Blindsided

20

James

The rest of us were sat in the Garden, part of me hoping Riley was having a good time but another part of me wishing she was home right now
She's out there with god knows who. And Riley and Alcohol have never mixed ever since she could legally drink
I smiled to myself seeing her post on Instagram from a couple hours ago.
These girls clearly mean a lot to her and that's all I care about to be honest
All I care about is that she's happy, safe and she knows how loves she truly is 

We don't know much about the girls but Ri fits in with them like a glove so who are we to question it
"Let's make a bet" Eldon said making everyone look at him confused
"Who do we think Riley will call" He asked and I rolled my eyes
"I reckon it'll be Hunter" West said and I nodded in agreement

"Yeah I mean, if you had asked us back in A-Troupe days it would be a toss up between Emily and James" Michelle said
"You know, I don't think that's the case" Hunter said landing his gaze on me
"I bet it'll still be James" He said and I chuckled but shook my head
"Nah, it's all you man" I said and he shook his head

"Are you willing to make that bet?" He asked and I smirked nodding reaching out my hand
"Bet" I said as he chuckled shaking my hand 

--

Riley

The club was loud, the girls were as pumped as the music, I'd lost track of all of our drinks as in I don't know how many we've all had but regardless. It was an amazing time
"I can't believe you guys are here" I smiled to them as we sat in the booth, it was that part of the evening where music was slow and all the couples took too the floor

"Remind me why we stopped doing this?" Sammy asked and I chuckled
"We all got into relationships" Matilda said
"And when all of ours fell apart, Riley's flourished" Sammy said before pouting and glancing at me

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked and I shrugged 
"There isn't too much too say, he was cheating and got jealous over James. I lost it and confronted him about Georgia and here we are" I said and they sighed looking at me
"Riley but like are you okay? I mean come on.. it was 5 years" Neveah asked and I shrugged again

"if you had asked me the day it happened, I was not okay. Far from it actually" I started
"But over this what week and a half?" I asked and they all nodded
"I realised that I don't need him. Sure he was someone I loved, I trusted but I have more people like that" I finished
"Like Jamesssss" Ally teased making me roll my eyes
"You know when I told you lot about him, it wasn't fuel for your teases" I warned them making them all laugh

"Oh come on, you two were the cutest fucking things back in the day" Neveah smiled
"back in the day?" I asked and they all nodded
"I mean, if you two were to ever re-spark, you wouldn't be cute anymore. I mean that passed after your puberty" Sammy teased
"But you two would be hot as fuck now" She said making us all burst out laughing 

Soon the music picked up again and one by one, we all started heading to the dancefloor until it was just Neveah and I sat at the booth
"You know Riley, I see it" she said making me look at her confused
Neveah has always been one of the more observant people I'll give her that 

"I've seen the way your face shifts at the mention of his name" She said making me bite my lip slightly
"Whether you like it or not. There is something there still, you just need to dig a little to find it" She said before smiling once more leaving me alone in the booth

Little did she know, I didn't need to dig at all. I was fully invested in something with James eventually but right now is not the time..

I say that but yet one text could change it all.. 
One text I had just sent.