Chapter 19: Breaking Points and New Beginnings
Dannyâs presence lingered like an unwanted shadow. Riley leaned back against the bench, her jaw tight and her arms crossed as he animatedly recounted a play from his last football game. His enthusiasm bounced off her, failing to chip away at the steadily growing irritation simmering within her.
Elena, sitting between them, occasionally chimed in with a polite laugh or a nod, her gaze darting to Riley every now and then. Riley didnât miss the flickers of concern crossing Elenaâs face, but it did little to soothe her mood.
"So, yeah," Danny said, grinning as he slapped his knees. "Coach said it was one of my best games yet."
"Sounds great," Riley muttered, her tone clipped. She didnât bother looking at him, her eyes fixed on the lakeâs shimmering surface.
Dannyâs grin faltered slightly, but he pressed on. "You ever play sports, Riley?"
"Nope."
"Really? With your build, I bet youâd crush it on the field."
Rileyâs eyes finally flicked to him, sharp and unamused. "Not my thing."
The tension was palpable now, the once-light atmosphere weighed down by Rileyâs sour mood. Elena shifted uncomfortably, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
"Danny," Elena said, her voice soft but firm, "didnât you say you had somewhere to be?"
Danny blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, yeah, butâ"
"Then maybe you should head out," Elena continued, offering him a tight-lipped smile. "Weâll catch up later, okay?"
Danny hesitated, glancing between them before finally nodding. "Alright, yeah. See you both around."
As he walked away, Riley let out a long, frustrated sigh.
"You didnât have to do that," she said, her tone still tinged with irritation.
Elena turned to her, her brow furrowed. "Whatâs with you, Riley? Youâve been snapping at him the whole time."
Rileyâs eyes narrowed. "Maybe Iâm tired of him always showing up whenever weâre trying to hang out."
Elena looked taken aback. "Heâs just being friendly. Why are you taking it so personally?"
"Because itâs annoying!" Riley shot back, her voice louder than she intended. She immediately winced, glancing around the park before lowering her voice. "Itâs like he canât take a hint. We were having a good time, and thenâ"
"And then he interrupted," Elena finished, her tone soft but pointed. "Is that really such a big deal?"
Riley hesitated, struggling to find the words. "Itâs not just him. Itâs... everything. I feel like every time weâre finally getting somewhere, something happens to mess it up."
Elenaâs expression softened, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "Riley..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I get it. I do. But you canât let little things like this ruin the moment. Otherwise, whatâs the point?"
Riley didnât respond, her gaze dropping to her hands. The weight of Elenaâs words settled on her, and for the first time, she felt a pang of guilt for letting her frustration boil over.
Elena stood, brushing off her jeans. "I should go. Letâs talk later, okay?"
Riley nodded silently, watching as Elena walked away.
---
Riley lay on her bed that evening, her phone resting on her chest. The confrontation with Elena played on a loop in her mind, each replay making her cringe a little more. She hated how sheâd let her emotions get the better of her, but more than that, she hated the idea of Elena thinking she was petty or immature.
She unlocked her phone, her fingers hovering over Elenaâs contact. Should she text her? Would it make things better or worse?
Before she could second-guess herself, she typed out a simple message:
Riley: Hey.
She stared at the screen, waiting. To her relief, the typing bubble appeared almost immediately.
Elena: Hey.
Riley hesitated, unsure of how to steer the conversation. She wanted to apologize but didnât want to make things awkward. Instead, she opted for something light:
Riley: Sorry if I was a little... intense earlier.
Elena: A little? [laughing emoji]
Riley rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Riley: Okay, a lot. My bad.
Elena: Itâs fine. I get it.
Riley: Do you, though?
Elena: Yeah. You donât like interruptions.
Riley frowned at her phone. That wasnât the whole picture, but it wasnât wrong either.
Riley: I donât like interruptions when weâre hanging out.
The typing bubble appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again. Finally, Elena responded:
Elena: Noted.
Riley exhaled, feeling a small weight lift off her chest.
Elena: So, whatâs up?
The shift in tone was subtle but unmistakable. Riley felt her nerves ease as the conversation moved into more familiar territory.
Riley: Not much. Just lying here, trying not to think about tomorrowâs lecture.
Elena: Ugh, donât remind me.
Riley: Sorry. [laughing emoji]
They continued texting, their exchanges growing more casual and fluid. Riley found herself smiling at Elenaâs sarcastic comments and witty remarks, and she even managed to crack a few jokes of her own.
Elena: So, random question. Favorite movie?
Riley: Thatâs not random; itâs a personality test in disguise.
Elena: Maybe. [smirking emoji] Answer the question.
Riley: Fine. Inception. Yours?
Elena: The Princess Bride.
Riley: Classic. Respect.
Elena: Thank you.
The conversation flowed late into the night, touching on everything from movies to music to childhood stories. For the first time, Riley felt like they were truly connectingânot as project partners or acquaintances, but as friends.
And as she set her phone down and closed her eyes, she couldnât help but feel a flicker of hope for what might come next.