RILEY
ONE MINUTE I'M DANCING AT THE HOOKAH LOUNGE ON MY BIRTHDAY AND THE NEXT IT'S MONDAY MORNING.
I pull up my beige cargo pants.
Then I fix the beanie on my head, pulling the crochet material over my ears. Underneath, my unwashed hair makes unattractive layers. I'll have to deal with it another day. That day is not today. So I'm putting all my trust into this beanie and I hope it doesn't fail me. Grabbing my tote bag with my cell phone in hand, I march to my door and lock it once I step into the hallway.
Over the weekend, I came down from my high and nursed my hangover. Also, I digested all the pictures that my friends and I captured from my special night. Majority of them, the hockey players were apart including Asher. It's always a memorable night where there's jokes, alcohol, lounges, boys and girls.
I kept the picture of Asher photobombing my almost epic mirror selfie to myself. For some reason I didn't show it to my friends. Is it photobombing when Asher's hands were around my neck and shoulders while I'm fully aware and able to see him?
All I know is that I want to keep the photo. For memories, of course.
I'm immediately greeted with the smell of eggs and bacon when I wander into the kitchen. Mattie stands at the stove, messing around eggs with pepper and seasonings because if that's not in it, Kianna won't eat it. She likes her eggs well seasoned and not plain. Now to think of it, they'd really love Dan's diner.
By the island, Kie's orange hair stands out against Sutton's brown.
"Morning Riles," Mattie greets me when she sees me which automatically makes Sutton and Kie turn around and look in my direction. "Breakfast?"
My phone vibrates in my hand. I pull the beanie further down my forehead. "Yeah, why not."I say, glancing at my phone and then unlocking the device.
"Are you serious?" Surprise laces Kie's voice. Like all this time she's wanted that and I've always skipped or wasn't in the mood and now that it's happening, she doesn't know what to do.
"Yup. Pretty serious." I slide into a wooden stool beside Sutton.
"Asher Humphrey... interesting." Sutton murmurs, peeking at my phone screen. When I look at her, she's shooting me a look with wiggling eyebrows.
Because she's right. Asher Humphrey is on the screen of my phone. He sent me a picture of himself just now and I assume he's got an early morning practice. He's pointing his hockey stick in the direction of whoever took the picture, helmet on his head. Days later and I'm still jealous of his long eyelashes. Under the photo in iMessages, the text reads: your hot reminder to eat breakfast.
So he wants to be my reminder now? I vaguely remember him saying that I should set one or something like that to remind myself to eat. I didn't. Now he's taking it upon himself to be my personal reminder.
He knew I wasn't going to set one on my own.
"We're just texting." I don't know why I defend it. My friends utter mhms as if that's unbelievable. As if I can't just be texting the opposite sex.
I snap Asher a picture of the eggs Mattie made with bacon and fluffy French toast with a dash of maple syrup. My roommate pushes the plate in my direction and I thank her.
"We're still talking about your birthday by the way." Mattie adds, sliding another plate across the surface towards Kie.
"Which one of you told Asher my middle name?" I blurt, tasting the eggs. Flavors burst on my tongue with every chew.
No one owns up to the question I asked.
"Are you guys friends with him or me?"
Laughter bubbles in Sutton's chest. "Relax, we were trying to figure out if we should've gotten a birthday cake with your name on it."
"Besides, Riley Rose Becker is a badass name." Mattie implies, rolling her eyes playfully at me.
"Way too much testosterone on Friday night but it was alright." She jokes, snorting a little. Or maybe she's not joking. Mattie likes girls and there's a reason she's been with her girlfriend whom she spends most of her weekends with.
"You know Asher's into you, right? Those eyes you both were giving each other? I swear he stripped you naked with his eyes many times."
Kie chimes in. "Riley noticed. She's feeding into it. She probably likes him too."
"Yeah, it's hard to be in a room with two people who have so much chemistry from eye contact alone."
"Guys, shut up," I stick my fork into my French toast. "I'm right here."
Kie lifts a delicate finger. "Nuh uh, it's the truth and we're not dragging it. We aren't talking behind your back either."
I swallow a mouthful of bread and maple syrup. "If you guys wanna know so bad. We made out in the restroom by the sink and it was hot." I avert my gaze towards Kianna. "And Kie here had to message me and ended the moment. Vodka or Hennessy? Both please."
The looks on my friends' faces make me want to burst out in laughter. They're stunned speechless.
Kie blinks at me like she's bringing herself back to life. "Back up, what? That's why you disappeared?"
"No. Actually. That wasn't why."But I'm also not getting into why I ran off to the restroom in the first place.
She swallows the eggs she's been chewing on. "If I knew I wouldn't have ruined your birthday kiss. That's my bad."
"Unfortunately you did. Who knows? Maybe I should thank you for doing that. It saved people from walking in on that, you know."
If we didn't stop, Asher and I would've gone somewhere in lust and desires I can guarantee that. It's very tempting. Maybe I should take him up on that offer of what anything meant. I can only imagine what that guy can do. His mouth was unforgettable because here I am sitting with my friends daydreaming and God knows how touch deprived I am.
"You think you would've gotten fingered right then and there?" Sutton questions, and no this topic isn't off limits.
"We would've moved to one of the stalls I'm sure."
"We don't know. You've done worse." Mattie sips on her ceramic coffee mug. "I just hope he's prepared for you."
Mattie remembers my past cause she's one of my best friends. I went out on a movie date with Julian Sullivan, a guy that I liked last year. He ended up fingering me in the seats with The Invitation on our screen. I can't tell when the movie ended or what the characters did due to not paying attention. At first it was great. Until we were getting serious and I ran.
For me, whenever I feel myself getting too close to someone, I run before I can fall in love. It's what I do. Which is why I usually stick to hookups, (I've slowed down now) and guys would tell me that I'm a cool hearted bitch when they realize that I'm pulling back.
You have to be an ice queen to survive.
Leave before you fall. Leave before you get hurt. So I always leave before anyone can hurt me.
"So you aren't just texting then." Mattie says as a fact.
I pull apart a piece of greasy bacon and jump on my feet. "He just happens to be my brother's teammate that I kissed. We're texting as friends I swear. I gotta go. I have Grimshaw."
Gathering my tote bag earns groans from my friends. "Keep telling yourself that." Kie says. "Friends don't kiss. Except that one time you kissed me because you wanted the frat guys to think we were dating so they'd leave us alone and instead they wanted to join our non-existent threesomes."
True story. Turns out men have a fetish for sleeping with lesbians. I'm already at the door, swinging it open. "Well he's my friend! See you guys later!"
When I slip into the studio, Professor Grimshaw is talking about the art show that's less than a month away. Excitement swirls around the room. All attention stays on her that no one notices me walking in. If they do, they don't point it out. I throw my apron on and stretch my arms behind my back to tie it into a bow. I plop down on my stool and use my phone to gather my playlist of classical music.
Class is a breeze, it's fun and light and you know what they say about fun times... they end faster than you expect. Before I know it, my classmates walk in a single file out of the room. I'm behind Hazel Langley, tote bag on my shoulder when Professor Grimshaw stops Jade and I.
"Yes Professor Grimshaw?" Jade's voice pops out from behind. Naturally, she's behind me and we both step toward Professor Grimshaw's desk in unison.
Professor Grimshaw cuts right to the chase. "I wanted to inform both of you that there has been plagiarism. I don't know which one of you had the original piece and we can't have both pieces being the same in our art show. Which needs to be sorted out."
You know the moments where someone is talking, like their mouths are moving but you can't hear a thing they're saying? That's what is happening right now. Because there's no way in hell she's talking to me with plagiarism in the same breath.
I clear my throat. There's been a misunderstanding. "Professor Grimshaw. With all due respect, this is ridiculous. Me? Plagiarism. I would never."
"Yes, Riley. Thank you for pointing out how ridiculous this is." The frown on her lips tells me it brings her no joy in doing this. "I want to believe you. I really, really want to believe you. But one of you did."
I'm squeezing my hand so tight I'm afraid to look at it. I'm going to lose my cool, calm and collected demeanor. "It's obviously Jade."
Something flashes back to my memory. Jade handing over my sketchbook. "Riley, you dropped your sketchbook. I like your tote bag." And all this time, her chirpy little voice and wide fake smile and the compliment was to throw me off.
"This isn't happening at all."
I haven't looked at my sketchbook since then because I've been so busy. I slip my hand into my tote bag and retrieve my sketchbook, turning the pages. And there it is. Jade's crime. A page ripped out. I want to scream motherfucker.
"Someone ripped one of the pages out. I turned it into a painting but I never tore out my pages and I can assure you that it was Jade. She handed my sketchbook to me after class on November 6 and I remember exactly because I was listening to a voicemail from—
Jade clears her throat, interrupting me, "Everyone tears pages when they're frustrated especially as an artist."
Professor Grimshaw takes a deep breath. "I don't think that's enough proof."
"Professor Grimshaw might buy your shit but I'm not. I get that the class wore your confidence down but stealing from me is an all time low even for you." I'm losing my cool and I know how it looks, Jade is all calm and I'm angry.
Jade's mouth opens and closes. That's right. She can't even speak.
"Girls, listen, I had no choice but to report the two of you to the Dean of students. Taft doesn't tolerate dishonesty. I had to report the issue when I saw both paintings being the same with two different signatures."
"Now is a good time to tell the truth, Jade." I huff, shooting daggers at the side of her stupid face.
Yet Jade doesn't admit to the crime. She just stands there and stare like she isn't costing me a spot in the art show and potentially this school.
"The case has been referred to the council. None of you can withdraw from this class. Riley, I hope it puts you at ease to know that you can fight this case as it's your first offense." The way she voices it sounds like this isn't Jade's first. Isn't that enough to show that if she's capable one time, she can do it again and again?
"It would be in both of your best interest to own up to it. Jade? Riley? I'd simply just remove you from The Book Show if you were selected and you'd fail my class." Simple. Easy. No biggie.
Except it's a big deal for me.
"I didn't do it." I'm not surprised that Jade isn't backing down.
Hot rage creeps up my spine. "I don't know what else to say. I told you that I didn't do it."
I sound rude, I know. Excuse me if I'm frustrated.
"I figured this would happen and I can't pinpoint who copied who which is why I notified the Dean. I hope you both realize that whoever did this, the end decision the council can make is suspending or expelling you from Taft." Professor Grimshaw gives both of us glances of disappointment. "Lastly, your parents were also notified today. The hearing will proceed next week Tuesday, you should receive an email and come prepared to prove your case and please just be honest. It'll get you far. That's all."
My heart beats so fast I can feel in my ears. I'm seeing red dots. All the muscles in my face tense. I want to fight Jade. I want her to admit that she copied one of my paintings. Everything could be avoided if she just owned her shit. My body no longer belonged to me, it feels like an outer body experience as I pushed my arms out and yank Jade Driscoll by her collar.
"Riley!" Professor Grimshaw scolds. "Let her go. Walk it off. I need to see space between the two of you right now."
The words get through to me and I release Jade's collar, resisting the urge to shove her backwards.
I stomp out of my studio without saying another word.