Trapped In Your Bleeding Heart (Riff x Reader)

Chapter Seventeen - A Kiss To Cancel Out

Maybe it was that I had been groped just the day prior. Maybe it was that I shouldn't have wanted his company this badly. Maybe it was that I did want his company this badly, yet saw him kissing another girl, who was a pretty blonde with hair that was always curled, and lips that were always red. Or maybe it was because I belonged back in nursing school, and not in some club with a gang leader.

Suddenly, I bumped into someone.

Man, I have to watch where I'm going more often.

"Sorry." I muttered, looking back to the figure.

It was a brunette girl with a striking side part that glided into a long ponytail. "You must have guts to talk to Riff like that." She responded.

I froze. "What?"

"No one talks to Riff like that. Ever. Especially not some girl."

She spat it as if it were an insult. I scoffed. "Jet-Jug." I mumbled, continuing towards the exit.

Maybe these guys were just as bad as Bernardo said. Music blared through my veins. I pushed passed a few couples, and maneuvered through others. I was bumped and shoved more times than I would've liked.  "Hey, wanna dance?" An unfamiliar voice said, paired with a hand clasped around my wrist.

Once we were facing each other, he shot me a nasty grin. "Oh, I know you!" He exclaimed over the music. "You're the girl of my dreams!"

The exit couldn't have been more than five feet behind him. Nothing was going to stop me now. I shook his hand off. "Really? Because you seem like my nightmare." I replied, shoving passed him and storming out of the club.

It was cold outside, and clear. Streetlights didn't reach that far into the abyss. But even then, breathing in the chilled, empty air of the alley, it felt like I couldn't catch my breath. The intoxicated music faded as the door swung shut. I no longer liked the song. I ran my hands down my skirt once, and then twice; and then I gave up, and just began sweeping my dress down with my hands, as if it held static, or crumbs.

"Whatever you're trying to brush off, I think you got it."

I looked up. It was Riff. Of course it was Riff. It was damn near always Riff. I stiffened my expression and swallowed dry spit, ignoring his statement completely. "You told me you didn't take disrespect lightly. Back at Doc's, that night." He brought his thumb up to his split lip, as if he were reminiscing. "I guess I should've taken you more seriously."

"I guess so."

"Listen, I'm not the type to—"

"Men who start sentences with, 'I'm not the type to' are usually exactly that type."

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that I didn't mean what I said to come off like that."

I made sure to not let my expression soften at all. After a moment, Riff scoffed sharply at my motionless reaction, though he didn't seem upset with me in particular. "God, doll, I'm not good with apologies."

"Because they're never expected from you."

Riff's face lost some of its tension. Its violence. He had never thought of that before, obviously. Now I couldn't help but wonder what his face looked like doing other things. Like tasting something good, or sleeping, or humming his favourite tune. "Well," He paused, bringing my consciousness back to the topic at hand. "not a lot of people care enough to want one."

That was his excuse? I couldn't help but let a smile crack onto my face. He was a piece of work, truly.

"You, uh..." Riff began, breaking the silence. "You look nice."

Wait.

I suddenly remembered the fact that he had kissed another girl minutes prior. "I look nice." I repeated. "And therefore I hold worth?"

His face dropped. "Well you're a hard one to please."

I shook my head in disagreement. "I think you're just used to getting what you want without trying too hard for it."

He took a step towards me. "Well, I'm trying now."

I took a step towards him. "You try, yet your progress is held back by silly comments and bad decisions."

He hummed curiously. "You sound so much prettier with your mouth closed."

My eyebrows shot up, and I formed a smile. "If arrogance could fly, you'd be a Jet." I parted my lips, and faked a playful gasp. "Oh, wait..."

He was impressed by that one, I could tell. Suddenly, we were very close, as if we were dancing once more. "You said you were trying." I said suddenly.

"Sure." He replied.

"And that– does that mean–"

My own words flashed through my head.

'I think you're just used to getting what you want without trying too hard for it.'

I attempted my question once more. "Does that mean that you want me?"

"... Do ya want me?"

Were those words their own question? Or was he rephrasing what I had just said?

"Rose!" Maria interrupted, rushing to my side. "We need to go. Now. Right now."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Chino's here! If he sees us– if he sees me– we're dead!"

Shit.

"Did he? See you?"

She pulled at my arm. "Not yet! That's why we have to leave now!"

I looked back up to Riff. "Vamos– Come on!" Maria urged. "Rose!"

"Tell Zella I say hi." Was what I mustered out. I watched Riff's expression change. Yeah, now he knew why I was so upset. I smirked. "Give her a kiss for me."

I allowed Maria to pull me towards the street. Riff almost followed us, and then stopped, and then shook his head slightly, and came after us after all. "It wasn't like that!" He stated.

"Mhm, sure."

"She practically forced herself onto me!"

"That's why you kept dancing with her afterward!"

"Listen, you don't know the whole story."

"Well, I don't exactly have the time to hear it now, so."

He grabbed my waist and pulled me out of Maria's grasp. "So take this instead." He said.

He cupped my face and pulled me into a short-tempered, violent, meaningful kiss. He released me immediately and dipped his head to one side, almost like a nod. "There, it cancels out." He flashed a smile, as if he had come up with a simple, effective solution. But it was neither.

It made everything so much more complicated.

Maria paid no mind to the kiss, and simply began dragging me away again. In a daze, I followed her, brushing my fingers against my lips.

Oh.

Oh no.

Authors note: EHEHEHEHEHE