Oliver P.O.V:
Flynn and I walked into the cafe and by the way he looked I could tell he wasn't going to be in it. He seemed pretty distant during our drive there.
My eyes immediately landed on Riley. She sat in the booth opposite Hayden and someone else. They were laughing..and her smile was bright. Then she saw me and it quickly faded to wide eyes. She gave me a slight wave and awkward shrug.
I pursed lips and waved back then I started following Flynn.
We stood at the table and my stomach dropped to the floor. Danny was already at the cafe. She sat beside Hayden. Which meant my only seating choice was either on his other side or beside Riley.
Flynn looked at me giving me his "don't make this awkward" look. A look I had become too familiar with.
I slowly sat beside Riley with an awkward smile. I could tell she was uncomfortable by the way her shoulders cringed. Embarrassed? I was. Able to move? I was not.
Flynn sat beside Hayden with a dead look in his eyes.
Riley noticed it and leaned closer to me. "Is Flynn okay?,"she looked at him then up at me.
I looked at her then at Danny.
She smiled.
"He is,"I lied trying to get Riley to not bother me. And unfortunately, with her experience of being the unwanted one she noticed.
She looked at me then at Danny then she looked down and sat back.
And then my heart sank like it usually did around her. She was jealous. At that time I didn't think it was because she liked me but I knew her being excluded and ignored had something to do with it. So, under the table, like the compassionate idiot I was, I held her hand, tangling my fingers in hers.
She turned to me.
"I'll explain later, okay?"
She nodded and smirked then she turned away.
Danny suddenly nudged Hayden's shoulder and whispered something in his ear.
Before I knew it, he and Flynn were sliding out of the seat to let her pass.
She sat beside me and I immediately let go of Riley's hand.
Riley's face washed with disappointment.
Danny smiled at me. "Hi."
I stared at her then smiled. "Hi." I couldn't feel it anymore. I liked her but that feeling I had when I first saw her was gone. She just seemed like a pretty girl to me now. A pretty girl that would look nice on my arm. I wanted to get to know her but not hold her hand or kiss her when she felt down...She was no Riley to me. Sadly, at that second..the second Wallis appeared I remembered immediately why I didn't want her. She was with him.
Danny tucked her arm in mine and I smiled at her. I had her. She wasn't my girlfriend yet but she thought I was a gentleman and all I had to do was ask her. That was all I had to do. Why was that so hard to do?
I looked at Riley as she watched her boyfriend sit beside Flynn. She looked scared.
He smiled. "Hey Everyone. Riley,"he nodded at her.
She quickly looked down with furrowed brows.
I stared at her then I looked at him.
"So,"he looked at Hayden. "Where's the pizza?"
"Ordered,"Hayden said bluntly.
Did something happen?
"Whoa, Hayden. No need to be aggressive here. Heck, I'm the one who should be aggressive."
Danny whispered,"What's going on?,"in my ear.
I nervously shrugged, then I looked at Riley.
She had her arm across her chest and her other hand shading her eyes from Wallis.
"Look, Wallis,"Hayden turned his body toward him.
Flynn stared at me with furrowed brows.
"We've told you enough times already, we just sleep in the same room. Nothing happens, nothing has ever happened and nothing will."
I felt Riley suddenly squeezing closer to me. Her heart was beating really fast and her body was trembling.
"I don't believe you,"Wallis pointed at him and shouted drawing attention from people in the cafe. "I know my girlfriend, and someone's taking my place here,"he looked at Flynn," and I'm not going to allow it." He quickly turned to Riley. "Get up babe. We're going to my dorm."
She grabbed my wrist and squeezed it.
I looked at her and saw fear in her eyes.
Flynn shook his head. "Wallis, come on. Do you really think one of us is sleeping with your girlfriend-"
"You shut up, alright? We all know you're capable of it."
I quickly looked at Hayden. What the hell did he mean by that?
He seemed just as shocked as me.
"What the hell are you talking about?,"Flynn chuckled. "You know what?,"he stood up,"I'm actually pretty pissed today and not okay with you accusing me of anything. I know you'd prefer it if you left because I don't mind getting my hands dirty. The pizza's taking a very long time to freaking get here and I can beat your ass while I wait if I have to."
We all sat unsure of what to do. Flynn was threatening a six foot four athlete with anger problems. I wasn't okay with him threatening the guy and neither was Riley.
She stood up with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'll go with you. Just leave Flynn alone. He's not well."
"Clearly,"Wallis glared at him.
Flynn glared back.
Riley was about to slip past me when I grabbed her wrist. I couldn't let her go. There was something wrong with her and Wallis and I was afraid that I wouldn't hear from her again the next day. The look in both of their eyes made me feel like I would have to visit someone at a hospital later on that night.
"Don't go,"slipped from my lips as I stared up at her.
"I have to."
"You don't." Danny quickly stood between Flynn and Wallis. "How about I let her sleep in my dorm with me and my roommate? That way she wouldn't be with any guys tonight...because I really, really don't think she feels like it."
Wallis stared at her. Then she nodded. "Fine. Give me your room number."
Danny froze then she shook her head. "You don't need to know that-"
"Then she's coming with me."
Danny looked back at Riley then she quickly gave the number to Wallis.
He looked at Riley. "I will be at her door in the morning." He walked away almost pushing the pizza guy in the process.
He put the pizza on the table then walked away, after giving us curious glances.
Riley slowly sat back down beside me.
"Did you invite him here?,"Hayden leaned foward.
She shook her head. "I don't know how he found me,"snot ran down her nose.
I quickly grabbed a napkin off the table and started wiping it.
Everyone stared at us.
I cleared my throat and stood up. "I'm going to go..throw this way."
Danny got up so I could pass.
I walked over to the trash then flinched when she appeared in front of me. "F-"
"Do you have a thing for her?"
"What...No. Why would you think that?"
"Because you look at her like she's a lost puppy or something."
"I don't know. I feel sorry for her. I just want to help her....She's a damaged person, okay?...And I think it's great that you decided to help her tonight."
She blushed. "Thank you...And I think it's sweet that you care so much about her."
I faked a smile the held her hand and led her back to the table.
Riley sat with a slice of pizza in front of her.
Flynn and Hayden just stared at her.
I sat beside her and put my hand on her arm, rubbing it. "Do you wanna leave?"
She turned to me and smiled. "No. It's okay. I'm fine,"she lied then she picked up her pizza and folded it. "It's funny how insecure Wallis is,"she suddenly turned jolly. "It's like he thinks I can't keep my dick in my pants."
Everyone else gave out nervous laughter but me.
"And Flynn. Oh my goodness. Did you really think you fight him?"
"Nope,"Flynn admitted. "But I'm not afraid to take a punch for my friends. Besides, Hayden would've had my back. Right, Hayden?"
"Definitely not,"Hayden shook his head.
We laughed again. Well..they laughed. I couldn't think about anything they'd said. Riley was pretending to be happy to bring up the mood again. I leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. "If he were hurting you..you would tell me, right?"
Her smile wiped off. She turned to me with a glare. "He's not,"her voice cracked.
I slowly leaned away with furrowed brows. What would she be so afraid of if he wasn't? "Could you..excuse me for a second?,"I smiled at Danny.
"Sure,"she stood up.
I looked at Flynn.
He looked at me with concern.
I quickly rushed to the bathroom.
* * *
Flynn P.O.V:
I walked into the bathroom after Oliver. The sound of hurling came from one of the stalls. "Oliver?"
"Uhmm?,"he replied.
I pushed the door open to find him on his knees bent of the toilet. His hands barely touched the seat. "Oh my God-So many germs- *hurl*."
I covered my mouth and turned away trying not to gag myself.
He slowly got up and flushed the toilet with his foot then he walked over to the sink. He washed his hands till they turned wrinkly then he washed his mouth.
"Are okay-"
"He's hurting her. I can feel it. I don't know what he's doing but she's terrified of him and if he lays another finger on her-"
"Calm down...She seems fine out there."
"Does she really?,"he looked at me.
I shook my head and opened my mouth but I didn't know what to say.
"She was crying, Flynn..and squeezing my hand. She wanted me to protect her. If he wasn't hurting her why would she want me to protect her?"
"I don't know...Is that why you're sick?"
"I can't handle pressure like this. I wasn't taught to handle these situations. Linear algebra and business letters are what I know...not girls and love and all of this bullshit. I don't know what I'm doing and now I like this girl who's being hurt someone else and I feel like I need to protect her but I don't know how to. She looks at me like she needs me. Like she expects me to help her....But I can't."
I stared at him. "You're just unsure of what to do for now. You're in shock. I'm unsure myself-"
"No, you're not. You stood up to the guy. You weren't afraid to take a punch for her."
"I was mad about a lot of things... I wasn't thinking-"
"That's the thing. I wasn't either but I was trying to think. I was trying to make up a plan in my head but all I could think about doing was holding Riley in my arms and telling her not to cry and I couldn't even do that because I had too much pride."
"Then do it next time. You said it yourself. You get stupid around her and you think about and do things that you know you shouldn't. If hugging her and telling her everything is going to be fine is one of those stupid ideas, then do it."
He stared at me then he nodded. "Okay....You should call Harley again-"
"I don't think she wants to hear from me right now-"
"She does." He walked out of the bathroom.
I stood in the bathroom unsure of what I should do. Should I walk away or call Harley? I walked away.