Paint The Ice

Chapter 32

"Stuff you won't care about right now,"Cole's the one to answer first, turning his face in her direction. "How'd it go?"

I turn around too, my face sinking into the side of the headrest. Riley's face is unreadable.

She looks at Cole then her eyes flicker to mine. She's still unreadable. Why? My heart races. Then she breaks out in a grin. Jesus. She had me for a second.

"I got in. I'm in the book show." The way she says it sounds like she doesn't believe it.

I blow out a breath of relief. "Are you serious?"

I knew how much that meant to her.

"I'm so serious. I can't believe it, I don't know how I'm breathing right now." She shines and it truly warms my heart.

"Woohoo!" Cole being exactly who he is honks the horn. A couple heads turn in the direction of the sound. "You deserve this, I know how hard you've worked."

Full lips lift in another smile. "Thanks Coleslaw."

"You deserve it. I'm glad everything worked out." I reach out and squeeze her thigh, slipping my hand away just as quickly.

"Like you said it would." She reminds me of our conversation prior, eyes glued to mine.

"Yeah," I nod, my own mouth lifting in a smile. "I did say that, didn't I?"

"So not expelled and got into the book show? You're on a roll." Cole says. "If you were expelled, you wouldn't be happy now right?"

He continues on. "You know Riles, we planned on starting a riot if you were expelled."

I sit up straight. "Who is we?"

"Eric, Tyler, Rhett, Asher, me. Convincing everyone else wouldn't be hard." My brother admits.

——
RILEY

When I walk into the apartment, my first stop is the kitchen where I get some water for my pink tulips. I set my puffer jacket to the side and get the vase ready for the center of the counter.

"Tell us everything." Kianna pipes up behind me.

I wasn't startled by her voice and presence. I expected my friends to be home and when I turned around, there Sutton and Mattie were gathering around me like a school of fish so I knew they'd not let it go. I'm not getting out of this. So... I tell them everything. About Jade. The Dean. Professor Grimshaw. The Book Show. I couldn't hide the excitement in me. I've worked tirelessly, all my Friday nights for this and now that it's happening without Jade as a block in the road was what I've been waiting for all this time.

After hugs and squeals and more hugs, Mattie stares at what I'm wearing like it caught her off guard. "Is that?" I've never seen her eyes widen like this before.

I nod before she could go further. "Yeah, it's Asher's sweatshirt." For some reason, I'm beaming when I say it.

Sutton's eyebrows already went up. "Okay... does that mean you guys are?"

"Mhm." This wasn't just a hookup friends with benefits type of thing. Asher said it himself. We were together now and it was strange to think but also nice.

We spent the night on the couch with pepperoni pizza that Sutton ordered for all of us while we did our assignments. I felt so happy, so full even though I didn't eat much all day. We were focused on the school work in front of us the entire time, most of the pizza ended up in the fridge by the time we were done. I slept like a baby afterwards. More than I have in a while. It was like a storm finally passed.