The Next Step- Nochelle and Jiley One Shots

Catching You

Author's Note:
Hi all! This is basically another alternate reality—I know right, shocker :). But it's kind if James walked in on Riley and Alfie instead of Piper, like Riley walked in on him and Beth. And the title is another alphabet one because I have no ideas. Please comment or message me if you have any! Anyway, I hope you guys like it! Another short one.

James' Perspective:

I was so excited. I had just gotten off of a plant from London to surprise Riley. I hadn't seen her in so long, so it would be so nice to catch up and see what she's been up to, running the studio and all.

I stood outside Studio A. So many memories. I took a little bit of time to remember it all, then I sped into Studio A. Looking into the office first, I didn't even realize what I'd walked in on until it was too late. She was already kissing him.

Riley was already kissing Alfie. I was stunned. Completely and utterly stunned. I couldn't walk, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move.

How could this have happened? I was gone for 2 weeks. In 2 weeks they'd gotten together, and she'd cheated on me? From the way this looked, the guitar and her fancy dress and all, it didn't seem like this was the first time.

They were only kidding for a couple seconds, but for me, it felt like an eternity. I tried to close my eyes and block it out but it just kept coming back to me.

When they pulled away, I studied Riley's face. She looked shocked and guilty, but there was the tiniest tint of happiness. If you didn't know her, you wouldn't have been able to make it out, but I could. I knew her better than anyone.

"Alfie, I—" Then she saw me. "James." she whispered.

"No, Riley, you shouldn't be thinking about James right now. I'm Alfie." Alfie said.

"No...James." She looked me right in the eye and my heart crumbled. Her eyes were full of pity, and unhappiness, but not love. I couldn't stand this any longer.

"James!" Riley cried loudly as I ran out of the room. I could hear her mumbling a rushed apology to Alfie as she followed me into the music room.

"What do you want, Riley?" I demanded. "What, you want to cheat on him too with me?"

"No, James, I would never do that." she said.

"You'd never cheat on him? Wow, that makes me feel so darn special." I fired back.

"James, it's not like that. I-I didn't—"

"You did. You definitely did. I saw it." I said, cutting her off.

"What you saw was a mistake. I didn't mean to, he took advantage of my feelings." she said, trying to explain, but I wasn't having it.

"Feelings toward him?" I asked sarcastically.

"No, James, no! I don't have feelings towards him! I'm sad, and I'm stressed, and he noticed that right away and took advantage of that! He took advantage of how much I missed you and didn't deal with it well..or, at all." She was nearly crying from all this. I understood that she was stressed, I did, but this was not the way to deal with stress.

"If you couldn't deal with me being away, then you should've called me! I would've been home in a heartbeat—"

"Don't you get it?! I didn't want you to come home because of me! You needed to live your dreams! I didn't want to mess with that! You deserve to do what you want without your girlfriend getting in the way!" Riley yelled. "I couldn't call you, even though I wanted to. Even though I needed you..."

"You have a funny way of showing it." With that, I stormed out of the room, out if the door, and to my car. I needed to cool down. Far away from Riley.

I just couldn't listen to her with an open mind right now. Not after what she did, even if she had a valid reason. I didn't have the heart to listen.

——————

Riley's Perspective:

I walked back into Studio A, sobbing and tugging at my dress to try and calm my fingers down. "You okay?" Alfie asked me.

"No, I'm not okay! My boyfriend saw us kissing!" I shouted.

"So? Now you can break up with him and we can be together." He was calm when he said it, as if what he just said wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.

"I find want to break up with him.." I mumbled. "I love him."

"Then why did you kiss me? You know what, I'm leaving." He snapped, storming out just like James did.

"Go to Hell, Alfie." I yelled back.

I've ruined everything.

Author's Note:
I don't really know what this is and I'm not super proud of it, but oh well. Love you all!