Time Bomb (All Time Low/Marianas Trench)

Chapter Twenty Three

so, Jack thinks she's broke up with him. Riley is...confused? and really pissed. Then there is Matt...well Matt is Matt 'nuff said ;)

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Going home without Riley wasn't something Jack wanted to do; after she told him to leave he found the first flight back to Baltimore and boarded without second thought. Jack hated having to get on the damn plane, he also knew when he wasn't wanted and be damned if he was sticking around just to be shoved away. It was silly and he wanted to punch his brother in the face, when the older Barakat had suggested that if Riley was meant to be with his baby brother then she'd eventually come back.

Jack had never believed in that if you love it, let it go bullshit. If Riley was meant to be his then she wouldn't have told him to go home and send her belongings back. If Riley was meant to be his, she would be here with him right now. Sitting at home alone, the quiet house was driving Jack nuts, staring at his phone it was taking everything in him not to call Riley.

Stretched out on the sofa, an old episode of Supernatural playing, Riley rubbed her eyes as the two brothers on the screen took on the designated demon. Just as the character of the demon popped up behind the leads, Matt stepped into the room. Trying not to look as shaken as she was, Riley muttered a string of curse words under her breath.

"Hey, did I scare you?" Matt teased flopping down next to Riley giving her a wink.

"No." Riley laughed, playing it off.

Earlier in the evening Matt had dropped by to see how Riley was holding up. Three hours later and he was still poking around, lazing in the living room sucked into the television. Having seen the episode several times, Riley informed Matt she was going to get a drink if he wanted one. Deciding that a drink did sound fairly good, Matt took over the couch while Riley disappeared into the kitchen.

In the other room, as she gathered a few glasses of juice and a bag of chips, Riley heard her phone ringing in the other room. Returning to the living room, she handed Matt a glass and sat her own down on the coffee table with the food and reached for her phone.

"That was Josh." Matt informed Riley as she picked up her phone to see the missed call. "Are you going to call him back?"

"No." Riley's tone was cold as she set her phone back on the end table.

"You'll have to talk to him sometime. He's only trying to help, in his fucked up Josh mind." Matt chuckled.

"Josh always does this." Riley sighed sinking down onto the couch next to Matt. "He's always trying to control what I do."

"He only cares and he wants to make sure you're safe. Josh let Jack take you home, because he knew it would be good for you." Matt tried to reason; Riley would either take the statement or tell him to fuck off.

Josh had no right to control her life, Riley hated that he seemed to have everybody on his side. It was a losing battle if she had to go up against the "mighty" Josh Ramsay. He was such a jerk.

"Riles, you may not see it right now but Jack's a good guy. Let's face it; he's the best you've ever had." Matt chuckled, his laugh dry and without humor.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Riley folded her arms over her chest. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means." Matt clapped his hands together nervously. "You've never had a decent guy; all the guys you've ever dated were assholes. The guys you get involved with are no good and you know that."

As true as it was, Riley would never openly admit that to Matt or anybody. Matt had seen some of the guys Riley had got mixed up with; there were reasons why Josh didn't trust guys around her. Some of the guys had started out decent, only to end up falling from grace.