even though I wanted to. Keeping my fake smile on my face I nodded. He seemed satisfied with my response, so he must have not seen through it. I bet Ash would have, I thought. I scolded myself as soon as I thought that. I shouldn't be thinking about him anymore. I'm better without him. At least that was what I was trying to convince myself.

He pulled me toward a white Range Rover and opened my door.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

He jogged around to his side and got in. He turned on the radio station that only had pop and rap songs.

"Girls like this shit right?" he asked not really looking like he cared if I didn't like the music.

I just nodded even though I hated this kind of music.

"So Jaiden, tell me about yourself," he asked while I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

The conversation already seemed forced and awkward, and it barely even began. I avoided the question because honestly, I didn't want to tell Riley anything about me. I scolded myself for not giving him a chance. He did, after all, help me out of the situation with Ash. He even let me cry on his shoulder, and I barely knew him. Now he was taking me for hot chocolate, and all I'm doing is being rude in return. Stupid Ash had to ruin everything. Had I not met him, I would be bouncing with eagerness over a hot guy like Riley talking to me. Now he seemed kind of plain after getting to spend some time with Ash. 

I shook my head clearing me out of my thoughts to respond, "Not much to tell. How about you tell me something about yourself?"

He didn't seem too opposed to the idea, and began to tell me plenty about him. I was only half listening but what I gathered was that he was on the baseball and track team. Apparently he was quite the star on them, or at least that's what he told me. He knew Reed and Tye from the baseball team, and they had been friends since their freshmen year. He was now a senior like me, and he was waiting for a good scholarship to some college he wanted to go to. He talked about himself literally the entire way over to the little coffee shop with the "amazing hot chocolate". I was starting to get a little annoyed. I know I asked him to tell me something, but I wasn't expecting a life story. I tuned out and began looking out the window.