-JENSON’S POV-

Riley made me feel safe. That’s all I really understood. She didn’t judge me, she seemed to really like me, and she was actually trying to be my friend.

We had unpacked quite a bit and I stood, dusting myself off and Riley spoke, “I’m starving.”

And I couldn’t agree more, I nodded, “Let’s go get some lunch.”

It was weird how me and Riley had bonded so quickly, it was scary how we both just…clicked. it seemed to simple almost, like there was a catch to it all. But as I got into my car I ignored the feeling, this was a making of a brand new friendship, and maybe the rest of the year would be ok.

We ended up at a burger shop that Riley suggested, claiming they had the “world best burgers” so I didn’t disagree.

She slapped down the money on the counter and we sat, she handed me my food and then spoke, “You’re awfully quiet.”

I felt myself blushing from the immediate attention, “Um, sorry I just… it’s weird how you’re spending your afternoon with me when you just met me.”

Riley looked up from her food and shrugged leaning back into her chair, “Well if you didn’t want to hang you could’ve just told me.”

Oh shit, “No, no I didn’t mean it like that… I meant it as like… you could’ve hung out with anyone but you decided to spend your day with the new girl… It just seems a bit, bizarre.”

She shrugged, “I mean, you’re cool, not everyone can get a really cool connection like this on day one.”

I had to agree with her on that one, we had clicked, and in a way I was grateful, but in another… I was still wierded out. I kept thinking about what happened this morning, it was obviously bad luck, so how could something so good come out of that?

Hopefully Riley wasn’t out to play and use me like everyone else did.

Days passed after the first day me and Riley met, we hung out, got to know each other a little better even though I hadn’t really opened up to her about my depression. She would notice and bring it up but I just told her I was tired or was having a bad day. I knew she didn’t believe me but I didn’t find we were close enough.

I mean opening up about my dad walking out on us and how I have been depressed for a long time… it just seemed a bit to much to lay on her.

And I didn’t want to scare her off.

She had made herself comfortable though, and she definitely wasn’t shy around me. She acted as if she knew everything about me, like she had known me for years.

I was on my way to pick her up for school, she was waiting for me in her drive and when she saw me she waved and smiled. Even though she put up the happy front there was something she wasn’t telling me, I could tell, just by the way she acted around me. She was mysterious, and the more I wanted to pester her about it the more I backed off from fear.

She got into the passenger seat and looked at me, “Finally it’s Friday.”

I nodded, “Finally.”

We started to school and spoke small talk as we went, and finally we were there. Riley was walking around the side of the car and I was mesmerized by her, the way she glided and gracefully moved around. Then I felt myself slip, my face was near the ground but Riley’s hands were holding me up.

I stood again, recovering from the almost fall and looked at Riley, “Close one.”

I smiled, not really understand how she did that. It was weird, like she knew I was going to fall…

Finally we were in second period, Jake and Riley were talking about things I was ignorant about, and Jake looked at me, “You’re to quiet.”

I blushed, “Geez thanks?”

He smirked, “Sorry I didn’t mean it like that…”

I studied Jake, his reddish brown hair swinging in front of his gray eyes, he was cute. His smile, he came off as innocent, but I knew better. Any boy in the 12th grade was anything but innocent…

Now that I think about it, I never really talked to Jake since the first encounter on my first day here. He snapped his fingers, “Earth to Jen? You okay?”

I smiled, trying to hide the fact that I was actually thinking about him, “Yea, sorry, I just-”

“Got lost in my eyes?” He flicked his hair back like a girl would as he interrupted me. He smiled and I felt my heart warm, a laugh rising up in my chest.

“That’s definitely it.”

He smiled, “I figured.”

Then I heard Riley give a slight cough from the back of her throat, we had been ignoring her in our own little conversation. I turned to her as the bell rang, waiting for Jake to get up and leaning over, closer to Riley then expected, “Sorry, I didn’t notice…”

She stood, seeming a bit hostile, “No problem,” then she started for the door.

I rushed after her, following on the side of her as we headed to my car. I felt a little guilt, she had immediately accepted me into her group, the reason was still absent to me, but she still helped me out a ton. I didn’t mean to make her made though… that was the last thing I wanted.

I climbed in my car and started it up, Riley was looking out the window, seeming as if she was in deep thought. I sighed, “Wanna stay over tonight? We can have a movie night or have one of those deep intense talks you like…”

She turned to face me, smiling, “Sure, that sounds fun.”

Then I heard my phone ring in the middle console, I insisted, “Riley can you see who that is?”

She picked the phone up, grimacing at the name, “Some kid texted you off of an unknown number, claims his name is Bren?”

I felt my whole body shudder from the inside out, I froze, in complete time. No, this wasn’t happening again… he wasn’t coming back.

“Who’s Bren?” Riley demanded.

I snapped out of my trance, feeling as if my old life has come back to haunt me, I swallowed hard.

“Bren’s my psycho ex-boyfriend.”