Alternative Universe.
Riley's POV
"How can he? How can he, Riley?" Michelle asks me, crying her heart out between my arms while I stroke her hair.
"Shh, Michie, he doesn't deserve your tears." I whisper.
"One whole year thinking that he loved me and he has always thought about another girl!"
"I know, he's stupid. Let's try to relax you, okay?" I ask and she nods, wipping a few tears from her cheeks.
Michelle is my best friend since I met her one year and a few months ago when she arrived to the TNS dance studio. Right now, I'm trying to comfort her because her one year boyfriend broke up with her yesterday. I'm mad at him too, he's a little of a player, but he's also my friend and I didn't expect this from him.
I have met Michelle's boyfriend, now her ex, since I was a child, but when we became teenagers I couldn't deal with him. Michelle arrived at the studio and there were a lot of drama around her, Emily and the E-Girls. However, this guy and I were always supporting her, they started to date some months later and I became good friends with him again. They made a good couple, nobody expected that he broke up with her.
'I want to break up with you. Although I like you, I can't handle anymore the feelings that I have felt for another girl since last year. I'm sorry, Michelle.' He told her. I wasn't supposed to hear but I hid behind the door of the music room.
One thing I know - no matter if he's my close friend or my own brother, he has played with my best friend's feelings. He has made her to believe that he was in love, only wanting to entertain himself from another girl. I'm sure that Emily will help me. I'm sure that I know who she is and I know another person who can help, too.
A few weeks ago I started to hang out with Charlie, a boy from B-Troupe. We aren't dating officially, but something is going on between us. He's a little crazy but he's nice and an amazing musician. And yes, he's the other person who can help me to know if my suspicions are true or not. One of Charlie's closest friend in B-Troupe is Beth. Beth was James's ex, currently Michelle's ex. I'm pretty sure that James can't forget her. If Charlie knows or has seen something, I have my ways to make him to tell me.
A couple of days later, I find some time to meet Charlie in Culture Shock between his and my rehearsals. I ask him about Beth and James and he answers that he hasn't seen nothing unusual or weird, he hasn't seen them in a same room in a while, but he will keep an eye on them.
I come back to rehearsals and tell Emily my talk with Charlie. We started a plan, and we are going to find out who the girl is. After that, in fuction of her feelings, we'll face James in a way or another. I have no idea how we'll get revenge, here Emily is the expert. Michelle knows that we are going to do something but she has no idea of what, we'll tell her when we know exactly how to act. She still feels very bad.
James must have noticing something. Except for rehearsals, each time that he sees me, he avoids me. He must have guessed that we are against him, or maybe Em has asked things to her boyfriend Eldon and Eldon has told James. Anyway, he doesn't look like his usual self. He's always joking, he joked with me all the time, but since the break-up he looks really depressed. Has her dreamt girl rejected him or what?
A few days later, just a week after the break-up, we still haven't found out anything. James still looks so sad. Michelle is still bad, but she really wants to move on. The ones who know something are Eldon and West. Maybe they don't know exactly what happens with James, but definitly they know more than us. Emily has noticed that her boyfriend is hidding something about James.
That day after rehearsals, while I walk through the corridor to go home, I decide to stalk James' social accounts... Who knows if I find any clue. I am focused on my phone until I hear steps coming in my way. I look up and find him, breathing heavily after running towards me, and with his arm leaning on the wall.
"Can we talk?" He asks. I am shocked by the way that he has appeared after all this week avoiding me. Still shocked, without thinking, I nod. "In private." He says, looking around. Then, James grabs my hand and leads me to the music room, closing the door behind us.
He leans in the wall, looking down, while I stand in front of him. He sighs a few times, taking air anothers. Sometimes he tries to say something, but he stops before I can hear a sound. I haven't seen James this nervous in my life. I cross my arms, a mix of confusion, worry and fear paralizes me. Five minutes and he is still in silence.
James's POV
I know what I did was bad, wrong, low. I told myself one thousand times that all would be alright, that my feelings would change with the time, that Michelle would help me. But I couldn't handle it anymore after more than a year. I can't lie to myself, she follows being the girl of my dreams, and I'm going to lose her because another boy.
Looking at her everyday hurts. I'm in love with her smile when she arrives at the studio with the bag on her shoulder. I can't help looking at her while she dances. I like to lose myself on her big brown eyes and to stare at her cuteness. But I need more. I need to kiss her and wrap my arms around her little body.
I don't know why I asked Michelle out. I was close with them two, but I liked Riley, I have always liked her. I tried to flirt with her several times, but she always gave me mixed signals, and thinking that she would never like me back, I left her go and started to date Michelle. Later, when I got close to Riley, I realised what mixed signals meant on her - I had a good chance with her. A chance that another boy has known how to use.
Last week, when I broke up with Michelle, I was very nervous. I was sure that Riley would be as mad at me as Michelle is, because they are best friends, like sisters. I knew that this situation would be very hard, but I want to be with her, and I needed to take a step. That's why I have avoided her, because she wants facing me and to know what is going on, and if she gets it, I'll lose her forever. I don't want to talk to her until I'm sure about what to say.
I'm almost sure about what I'm going to do - approaching Riley when she doesn't expect me so I can take the whole control of the situation. I only hope it works.
Soon, I see her on her phone walking along the corridor. James, now or never. I run towards her so when se looks up I'm already in front of her.
"Can we talk?" I ask, catching my breath. Her eyes widen, so I know that my plan is working. She nods. "In private." I say, grabbing her hand and locking us in the music room.
I lean on the wall, thinking about what I'm going to say. I have thought about it, but I still don't feel comfortable with my little preach. I sigh, trying to say it, but I don't say nothing. I try again, and again. Riley looks at me puzzled while I still think.
'Riley, you're the one who I want to be with.' I try to say a few times, but I eventually forfeit, improvising a plan B...
I give a step closer to Riley. Two. Three. I can't read the expression on her face. I lean quickly and press my lips against her, pulling away before that she can react. And when she does, she slowly covers her mouth with her hands, looking at me in shock, and blushing visibly in spite of the dark room.
"You can't do this to me." She says very low, still covering her mouth. A straight tear falls from her eye.
"I'm sorry, but I- I like you." I say, keeping the distance. "And you can't deny that you have liked me back at some point." I say softly.
"What makes you think that?"
"The way you needed me to dethrone Emily. When you always sat with me in the juice bar. When you helped me with maths. Or when you got nervous when I flirted with you, now I understand that you were only nervous." At this point Riley is crying in silence, but still trying to look strong and serious. I give a step closer, and wipe her tears with my fingers. "Admit it, Riley. Please, admit it."
"I can't admit that I like my best friend's ex. I want to see her happy no matter what." She manages to say without sniff.
"Doesn't she want to see you happy, too?" I ask, and she looks at me, confused. "I don't care if she hates me. The same way you support her decisions, she should support yours."
Riley sighs, looking down, looking to her side, looking at the ceiling, searching an answer that she doesn't find.
"Just tell me to leave and I won't be again in your life." I say firmly. She looks at me shocked, but she still doesn't answer. I give a couple of steps towards the door, I don't want to make this rejection longer...
"Don't go." She says grabbing my hand, so I can't leave.
I put in front of her again with the most silly smile I have had in my life. We stare at each other a few seconds, and I lean, kissing her again. Surprisingly, she kisses me back. Not only that, she puts on her tiptoes, grabbing tightly the neck of my shirt, as if she didn't want to leave me to go. I hold her waist, so she doesn't fall.
"Stay in my life, please." She whispers against my lips, as I smile against hers.
That's what I'm gonna do... Stay with her. Forever.
Inspired in the Frank Van Keeken's original idea of Michames for the pilot episode.
(Screenshot from TNS ask.fm)