Billionaire

Breakdown

When I told my mom that I was capable of getting Riley to do the shoot, she didn't believe me at first. Sure, she never met Riley, but I talked about her enough to give her this general idea.

Riley is that type of person who really doesn't give two shits about anything. Not girly. Has a sense of humor. And is very talented.

My mom likes her, hopefully. I actually have no idea if she likes Riley, she never met her. But she'll meet her Friday. That's when the shoot is.

All these little events leading up to where I am now. On my bed...on the phone...with Riley.

"You're kidding? Your mom's okay with letting some girl who you met on the street do a magazine shoot with 'The Lucas Friar?'" she jokes over the phone. Even her sense of humor at 10:35 at night is amazing.

"Yes, she agreed to it, but she didn't believe me at first." I stood up from my chair and walked over to my dresser, above hung pictures of family, friends, and my favorite, a picture of Riley and I. Let's a little trip down memory lane. I assume that word spread that I was at the carnival and or it was just random people who decided to take pictures of Riley and I. One in particular I found online the next day. It was while we were on line for the Ferris wheel. She stared up at the top, the colorful lights flashing as she had the look of excitement on her face, while I looked at her in amusement and admiration. Maybe it was the fact that she looked like a child in a candy store. Or maybe it was the fact that I was starting to like her and I just never realized.

"She probably didn't believe you because I'm a bum off the street."

"No," she let out a small giggle. "She didn't believe me because she thought you weren't the type of person to do this."

"How would she know?" My face begins to heat up and I bite my bottom lip. "Lucas, have you been talking about me?' she asks in an amused voice.

 "Don't flatter yourself, Matthews," I quip with a smirk on my face. A smirk she can't see.

"Oh, shut up pretty boy," she scoffs and laughs.

"Thank you. It's nice to know you find me attractive."

"You know you're pretty arrogant." I play with picture of Riley and I with my fingers. Gently flicking the picture as I recall that moment in my head. "Where can I find the guy who's selling you this arrogance so I can tell him not to sell it to you anymore?" I stifle a laugh. "I'm seri-" she's cut off by the sound of a door opening, I can hear small sniffles in the background. I want to ask what's going on, but I stay quiet. "Bubba? Are you alright?" I hear Riley place her phone down and button go off. She put the phone on speaker. Rapid breathing and whimpers increase in volume, "Bubba, please talk to me."

"Riley," a gentle voice said, it sounded like a little boy, who I can assume is her younger brother.

"Bubba what happened?" I never heard her voice so gentle and vulnerable before. Riley has talked to me about her brother before. She spoke of him like he was her world, he was young. 6 years old. She said that he still doesn't understand their family situation, which she has still yet to discuss with me about.

"I had a nightmare," he says in between deep breaths. "I went to mommy and daddy's room, but they weren't there. And it was just like my dream."

"What was the nightmare?"

"I thought you guys were dead." Silence, with the occasional whimpers and sniffles from her brother.

"Come here Bubba," Riley's voice cracked. Auggie's cries were muffled, I can assume its from him crying into Riley's chest. I could feel my chest rising and collapsing faster as his tears filled my ears through the phone.