Ariel

One year later...

It's been a year since Taylor was sentenced to ten years in prison. Ten fucking years. I still can't quite believe it. I was aware back in school she dealt prescription drugs, but I believe her when she says she didn't know there was cocaine in those bags under her bed. From what she's told me over the phone and when it has come up in conversation during my visits, it's clear Jay manipulated her for his own gain. He's the one who should have got sentenced to ten years not her.

I hold the phone to my ear while trying to sort through my room. I've misplaced the two books I bought for Taylor. This room is so fucking tiny I don't know how I manage to lose things in it. I could rent a bigger room but I like the people I share with, and I'm walking distance to the art studio I work at, which I fucking love working at, and I'm also near Riley.  Instead of moving, I should get more shelving or have a clear out. Definitely more shelving.

"El, so are you?" 

"Mmmm...?" Where are those books?

"Are you coming out tonight?" Riley asks over the phone.

"Yes, I said I would so I will." I spin in a circle. Where the fuck would I have put those books?

"You also said you'd come out last weekend."

"I did. It's not my fault I got the name of the road wrong and went to another party."

"I still can't believe you spent five hours there without noticing."

"Hey, it was really fun and I got talking to this girl and she was nice." I shrug even though Riley can't see it over the phone. I also got the girl's number and we met up for a date yesterday. Turns out, she's hilarious when drunk but fucking boring when sober. Not exactly what I'm looking for in a girlfriend.

"Are you seeing her again?" Riley asks quietly through the phone.

"No. Turns out, she's super boring when she is drinking soft drinks. And when I say boring, I mean more boring than your last girlfriend which is hard to believe considering I nearly stabbed myself in the eye with a chopstick so I could leave early when you made me go out for a meal with you two."

Riley laughs. "Maybe you should veto the girls I plan on dating so you like my girlfriend."

"Yes, please. You deserve a girl with an amazing personality and a hot, super sexy body." There's those sequins I was looking for last month.

"Thanks."

"Talking of a hot, super sexy body, have you spoken to Ryder today?"

"Please don't describe my brother like that and no." Riley sighs. "I know he did what I asked and got a job but he still hasn't moved on. He had ambition and now he's working for a construction company which he hates, still lives with Rico and won't date. It's depressing."

"He still blames himself for what happened to Taylor." I give up searching for the books and sit on my bed. Holding the phone between my shoulder and ear, I grab my rucksack to get my makeup bag out. "But I have a plan to help put an end or at least reduce the self-blame and guilt." 

"You're plans usually end up in chaos."

"Not this time. We're taking him to see Taylor. She agreed and has added him to her visitor list. I've booked us in."

"When are we going?"

"Tomorrow." There are the books. In my bag. Ugh, that was obvious. "Ryder thinks he's coming with me to keep an eye on someone I'm meeting up with from the internet."

"You sure he'll come. He's been a bit flaky recently." Riley sounds uncertain over the phone.

"After I went on that date with the girl who turned out to be a man, Ryder told me if I ever meet anyone from an app again he has to come. So I told him I'm going on a date with a girl who I met on some app and who wants to meet somewhere quiet and in the photo, she looks like a supermodel. Ryder immediately said he was coming."

Riley laughs. "You're very clever, El."

"What can I say? There's a genius hiding within this mess of a brain."

"Your brains not a mess, El. You're the funniest, kindest and most entertaining person I know."

"Ahhh thanks, Riley. You're pretty awesome yourself and hot and super sexy."

Riley laughs. "Why don't you come to mine to get ready and then we'll go to the party together?"

"Sounds good. Can I crash at yours after too? Oh, I also told Ryder to meet me at your place tomorrow morning."

"Do you want to start directing all your mail here too?" Riley jokes over the phone.

"No...but I could do with some shelving, I have no room at my place."

"You already have two shelves which you claimed as yours when you moved to this city almost a year ago," Riley says dryly.

"Oh yeah. I love your place. It feels like home."

"Sometimes, I think you're only friends with me for my apartment," Riley jokes.

"No, that's the second reason."

"And the first?"

"My shelves in your apartment. If we're not friends then I wouldn't have access to them."

Riley laughs. "See you in a bit at mine."

"See you later." I hang up the phone and drop onto my bed. I love living in this city. I love my job, I love the friends I've made. For once, I love my life. Now, I just need to help Ryder start to love his. Actually, just getting him to like his life would be an achievement.

***

Laying next to Riley in her bed, I yawn and stretch out not even bothering to be gentle or quiet. Riley sleeps like the dead. She doesn't snore, doesn't move and doesn't wake for anything except coffee.

Coffee, why can I smell it?

Getting out of bed, I stumble around the large screen dividing the room and towards the kitchen. Riley rents a tiny studio apartment with everything shoved into one space, only the shower room is separate but I still love this place. She's managed to make the small space cosy rather than claustrophobic; she is amazing at utilising the space. I need her to teach me her storage skills. 

"How was the lesbian get together last night? Figured out a way to get rid of the male race yet?" Ryder smirks as he leans casually against a kitchen counter.

"Haha, very funny. Last night was a normal party. You know the ones which have lesbians, gays, straight girls and disgusting straight guys like you." I give him a big grin.

Last night was fun, it always is with Riley. I'm glad I moved to this city even if I still feel guilty about leaving Ryder and the twins. But Riley was right when she said I can't put my life on hold for Ryder. 

The twins' dad has been incredibly supportive, he let's me stay with them whenever I want so I can spend quality time with the twins, and he's brought them here multiple times to see me which has been great. The only thing I wish now is that Ryder would move here, but he's resisting. Personally, I think this city is perfect. It's big enough that there is lots going on but it isn't too big that you feel lost.

When I moved here eleven months ago, Me and Kayla tried really hard to maintain our relationship, but in the end, we became more friends than girlfriends. It was a really amicable break-up. We still occasionally chat; mainly about Taylor and when we're going to visit her. We go on separate dates so Taylor sees people regularly. I know her parents and sister go but the Juvenile Centre was far away and the adult prison she was moved to on her eighteenth birthday is even further for them.

Ryder picks up a cup and holds it out towards me. I wrinkle my nose. I don't drink coffee. I already have enough energy. 

"Decaf tea, no sugar," he says knowingly.

"When did you arrive?" I smile and take the cup. Sipping the liquid, I wince at the bitterness. I love sugar in my tea but I'm trying to wean myself off it after reading a study saying people who have problems concentrating and are overactive can benefit from a diet without sugar. It's fucking terrible avoiding sugar.

"Ten minutes ago." Ryder's gaze drifts over my knickers and camisole. It's not a sexual gesture at all. Ryder has seen me in various states of undress, especially as we shared a bathroom when I lived with him. No, this gaze is as though he's trying to figure something out. He arches an eyebrow. "Should I not use the set of keys Riley gave me and start knocking instead?"

I purse my lips in confusion. "Why would you do that?"

Ryder sips his coffee and shrugs.

I roll my eyes. "I don't know why you didn't just come last night instead of getting up at the buttcrack of dawn and driving here this morning. You could have come to the party with me and Riley."

Ryder shrugs again. What the fuck is with all the shrugging?

"So why are you meeting this person so early today?" Ryder asks.

"We're doing a day date thing. Riley's going to come too and she's driving."

"It's my car."

"But I prefer her driving. Lesbians drive better than straight guys." I stick out my tongue.

Ryder chuckles. "Wake Riley up. You said we have to leave at nine and it's already eight-thirty. I'm going to buy us some breakfast as there's nothing in the fridge, we'll eat it on the way. When I get back, we're leaving."

"Yes, boss." I salute him causing him to roll his eyes as he leaves the apartment.

I really wish Ryder would move here, maybe then I could drag him out of the rut he's stuck in and get old Ryder back. I pour a cup of coffee from the pot Ryder made and walk around the divider towards Riley's bed.

Holding the cup of coffee next to her face, I waft the scent towards her. She groans and reaches out her hand. "You know exactly how to start my day. Will you marry me?" 

"You really need to up your standards if it's this easy to make you commit long-term."

Riley chuckles as she sits up, takes the cup and sips it. "Maybe you're just perfect."

When Riley says shit like this it makes me realise I'm falling hard for her. I may have once said to Ryder just because we're both into girls we wouldn't be into each other and that's true, or at first, it was. But recently, we've been spending a lot of time together and as weird as it's to say, Riley is the female version of Ryder but better, and I fucking love Ryder.

"Ryder is here. Or he was. He's gone out to get us breakfast," I say.

"Do you think he'll go in and see her today?" Riley asks.

"I hope so. I've had enough of his self-blame. You'd think he was the one sent to prison the way he acts. He had goals, he was going to become a police officer and travel. He was going to do something with his life but instead, he's given up. He hates that job, he hates living in that place with your brother but he's still punishing himself."

Riley smiles. "You know it's kind of cute the way you care so much."

"Yeah well, he's always been there for me now it's my turn to be there for him. Even if it is to give him a kick up the butt." I grin. "So you think I'm cute?"

Riley laughs then looks at me seriously, "Since you arrived at Rico's party wearing that sequin jumpsuit."

"That was when I was fifteen," I say slightly confused.

She shrugs and looks at her coffee cup. "I really liked you but I was a couple of years older and I never had the courage to say anything. I hadn't come out whereas you were always so carefree about who you were. It kind of scared me."

"And now?"

"I like to think I'm pretty confident in who I am. And you don't scare me anymore." Riley looks up and smiles.

"Do you still really like me?" I lean forward slightly.

Riley swallows slowly and nods. "Every day I fall for you a little bit more."

"Fuck, Riley, you just made me cum with that sentence." I grin.

Riley laughs and I lean forward, stopping her laugh by pressing my lips against hers. Riley tilts her head back, our mouths part and as our tongues collide we both moan. An excited tingle starts in my core as I grip the back of her neck and deepen the kiss. 

Riley places the mug of coffee to her side without separating our mouths then she's pulling me closer and I find myself getting lost in the sensation of her lips. Fuck, I haven't been kissed like this in a long time.

Riley cups my breast through the thin material of my camisole and I arch into her touch. My hands drift under her top, exploring her smooth skin, as she starts to kiss along my neck. I can't believe this is finally happening. I've literally been fantasising about this for months. The reality is so much better.

The key rattles in the door and I groan but don't stop my exploration of her skin. Riley says breathlessly, "You're meant to be going on a date today. If Ryder catches us it's going to blow your cover story."

I huff and pull away. Riley runs her tongue along her bottom lip making me want to kiss her again. 

"But we are going to finish that kiss when we get back," she says.

I grin. "Yes, we fucking are."

"I got us bagels. Let's go now," Ryder says, entering the apartment.

I roll my eyes. Me and Riley pull on some clothes and walk around the divider.

Ryder crosses his arms and arches an eyebrow. "Ready for your date?"

"Can't wait. She's amazing. A lot like you... only better." I grin.

Ryder smirks. "You wish." He turns and exits Riley's apartment. I wink at Riley and she chuckles.

***

In the car, Ryder doesn't say much. The fact he just sat in the back without demanding to sit in the front seat tells me how low he is. He hates sitting in the back with a passion. And this is his car, he has the right to demand to sit in the front. 

Ryder stares out the window from the back seat while me and Riley argue about what music to listen to. We've been arguing for the last two hours and we still can't agree. She seriously needs to expand her repertoire. How can she only listen to two genres of music?

"You're quiet, Ry," I say, turning to face him.

"Kind of hard to get a word in with you two bickering like an old married couple."

"Guess we all belong together then because you've been acting like a grumpy old man," I retort.

"Says the girl who listens to Dolly Parton and Nina Simone while moaning about that jerk in your art class who used up all the sculpting clay."

"Firstly, Dolly Parton and Nina Simone are fucking classics. If you don't like them you don't deserve to have ears. Secondly, that guy is a fucking jerk for using up all the clay since I'd ordered it in especially for my project. Thirdly, I'm so happy to know you actually listen to me and take in what I say when I phone you."

"I always listen to you."

"Yeah, but you've seemed a bit out of it for a while. Faithful phoned me a few months ago because he thought you were on drugs."

"I would never do drugs," Ryder snaps.

"I know, but that's how bad you've got. You're not living in the real world, Ryder. You haven't been for a while." I narrow my eyes. "And getting a full-time job and occasionally fucking a girl doesn't count as living in the real world."

"Enough with the lecture," Ryder grumbles, looking out the window. "How much longer?"

"We'll be there soon," Riley says and looks at me from the corner of her eye.

"And where is there?" Ryder asks, turning to look at us. "Don't make up some shit about a date unless you're going on a date with each other. I've seen the way you two eye up the other; there's no way Riley would come to watch you go on a date with someone else, El."

"Really?" I look at Riley.

She shrugs. "No, I wouldn't."

I huff. "So we could have kissed this morning for longer, we could have done-"

"Where are we going, El?" Ryder interrupts.

"We're going to take you to see someone."

"I'm not going on a double date with you two." Ryder frowns.

It's kind of comical because in a way it is a kind of double date I'm taking him on. A bizarre fucked up prison double date. Taylor is the reason he hasn't moved on. It's kind of romantic in a depressing fucked up sort of way.

"Tell him," Riley says. "We're nearly there anyway."

"Fine." I glance at Ryder. "Say yes."

"No. The last time you said that you asked me to sleep with you."

"You asked him to sleep with you?" Riley chokes out.

"Major lapse in judgement." I wave my hand dismissively. "Say yes, Ry."

"El, tell me what's going on now," Ryder says flatly.

"I'm taking you to see Taylor." I smile sweetly.

Ryder growls. "El-"

"And if you don't visit her she'll be devastated because she's expecting you and she's really excited to see you, Ry. So get over yourself and fucking visit her because she's the one who's locked up, not you. She's the one who's in prison dealing with shit while you're just making your life shit."

Ryder straightens up. "You never said Taylor was having a difficult time."

"She's not at a fucking holiday camp, Ry," I huff. "So it's time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and see her, she's looking forward to this. Do it for her."

Ryder crosses his arms and nods. Fuck, if it was this simple, why did I not arrange this earlier?