Before You Exit Short Stories [OPEN FOR REQUESTS]

Silence (Riley McDonough)

Harper's POV

I was sitting in class waiting for our professor to show up. It's 7 am on a Monday morning and the entire school was in silence. It is a very rare occasion that this school is this quite. I love it that way, that's why my classes are mostly during early in the morning. Being surrounded with silence calms me.

So when 9 am strikes, I always avoid the main hall. It is the most crowded area of the entire hall as most of the students are starting to arrive to school.  Not my most favorite scene.

It's been 30 minutes pass 7 and our professor is still no where to be found.  There is a rule that if the professor doesn't show up 30 minutes after the class is supposed to start, there would be no class.  I noticed that everyone is starting to leave, I just stayed on my seat, still waiting.

In just a minute, everyone was out of the room and I was left behind in the classroom. To be really honest, I don't know why I even stayed to wait. I don't know I am sitting right here, right now. I should leave and just go home. I have no intention to attend my next class.  But for some reason, I could pull myself off the chair to leave this classroom.

I stayed there for at least another 30 minutes when someone sat on the seat beside mine. I didn't have to look who it was, I know by how late he is to this clads that I wouldn't be mistaken that it's Riley.

We used to be friends, or so I thought he was my friend. We used to not talk to each other when we first got into this class, but just 2  weeks ago, he finally talked to me. I didn't know why all of a sudden he decided to talk to me. He is a well known student in school as he is part of a band that places around the state. They already have toured quite a few times. So for someone like me, an ordinary person in this world, he would talk and notice me.

Not that I crave of his attention. He was never my type. Don't get me wrong, he is not obnoxious and boastful because he is famous. He is very down to earth. I don't know why, but maybe it's because he is in a band with his brothers. Maybe they keep each other grounded all the time.

Anyway, we sat in silence for the next 10 minutes, like how it used to be.  We stopped talking or being 'friends' last week. I personally didn't know why but he just stopped talking to me and I followed suit. It's not like I'm desperate to talk to him.

I checked my watch and noticed that it's almost half past 8 and if I want to leave uni, I need to move now.  By this time, for some reason I was able to stood and gather my bag and phone and pushed the chair back so I could finally walk out. I was a few inches away from my seat already, when someone held my wrist, stopping me from leaving.

"Harper, we need to talk." He said. I was taken a back by this. Why do we need to talk? We have nothing to talk about. Not that I'm hurt that you decided to suddenly talk to me and then stopped all of a sudden.

"Okay." Was all I managed to say because I don't want to seem affected by all that didn't happen to us, like the so called friendship that I thought we had.

"I just want to tell you how sorry I am for not talking to you all of a sudden." He said as he let go of my wrist and stood to face me.

"It's no big deal, honestly." I said and just shrugged it.

"No, it's a big deal." He exclaimed. I looked at him shocked. What is he talking about?

"What do you mean?" I asked. And I finally decided to say what I've been trying to not say, "It's nothing new to me, Ri. We've only talked for a week. No strings attached."

"That's what I'm trying to say. I got attached." He bluntly said as if that is something he is scared to say. For someone famous, he shouldn't be scared to otter that to anyone. He can be attached to anyone and not worry about them getting attached back.

I stood there puzzled.

"Harper, I know this may seem sudden, but I'm slowly falling for you, way before I started talking to you."

I didn't know what to say. I don't think I like him back like that. I'm not that stupid to get myself attached to someone who is not there 80% of the time.

"Riley, I'm sorry." I said and walked away. He didn't held me back this time.

I briskly walked out of the classroom, to get as far as possible. I'm still puzzled about what just happened right there.

I know Riley is an amazing guy, base from what I heard from others, but that's just that. I don't know him outside the fame he and his brothers built around themselves.  If I had the chance to know him better, my feels for him wouldn't change. I don't like him to be someone more than just friends.

But I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He actually feel in love with me as we sat in silence for all those months in class.

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Hello! I'm here again with another story! Look who's enjoying writing again? This quarantine is making me do things I missed doing for years. It's good to be back to writing stories once again. I don't know if I'll be able to write as consistently as before, but I will continue to write!

Anyway, I have updated the book cover of this book. I just want to have a fresh start! Hope you'd love it!

Don't forget, we are still open for request! Request away!

See you next time!

Love, Kelz 💕