Page 49 of Rivals

Riley

Sunlight bleeding through the curtain is enough to make my head pound. Not in the kind of way where I need to go to the hospital, but enough to let me know that yes, I took a hit to the head last night. My hand reaches for the end table and nudges into a water bottle. I don’t remember putting that there last night. Confused, I sit up and glance around, but there’s no sign of Reign. The empty side of the bed looks as if it hasn’t been disturbed. Very slowly I sit on the edge of the bed and swing my legs over the side, testing to see how my balance feels. Once I’m on my feet, and there’s no signs of dizziness, I walk out of the room and head toward the living room.

“Reign?” I call out into the empty looking space and there’s no answer. Shuffling my way into the kitchen, my eyes touch on the papers, post-its and other things from my last study session but no note. Frowning, I search for my phone and find it in my bag. Messages were left from Sam, Emma and a voice mail from Coach telling me to still come to practice if I feel up to it, but I wouldn’t skate for the next week until cleared. I quickly message back my friends letting them know I’m fine before sending one to Reign.

ME: Hey, sorry I slept in on you. Are we still studying later?

Waiting, I tap the phone on my palm, trying to remember what happened before I went to sleep. I remember Reign being there. Glancing down, I can see I’m still in his shirt. I look at the phone and see that my message is still not read. Maybe he told me had practice and I just don’t remember? Sighing in frustration I head to the shower. When all else fails, a hot shower works magic.

I let the hot water wash away the sting of yesterday’s pain and the embarrassment of being taken out like that. I should have known having Reign there would cause more issues. I just couldn’t believe these girls were so hell bent on ruining their reputations just to hurt me. My decision to hide our relationship status feels justified.

These thoughts follow me as I leave the dorms and head to class. The second my feet hit the main entrance my heart stops. Reign isn’t waiting for me. I had become so used to him being there, not having him there messes with me. I feel eyes on me, other students passing by who usually go this way and are used to seeing us together. I am alone. And it shakes me to the core exactly how embedded in my life Reign has become. Not wanting to give the gossips fuel for their fire, I roll my shoulders back and walk into the coffee shop. I order the same drink as always, the one that lifts my spirits and awakens my soul for the day, my lavender latte. The lady at the counter eyes me warily when I hand her money, paying for myself, instead of Reign demanding she only take money from him. None of this feels right. None of it feels good. I take my phone out and look again. Still no text or call. I wrack my brain trying to remember if he mentioned why he wouldn’t see me in the morning. This is our thing. This is the routine I am used to. Fuck, it’s the ritual I look forward to, love, depend on because of him. I am so screwed.

Tears well in my eyes and I blink them back furiously. There’s a reason. I know it. With my head held high, I walk quickly to my first class. Most of the seats are empty and only a few people look at me when I walk in and head over to the desk I usually occupy. Reign’s desk is still empty, a sentiment that matches how I’m feeling. Empty. Void. Lost among a sea of vipers who have been waiting for the chance to strike. Everyone comes in one at a time while I sit and pretend to be relaxed, like I’m not waiting for anything.

The teacher walks in and fear starts to fill my chest. Did something happen to him? Right as the door starts to close, it’s pushed open. My eyes widen taking him in. Reign saunters in, his uniform perfect, his hair fixed messily on his head, and he’s smiling. He’s smiling and joking with Carter. There’s no blood, no anger in him. He looks…normal. My heart hammers in my chest as they get near. When he finally glances up at me, I freeze. His blue eyes look dull, disinterested. They look like they did before. Before our time here, before camp, before I ever challenged him. Without speaking, he sits in the desk next to me, like usual, and I sit there dying inside while he and Carter are talking and laughing.

Anger builds in my veins with a steady tempo of my heart rate. What is happening? And how dare he? What’s happened in the past twelve hours to make him go from being a sweet and caring boyfriend, to barely looking at me. Something tells me the answers are going to shred my insides.

Tucking into myself, I manage to make it through class without throwing up from the pounding in my head, not my heart breaking. That’s what I tell myself anyways. I ignore Reign, just like he ignores me. Dread builds and my fear increases to the point that I jump when the bell rings. Quickly, I stack my things and grab my backpack. I need to get out of here.

“Riley.” Reign touches my hand, sending a jolt of heat right to my heart. My head whips up, eyes widening. “I have some things to take care of. Leif will make sure you get to your other classes. We’ll talk at lunch, okay?”

I watch his lips move, his words rolling through my brain like mud. He’s concerned. Treating me like glass with the easy touches, and having his friend babysit me, but distancing himself.

“Where were you this morning?”

He shifts on his feet and glances around at the emptying room. That mask is on his face. The one that screams to the world I don’t care about anything. I used to think it was just who he was. Now I know it’s a facade, something he uses to make a point of showing what is beneath him, and right now it’s aimed at me.

“I’ll see you at lunch,” he says again, an air of urgency wrapped around his words.

I can’t speak. I know I will end up arguing with him. Blood rushes to my face and thrums in my eardrums as he saunters easily out of the room with Carter just as they came in. Anger zips in my veins while I stand on shaky legs and practically run from the classroom. Leif is waiting, one foot propped over the other and on his phone when I get to the hallway. I don’t make a noise or try to get his attention. Instead, I make my way to my next class, alone, giving Reign a big fuck you with my fingers in my head as I go.

Reign is missing from the next two classes, like he told me he would be, and sure enough, Leif has been a constant shadow. I’m not even sure I want to know how he pulled that off as we had no classes together previously. When the bell rings for lunch, I ignore all the looks I’m still getting, all the whispers, and keep my head held high. Reign is acting shady as fuck. I’m torn, with my heart wanting to believe he’ll confide in me once we’re together and things will go back to normal, while my head is shouting that I’m stupid and naive to believe him. It feels like I’m being ripped in two. Right as my feet carry me to the cafeteria entrance, my phone vibrates with an incoming call. The one person I need to talk to the most.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hey, champ. How is your day going? I didn’t catch you at a bad time, did I?” My dad’s gruff voice comes through the phone and I instantly smile.

“Nah, just on my way to lunch.” I respond and walk back toward where the lockers are, hoping to find somewhere quiet. My dad’s been off on jobs more recently, so when he can talk, the time is precious. “What’s up?”

“I was just calling to check in. How’s the head feeling?”

I had messaged him this morning to let him know about the incident. He wasn’t happy I was hurt but he understood the game. “I’m feeling good. It doesn’t hurt much and I’ve been moving around fine. Still can’t skate until I’m cleared though.”

“Well, that’s smart,” He grunts in response. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I tell him, feeling a small part of myself become lighter.

“Oh, and hey, I got your message about the holidays. A trip to Michigan, huh?”

My chest deflates in the next instant. I had forgotten the voice mail I left and how happy I was thinking of spending time with Reign. “Oh, yeah, about that.”

“I think it’s great.” He cuts me off. I can hear the lightness in his voice.

“You do?”

“It’s Michigan, Ri. Opportunities like that don’t come along often,” he reminds me. The same speech he gave me before helping me pack my bags to All Saints Academy.

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