"Will you calm down?! Everything's going to be fine!"
"You don't know that! How are you so chilled right now? I'm freaking out more than I've ever freaked out about anything in my life - and that is saying something - and you are just sitting there completely oblivious to how important these results are and acting completely passive like- like - like a chicken!" I rushed out. Riker burst out laughing.
"A passive chicken? Really?"
"Oh shut up, I'm not majoring in English,"
He came over to me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and leant his forehead on mine.
"Everything's going to be fine, okay?" he said, softly.
I nodded and leant up to kiss him. I'm going to miss him so much - provided I actually get the grades I need to go. He pulled away and said, "Shall we go?"
***
"YES YES YES WOO HOO I AM AWESOME" Rydel screeched, as soon as she had read her grades. "Straight As! We're going on tour!"
"Woah, calm down. We don't know that yet," Rocky said, as he was about to open his envelope. We all decided to collect our envelopes and open them together. His eyes scanned down the page, and he was reading off "A, A, A, A - wait hold on a sec, a B?! I got a B in Math?! I'm going to teach that fucking examiner a lesson," he fumed, about to stomp off.
Riker held him saying, "Dude, it doesn't matter! You passed!" Rocky conceded, but still looked disgruntled.
"Okay, Riker, you're up," I said. He took a deep breath before opening it. He scanned the page before passing it to me. He had passed with flying colours. Obviously. I hugged him tightly, saying, "Congratulations! I knew you could do it!"
Ratliff went next, and he had passed everything, although only just scraping Biology. "Damn, that Biology paper was really hard," he muttered.
My heart sank. If he had only just scraped Biology, there was no chance I was going to have passed.
Charlie also passed with flying colours, and I swear that girl barely studied. God, I hate her sometimes.
"Okay, who's next? Jessie or Ross?" asked Rydel.
"How about we both go at the same time?" he suggested. I nodded and slowly opened my envelope.
Biology - A
Chemistry - A
Math - A
Critical Thinking - D
I felt as if I had just been punched. A D in critical thinking. I knew I wasn't great at it, but a D? I tried to hold back the tears, as I thought about having to go back to London and leave all my friends, having to leave Riker.
"How did you do?" asked Ross.
"I - I failed," I said, my voice breaking.
He looked depressed and said quietly, "Me too."
***
So that was it. R5 weren't going on tour, and I was going back to London. Tears came streaming down my face as Riker pulled me into a bear hug.
"Come on, let's go back to mine," he told me, before leading me to his car. I couldn't keep up with all the thoughts rushing through my head, as Riker drove. I have to waste another whole year, just so I can get a passing grade in one exam. I have to go back to London without Charlie, without Riker, without anyone. I have to face my parents and tell them I failed. I -
My thoughts were cut off by my phone ringing. I looked at the caller ID. Ed.
I picked it up, and heard him say, "Hello? Jess? Did you get your results? How did you do?" he asked excitedly.
"Um, well, I'll put it this way. You know our trip to London? I guess it's going to become permanent, for me at least."
I heard him sigh and say consolingly, "Jess, I'm so sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to going to New York. Wait, you know what, I'm coming round. It sounds like chocolate is necessary right now,"
I chuckled half-heartedly and said, "I'm actually on my way to Riker's right now. You could come there? I'll text you the address."
"Okay, see you in a bit," he replied and hung up. I took a deep breath, and Riker took hold of my hand, which was resting on my knee.
"Shall I put some music on? Nothing better than singing to cheer you up," he suggested.
"I don't really feel like singing," I said, forlornly.
"Come on, we all know music is the best possible outlet of sorrow and despair," he said, exaggeratedly. I laughed quietly and said, "You sound like some corny poet."
"So long as it made you laugh," he said, smiling. He turned the radio on and the song that was playing was "Stupid Hoe" by Nicki Minaj. I burst out laughing when I heard Riker trying (and failing) to rap, but he didn't seem to mind my teasing. He was making me feel better without even trying. When we pulled up in the driveway, I noticed Ed's car was already there.
We seemed to have lost the others in the other car along the way, but I was sure they'd turn up soon. As soon as we walked through the door, Ryland came rushing up to us.
"Guys! Thank God you're home. Some ginger guy claiming to beEd Sheeran just walked straight into our house, handed me a bag of chocolate, got a beer, and started watching 'Say Yes to the Dress' and he won't leave!" Ryland whined.
Me and Riker both laughed at that and walked into the living room to see that Ed was indeed sitting on the couch, drinking a beer (and chewing, no not chewing, POPPING - sorry excuse my crazy thespian side) and watching 'Say Yes to the Dress.
"Ed! I thought I taught you not to walk into strangers' houses, and make yourself at home without explaining who you are, and why you're there, and without waiting for an invitation!" I scolded.
"You gave me an invitation!" he defended.
"Mm, yes, I suppose I did...anyway, Ryland, how can you not know that that's Ed Sheeran? I mean, it's Ed freaking Sheeran for crying out loud!" It was Ryalnd's turn for a scolding now.
He put his arms up defensively and said, "Sorry, sorry! Wait, how do you know Ed Sheeran?!"
"Childhood friend, abandoned for a few years, friends again, you know the deal," Ed said, nonchalantly. "Alex, don't choose that dress, it's hideous!" He screamed at the TV.
"Great, now that that's all sorted out, I'm going to grab a beer for myself. Want one, babe?" Riker asked.
I pondered over it, before deciding alcohol was probably the best way of curing sadness, apart from chocolate, and accepted.
"Hey, you're not 21!" Ryland pointed out.
I rolled my eyes and said, "No shit, Sherlock. And no I'm not 21, but I'm from the UK, and in the UK I was allowed to start drinking a year ago, so there," I stuck my tongue out at him childishly, which he mirrored. A couple minutes later, everyone else walked through the door. Ross was holding a large cvs bag, containing my week's salary in Skittles. I looked at him questioningly, but he just shrugged and said, "Skittles cheer me up."
We all paraded back into the living room, and everyone who had just walked in greeted Ed. "Are you watching 'Say Yes to the Dress'?" asked Rocky, to which he replied, "Don't judge me!"
We sat down on the sofas, Ed on one side of me, Riker on the other. I cuddled up to him, wanting nothing more than to feel his secure arms around me.
"Has anyone told Mom or Dad?" asked Rydel. Riker replied saying that they had called him and asked, so he told them the truth. As if on cue, Stormie and Mark walked through the door. They also came into the living room, and Mark said, "Well, you're all here. I think it's time to discuss our options."
Stormie had just noticed Ed, and was making a big fuss of him, asking if he was hungry, or thirsty, or wanted anything at all.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind some chocolate chip-" I cut him off by elbowing him in the stomach.
"Ow, what?! She's offering me free food!"
"You don't need free food, you're like the richest person alive," I said.
"Third richest, and you never say no to free food! I thought I taught you better than that," said Ed, shaking his head disapprovingly.
"I second that," piped in Charlie, making us all laugh.
"Okay, sorry guys, but it's time to have a serious discussion," said Mark, in a father-like manner. All the thoughts I was having earlier suddenly came back to me. I remained quiet throughout their whole conversation about how they're going to hold off the tour for another year, until Ross passes his exam, and how they should spend this time constructively, and start writing their next album, and how they may be able to go on a mini US tour in the fall.
After Mark had finished talking, Rocky looked furious. "Damn, Ross, if you had just studied like everyone else, we wouldn't have to give up our tour and waste a whole year,"
Ell also piped in saying, "Yeah, we all put in the work; why couldn't you?" Rydel interjected saying, "And now we disappoint the fans, and waste a whole year of our lives, just because you couldn't be bothered to study."
I couldn't take it any more. I knew their words weren't directed at me, but they still felt like razors cutting into me.
"Guys, stop it! It's not Ross's fault! Sometimes you can study as much as you can, and do everything, you're supposed to do and it still doesn't work out. Sometimes it's just out of our control!" I exclaimed. Everyone looked stunned as they realised what they had just said.
Ed decided to pipe in there saying, "And guys, with music, time is never wasted. You can always be writing more, recording more, practising more, always perfecting your craft. You're definitely not going to be wasting a year."
"Exactly," said Charlie. "Don't think of this as a disappointment, think of it as an opportunity."
"When did you start getting all whimsical?" asked Rocky to Charlie before kissing her. Those two are serious relationship goals.
"I'm sorry, Ross. We all are. We know how hard this must be on you," Rydel apologised.
We spent the rest of the day trying to forget what had happened. We played video games, watched a movie and went swimming before Stormie suggested that we go out for dinner.
We ended up going to Olive Garden, another place everyone was outraged to hear me and Charlie hadn't tried, and the food was pretty good. We talked, and laughed, and although I thought it wouldn't be possible, I was actually having a great time. Ell somehow managed to end up in a 'who-can-eat-their-spaghetti-fastest' competition with Charlie and Ed, and all three of them ended up spilling meatballs all over their shirts. I saw Rocky whisper something to Charlie, which made her blush immensely.
And Riker was just being Riker. Making sarcastic comments under his breath making me laugh, holding my hand, and being the amazing boyfriend he was.
After we had eaten, Stormie and Mark left, saying they had to get up early for work tomorrow, leaving just R5, Ryland, Ed, Charlie and me.
We somehow ended up playing truth or dare, and after a few hilarious dares from Ryland, I decided to dare Riker to convince our waiter to give him his number.
"Challenge accepted. No one, not girls nor boys, can resist my sexiness," he boasted.
When our waiter came over to take our desert orders, Riker turned on the full charm, put on the gayest voice he possibly could and said, "For desert, I want a piece of chocolate cake, and a piece of you. And that's not a request, that's a demand." The waiter looked a bit stunned and walked away to get our desserts. As soon as he was gone, we all burst out laughing.
"Damn, Rik, if you were that charming with me when we first met, I probably would've agreed to go out with you a lot sooner!" I laughed.
The waiter returned and to my complete suprise, he gave Riker a piece of paper with his number on it, and said, "I get off at 11. Call me," and winked.
Before Riker could say anything, I interjected, "Sorry, he's got a girlfriend," emphasising the GIRL.
"That's okay, you can come too," the waiter said, kinkily before swaggering off to get another table's order.
"I told you! No one can resist me!" Riker exclaimed.
"Guys, that waiter is officially our newest best friend," Rocky said, making us all laugh.
***
After we finally decided to leave the restaurant, Charlie told me she's going to spend the night at Rocky's, blushing madly as she spoke.
"Ooh, what's happening tonight?" I asked, poking her.
"Shut up," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Jess, do you want me to drive you home?" Ed asked.
"Actually, Riker, can you drive me?" I asked.
"Of course, it's always the boyfriend over the best friend," Ed said, mocking sadness.
I ran up and hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek before letting him know I'd talk to him tomorrow.
We were in the car, when Riker asked, "Why did you want me to drive you home?"
"Don't you want to drive me home?"
Riker smiled and said, "Of course I do, but it's weird because you never normally ask me,"
"Well, I don't know. I guess I just felt like spending some time with you," I said, before realising I had just spent the whole day with him. "Alone." I added hastily.
For some reason, his eyes widened, and he cleared his throat before saying, "Are you sure?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
He just shrugged, smirked and carried on driving. Why was he suddenly acting weird?
Oh shit. I told him I wanted to spend some time with him 'alone'. We all know what that means. God, I'm so stupid sometimes.
*****
Super long chapter for you guys!! Please please pretty please vote and comment because when you do it makes me so freaking happy and God knows I need something to cheer me up these days.
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--Lea xx
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