Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Riley

“You definitely need to call him,” Chris said, swiveling in my chair with his venti cold brew clutched in his fist. The scent of bitter coffee filled the room.

I stared at my phone on my desk in front of him, my arms crossed. “Yeah, but... what do I say?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

Chris rolled his eyes. “You are hopeless, Riley, you know that right?” he said, bouncing his foot against his knee.

Glancing at the clock, I noted we had about fifteen minutes left for our lunch period. Fifteen minutes before a slew of seniors would traipse into my studio and destroy everything.

I swear high school kids are messier than the kindergartners.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” I huffed.

“Just ask him out for coffee or something. Surely you are capable of that, and if not, well, I can’t help you there.”

I nibbled at my fingernail, considering his words. Surely I could text a man to meet for coffee. It wasn’t like I was asking him to marry me or something.

So why was I so fucking nervous?

“Yeah, coffee sounds good,” I said, swallowing nervously.

Chris smirked at me. “You got a little crush, don’t you?” he said with a laugh.

“I mean, yeah, I guess. He’s attractive and...” I could feel myself heat as the memory of his dark voice, his bright blue eyes, pushed forth. “He’s young,” I settled on that word, whispering it into existence.

Chris’s eyebrows furrowed. “How young?”

“Well, old enough to drink, for starters, but probably too young to know what a payphone is.”

Chris laughed, shaking his head. “And he’s got his own place in Jasper Springs Estates?” Chris whistled. “What is the guy a drug lord or something?”

It was my turn to roll my eyes. “God, I hope not,” I said with a laugh.

“Maybe he’s a high class escort,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Or a mafia kingpin,” I suggested with a laugh.

Chris shrugged. “Or a CEO of a Fortune 500 company who secretly owns a publishing company and a helicopter.”

“He’s not Christian Gray, Chris.”

“You don’t know that,” he said as the bell rang. “All right, well, this has been fun but duty calls,” he said as he pushed himself out of my chair.

The sounds of chattering teens filled the hallways, and I sighed, grabbing my phone and sliding it in my pocket.

“Keep me posted, Evans!” he said as he hit the doorframe with his palm on the way out.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said with a wave, as students started to pour in.