I love the way you love me

Riley 10

I was wishing that Jake would kiss me last night, I think to myself as I man the cash register in the basement of the bookstore.  

I had two guys vying for my attention for a few minutes there.  Brian, I'm not too sure of.  He may or may not be serious. Then Jake told me that he doesn't do girlfriends, so why would he care if Brian wanted to date me?

They seem a little competitive.

"This would have been so much easier if I'd had your phone number, but then you wouldn't have gotten the text anyway, would you?"  Jake says from three feet away.

"Jake!  I was going to swing by your place after work."  He hands me my phone.

"Unlock it so I can program my number into it."  He demands.

"Bossy!"

"Hurry up!  I've got things I need to do!"

"Well, this can wait then!  Go!  Do whatever it is you need to do."

"Damn it, Riley, just tell me your number!"

I rattle it off and he quickly shoots me a text.  "There.  See you later Ri."  He then kisses me on the cheek and dashes back up the stairs.

"Is that your boyfriend?"  Lucy, my co-worker asks.

I look at her as she comes to the desk.  "I wish.  So far he is just a friend."

"Kind of a dick, if you ask me."  She is older than me and vastly more experienced with guys.

"I'm used to guys who are dicks.  I live with the biggest one of them all."

Lucy knows who my brother is and smiles.  "I'd like to take on your brothers dick."  She waggles her eyebrows at me.

I scrunch up my face and pretend to gag.  "I don't know what women see in him?"

"Oh, it might be his smoking hot good looks, or his biceps, or his junk that fills up those football pants oh, so nicely."  

I pick my phone up.  "I'm going to tell him you said that."  

"If you think it would get me a date with him, go right ahead."  

I laugh.  I also go ahead and text Ryan.  I am still mad at him, but he will probably get a kick out of Lucy talking about his junk.

Then I go ahead and shoot a text back to Jake.  

To Jake:  I hope you have a good day.  

                   P.S.  My friend didn't like the way you talked to me.

I don't get an answer back for several hours.  In fact, it isn't until I am leaving work that he texts me.

To Riley:  Sorry.

                    Why didn't you say goodbye this morning?

I stop on the sidewalk to text him back.

To Jake:  Everyone was asleep and I needed to go home and get ready for work.

I walk down the street and find him leaning against my car.  He looks up from his phone when I stand toe to toe with him.  

I grin.  "If I'd yelled boo you would have peed your pants."

He doesn't smile.

I frown back.  "What's up with you?"

"Too much to do."  He gripes.

"Maybe you should cut back next term.  You'll burn yourself out if you keep this up."

"I've got a plan, Riley.  I don't need you to tell me what I should do."

"Geez, grump!  Why are you standing here if you've got so much to do?"

"You shouldn't go out with Daniver.  He's a slut.  He only wants to fuck you."

I gape at him.  "So, he's fine if I just want to get laid?"

"No!  Damn it!  He's not the right one for you!"

"Jake, I think I can make those decisions for myself."

"Riley, you don't have experience with guys like Brian.  Don't go there."

"How do you know that I don't have experience?  It's none of your business anyway!"

His nose wrinkles and he rolls his eyes.  "You're not going to convince me that you have experience with guys."

I feel like he just stepped on my face.  "Get.  Out.  Of.  My.  Way!"  I try to get to my car.

"Oh, Jesus, are you going to cry?"

"Leave me alone Jake!"  I run around to the passenger door and try to get myself inside before he can catch up.  He catches me and pins me to the car with his body.

"Jake, I'll scream."  I threaten.

"Riley, please.  I'm sorry.  Calm down, will you?"

His body is pressing into mine and my nose touches the indent below his Adam's apple.

"Jake, I know that you don't want to date me, but please let me decide what's best for me."

"I never said that I didn't want to date you.  I said that I don't have time." 

"That's code for 'don't want to'.  I've heard it all before."  I try to push him away.  "Just go away Jake."

"Don't be a baby about this."

"Jake, I've had more guys tell me to go away than I can count on both hands.  I've got this!  You can go your merry way and leave me be.  I'm okay by myself."

"Riley, quit sounding so pitiful!  There's nothing wrong with you!"

"I wish you'd quit going all hot and cold on me."

"I find you very attractive, but I don't have time for a girl like you!"

"A girl like me?  Up until a week ago you didn't even know me.  Now you're trying to tell me who I can and cannot date.  I already have a brother, Jake!  I don't need another jerkwad in my life."

"I wanted us to be friends, Riley.  I like you."

"Then like me like a normal friend, and let go."  I pull away from him.  "Go back to whatever you were doing.  I have to get to the laundromat."  I walk back to the drivers side.

He grabs the door before I can close it and leans inside.  "See you in the morning.  Don't go into class until I get there.  I want to sit by you."  He leans in and kisses me softly on the lips.

When he backs up his eyes are black and he has a shocked look on his face.  "I should not have done that."  He slowly shakes his head.  He blinks and slowly backs up and closes the door, turns and walks away quickly.  I see him get into his Toyota up the street.