Trapped In Your Bleeding Heart (Riff x Reader)

Chapter Thirteen - Granny's Diner⚠️

⚠️Trigger Warning: Sexual harassment⚠️

"I've only been uptown a few times." Maria said as we made our way up streets and in between large buildings. "But I've never been with a g— someone who isn't Puerto Rican."

I wouldn't have been offended if she had called me a gringo. Bernardo called people gringos all the time, though it was never directed at me. I wasn't hurt by it. At least, not anymore. It was just something to get used to. "Actually, I haven't been very often either." I said.

"Where do you think the Jets will be?"

I thought for a moment. "Not sure. We may as well hunt around for a job in the meantime."

Maria nodded, and her head looked from street to street, angle to angle. I could tell that she would be looking for Tony all day. I hated to admit it, but I was also anxious to see the Jets. I wanted to see Riff. Wanted to speak with him. See him smile. I wanted to– well– I wanted many things. "What about waitressing?" Maria asked, pointing to a diner located across the street. "You would make a fine waitress!"

I looked it over. It wasn't very large, and had a big sign that said 'GRANNY'S' on it in big block letters. "It's not too far from our apartment." I added. "Could save me some time and energy."

"Let's check it out!" Maria grabbed my wrist and pulled me across the street.

A small bell jingled when Maria and I opened the door. The diner was covered in vibrant colors. Whites, yellows, blues, and reds framed the walls and seats. At the front counter stood a girl in a small dress and apron. Her name tag sat above her heart. "I don't think I would love wearing that uniform..." I said quietly to Maria.

In one of the booths sat a group of around seven boys. Maria perked up. I was suddenly anxious. Ignoring the boys, I walked to the counter and smiled at the girl. She seemed distracted, her eyes settling sharply on Maria. I leaned to match her gaze, and then smiled again. "Hi. Can I have an application?" I asked.

She nodded distantly and reached under the counter. "Who is that girl?" She asked.

I turned around. Maria was staring lovingly at the booth of boys. I looked to the table, this time trying to focus on the boys' faces. Tony and Riff sat side by side, laughing alongside the other Jets. Maria turned to me. "He's here! Right there!" She whispered unsubtly, hitting me excitedly with a grin on her face. "Let's go!"

"Easy, bird." I said, grabbing her hand. "That's a whole lotta white boys."

The waitress at the counter looked horrified. The application sat neatly on the counter. "Did you bring her here?" She asked, shocked.

"Yeah, why?" I replied. "We aren't even uptown. This street is no man's land. And Maria is my friend."

I took the application and glanced back to Maria, who looked a bit disheartened. "Ugh." I whispered to her, wearing a small smile. "White people."

She looked at me funny, and then laughed. I nodded my head towards a booth, signaling for Maria to follow me and sit down. I filled the application out quickly, trying not to look back to the table. Now that we had actually found them, I regretted looking for the Jets. I thought I wanted an excuse to see Riff, but maybe I was scared of him after all.

Or maybe I was just scared at the idea of being in love with him...

"Tony is sitting by Riff. How am I going to talk to him?" Maria asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

I focused back in and continued to fill out the application. "I'm not sure, Mare." I answered haphazardly.

"Oh! I have an idea! You could distract Riff so that I can talk to Tony!" Maria exclaimed.

I choked on some of my own spit. "What?" I looked up to her. "How do you expect me to do that?"

"I don't know, just–" She looked at me pleadingly, "this is really important to me, Rose, please."

I looked back down to the application. Done. I didn't have an excuse to not do what Maria was asking of me. But...
"No, Mare, I'm sorry." I said, standing up. "I'm going to give this to the waitress."

I walked to the counter and placed the application next to the register, which sat firmly next to the wall. Suddenly, there was a hand on me. Not just on me, but grabbing me.

There was a stranger grabbing my ass.

I whipped around and looked up to the man. "What the hell?" I yelped.

"Geez," the unfamiliar man said, speaking low with a dark, thirsty look in his eyes. "Don't you know it's unladylike to swear?"

Before another moment passed, the man was punched across the face. He was hit so hard that his body slammed into the wall and crashed onto the ground. "Don't you know that it's ungentlemanly to touch a lady?" A new voice echoed.

My eyes shot up to the new figure. It was Riff. A toothpick sat comfortably in his angry sneer. Of course it was Riff.

"It's you." I said.

He shot me an uneven smile. "Don't sound so disappointed." He said. The man on the floor groaned. Riff looked down to him, as if he had forgotten about him in the first place. Then he looked back to me. "Excuse me a moment, doll."

In a flash, Riff was on top of the man who had grabbed me. He was beating him clean– punching his face from the left to right, and then standing, and giving him a good kick. I watched in shock, but from behind me, I heard the yells and whistles of encouragement that the other Jets were providing. "Serves him right." I heard from Maria, who sat in the safety of the booth.

Soon, two other Jets came and dragged the man outside, setting him roughly on the side of the street. Riff remained by my side. "Sorry 'bout that. Those rich ditsies need to get bent." He said.

I smiled. I liked hearing his voice– and although I'd heard it just the night prior, I felt as though I had a subconscious worry that I would forget what it sounded like. "Well, it seems that he did get 'bent.'" I replied.

Riff let out a small chuckle. "What are you doing coming around here alone?"

"Oh, I'm not alone, I came with a friend."

Riff deadpanned. "I'll feel real bad if you tell me I just beat the tar out of your friend."

I looked out towards the street. "No, he was certainly not a friend."

I looked back towards the booth, but Maria wasn't there. Instead, she was chatting it up with Tony, standing next to the bathrooms. "She's over there."

Riff didn't have to lean to see around me. He was tall enough to just gaze over me. "The little 'Rican gal?" He asked, eyes narrowed.

"Her name is Maria." I corrected.

"Wait, isn't that Bernardo's sister?" His eyebrows furrowed.

I swallowed nervously. "She's nice. And as I said before, she's my friend."

Riff didn't look away, so I continued. "Tony seems to like her alright, doesn't he?"

Riff shrugged apathetically. I exhaled. "Would you really dislike someone for being Puerto Rican?" I asked.

He looked down to me, and then back up to the pair. "It's ever about race, doll. Always about integrity."

I hummed. "So how about you show some 'integrity' and give her the benefit of the doubt."

He looked down to me again, and after a moment, he smiled. He took the toothpick out of his mouth and walked to a trash can, flicking the small piece of wood into the garbage. He walked back to my side and leaned against the counter. "The things I do for a pretty lady..." He remarked, shaking his head.

I inhaled sharply, and broke the eye contact he had formed. I refused to acknowledge the blush that attempted to creep onto my face.

His fist caught my gaze.

Oh, shit.

Author's note: this is the vibe.