"B-Brennen and Nik?" I asked.
"Yup." He nodded and started the car.
I mumbled an "oh" as he pulled out of the driveway.
"Here." Colby said then handed me a weird cord that was connected to his car.
I took it in my hand.
"What's this?" I asked.
He looked at me.
"You're joking right?" He locked his eyes back on the road.
"No, not really." I said quietly.
"You don't know what an AUX cord is?" He asked.
I shook my head.
"You plug it into your phone." He said. "And it plays the sound you play on your phone on the car speakers."
I'm glad he's actually explaining it to me instead of making fun of me because I don't know what the hell an AUX cord is.
I plugged it into my phone. "What do you want me to play?" I asked him.
"You can pick." He smiled.
I don't know any new/good songs so I just came up with the best lie/semi-truth.
"I don't have any songs on my phone." Even if I did, they'd probably suck.
He nodded.
"Then can you plug my phone in and play a song off of it?" He asked.
I nodded and did what he said.
"What song?" I asked.
"Have you ever heard of the band... My Chemical Romance?"
***
"We're finally here." He said as he pulled into a driveway.
"Good, my legs were starting to fall asleep."
We both got out of the car and I followed Colby up to the front door. He knocked and out came a dude. He had dark hair and green eyes, he was around Colby's height, but was a lot less scrawny.
"Hey man." Colby said and they did this weird handshake thing.
We walked inside and this place looked actually pretty nice. I looked around and saw a tiny man sitting on the couch.
"Riley, this is Brennen, Brennen, this is Riley." Colby introduced me to the guy who let us inside.
"Hey." Brennen smiled.
"H-hi." I tried not to be awkward, but it happened anyway.
"Riley, this is Nik, Nik this is Riley." Colby introduced me to the guy on the couch.
"How old are you?" Nik asked out of nowhere, even before saying "hello".
"Uhhh... I'm 19." I answered.
"Okay, just wanted to make sure you're legal. Don't wanna go to jail tonight." He said.
I looked at Colby and Brennen and they both looked like they were trying not to laugh.
"Oh o-okay." I looked down at my feet.
"Nik, can I talk to you for a second?" Colby asked, more like demanded.
"Sure dude." Nik said then stood up and he followed Colby into the what I'm assuming was the kitchen.
It was only Brennen and I in the living room now.
"Sorry bout that, he just doesn't know when to shut his goddamn mouth sometimes." Brennen said, trying to make the situation less awkward.
I looked at him and laughed.
"I-It's fine, I just didn't expect him to say that."
He nodded then his face lit up, "I'll be right back." He said, then vanished.
I stood there for a few seconds before Colby and Nik came back into the room, I'm assuming Colby told him off.
"Nik wanted to apologize." Colby said as he walked by me.
"Sorry Riley." He said, I couldn't tell if he was sincere or not, but I honestly didn't really care.
"It's fine, I've been told worse before." I replied.
Just then, Brennen came back into the room with a vlogging camera.
"Here she is, the one, the only, Riley!" He said to the camera, then pointed it at me.
Why does everyone want to fucking record me?
I glared at Colby, I figured that he would tell his friends that I didn't want to be recorded, seeings how that's kinda important to know if you're a vlogger and record everything.
"Brennen." Colby got his attention.
"Yeah brother." Brennen answered.
"Riley doesn't want to be in any of our videos yet."
"Oh, okay." He turned his camera off. "Sorry." He tossed the camera on the couch. "You just would make really good clickbait."
"Everyone seems to think that." I replied, but I don't think anyone heard me.
"Tender Greens anyone?" Brennen asked.
I didn't reply, but both Colby and Nik said yes.
"Then why are we still standing here dudes." Brennen said as he started to leave.
We all followed him out to his truck and got in, Brennen was in the driver's seat, Nik was in the passenger's seat, and Colby and I were in the back.
One short car ride later, we arrived at a small restaurant. We all walked inside and sat down at a table. I sat next to Colby and across from Brennen and Nik.
It was just then that I realized that I didn't have any fucking money.
"Uh, I-uh forgot my money at the house." I said to Colby.
"Oh, it's okay, I'll pay for you." He smiled and I smiled back.
"Thanks."
Then, the waitress came.
Realistically, I wouldn't have ordered anything, because I just ate yesterday. You see, I can go days without eating and not be hungry. Also I'll throw up if in that time period I eat something. But I had to order something, it would be weird if I didn't. So I just ordered a simple coffee.
I also ordered it because I didn't want to fall asleep, I hate falling asleep. It brings back bad memories and half the time I sleep, I have terrible nightmares.
"Riley, you know what time it is, right?" Colby asked me.
"Yeah." I replied, still looking down at the table.
"Then why'd you order a coffee at 10 o'clock?"
"Because I can?" I replied, looking at him.
I heard Brennen go "ooooooooo"
Colby glared at him. Brennen took out his phone.
"Ooooooooooo, somebody mad!" He said and started moving his phone closer to Colby's face.
"I'm not mad." Colby replied, crossing his arms.
"Really, cuz it looks like you're mad that Riley just roasted you." Brennen said then moved his phone closer to him and was watching something on his phone.
I think he was recording us but I'm not sure.
"That wasn't even a roast." I said more like a question.
Brennen tapped on his phone a few times then looked up.
"Oh well."
***
While we were waiting for our food I got bored, so I got my phone out of my pocket. I know that's rude to be on your phone while you're at a restaurant, but I mean they're all on their phones too.
I unlocked my phone and saw that I had a few notifications on Instagram.
I was confused, I barely go into Instagram and I never, ever, get any notifications.
I only had 20 followers, the ones at my high school who were actually kind of nice to me. I also only had a few pictures.
I went onto Instagram and saw that I was getting comments on my most recent picture.
Comments from people from my old school.
I read the comments.
@jess.idell.jess: Oh my god, how could someone like you know someone like them?
My mouth dropped open as I read some more.
@princess_brielle: wow Ratty Riley r u using them for fame u probably are
@aimee.anthony247: You know that they don't actually like you right? They just pity you so they hang out with you.
@big.daddy.brandon: Everyone look, the rat found a new boy toy!
@k.kellington: rat. rat. rat.
There were more comments but I just turned my phone off and slammed it on the table. All the boys looked at me. I just looked down at my lap, trying to keep calm. I had no idea if I was going to beat the shit out of the next person who talks to me or burst out into tears. My brain chose the latter.
Then, the waitress came back over to us with our food. She set our food down and the boys thanked her.
Once she walked away, the boys all looked back at me.
"Riley?" Colby asked.
"How?" I asked, more to myself then to the boys.
"How what?" Colby asked. I could tell he was confused, the other boys were too.
I grabbed my phone off of the table and unlocked it. I went onto Instagram and there were more comments.
I showed my phone to Colby and his eyes widened.
"Who--" he was saying before he stopped. He looked at Brennen and took out his phone. He went onto Snapchat and went to Brennen's story.
Lo and behold, there my face was.
"Brennen." Colby said to Brennen as he looked up from his phone.
"What?" He asked.
Colby showed his phone to Brennen.
Brennen's facial expression changed.
"Riley, I-I'm so sorry. I-I--" Brennen was saying before I cut him off.
"It's fine." I mumbled as I took a sip of my coffee and stood up. I grabbed my phone and started to walk away.
"Riley." I heard Colby say, but I just kept walking away.
I left the restaurant. The cool night air gave me goosebumps. I walked a few feet then sat down on the cold concrete.
I knew I shouldn't have read more of the Instagram comments, but I did.
@ya.girl.lilly: is Ratty Riley seriously trying to make some friends lol
@annabanna: ratty riley doesn't deserve friends.
@n.i.c.o.l.a.s: ratty riley doesn't deserve anything.
I forced myself to stop reading the comments. I looked up and watched the cars pass by.
My tears blurred my vision. I felt little water droplets landing on me, I figured it was my tears, until I looked up and saw that it was raining.
But I didn't care, I loved the rain.
I stood up and started walking, I needed to clear my mind. I always go on walks to clear my mind. I have to go on walks to clear my mind. I have to.
About 4 blocks later, it started storming really bad, but I could care less, the one thing I didn't want to happen, happened. I got recognized.
And this is the reason I didn't want it to happen, I knew that this is what would happen.
So what did I do?
I kept walking.
(If you need some clarification, when Riley "roasted" Colby and Brennen got his phone out, he recorded them on Snapchat. He posted the video to his story because he was an idiot and forgot that she didn't want to be on their social medias. Then some of the people from her high school saw the video on Brennen's Snapchat and then spread it to their friends. Then everyone started commenting on Riley's insta.)