Thursday, May 5, 2011

III.

“Riley,” Steven said into the voicemail for the fifth time in five minutes, “Babe, please, you need to pick up. It’s important, trust me we need to deal with this as soon as possible.”

Riley looked at her phone as she came back in the locker room from her gym class and saw her ten text messages and five voicemails from Steven.

“Hey,” she said pressing the speaker button off as Steven picked up, “What’s up?”

“You need to leave school right now and come to my house.”

“What’s wrong,” Riley asked in a panic, “Is everything okay?”

“Kind of,” Steven mumbled, “Can you please just get here? I’ll explain everything once you’re here.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Riley replied pressing the end button, “I love you.”

“I love you; too but just get here as soon as you can.”

Riley quickly took a shower and changed back into her clothes. She signed out in the mail office telling them that she had a family emergency. Speeding out of the parking lot, she put the pedal to the floor and took off towards Steven’s townhouse.

Steven tapped his cell phone impatiently off of the table. Jumping up as soon as he heard Riley coming up the steps, he grabbed her and hugged her to him.

“Babe,” Riley said, “What’s wrong?”

Steven pressed the button on his cell phone and showed her the picture of them kissing at the beach and then holding hands at the mall.

“Fans posted these online,” Steven said, “We need to lock your Facebook before it gets leaked and my agent is contacting the moderator of the forum to have the pictures deleted.”

Riley put her head in her hands as she sat down on the couch, “What if Steve sees these?”

“We’ll deal with it,” Steve said wrapping his arms around her, “I’m so sorry that I let this happen.”

“It happens to Steve all of the time,” Riley replied flashing him a small smile, “Don’t worry about it.”

“Your school isn’t going to call Steve and tell them you left early, are they?”

“They shouldn’t, but if they do, I’ll handle it.”

“I love you,” Steven smiled pecking her lips playfully.

“I love you, too,” Riley smiled hugging him.

“How about I cook you dinner tonight, are you busy?”

“Nope, I just have to finish this research paper for history class then I’ll be all yours for the rest of the night.”

“I thought you were all mine already,” Steven joked.

“Part of me is still holding out hope for Vinny,” Riley replied smirking.

“I’m pretty sure he is about to have a kid and is as good as married.”

“You sure know how to crush a girl’s dreams, don’t you Stamkos.”

“I’m not crushing anyone’s dream, you are. You got the hottest and the best looking hockey player in the NHL as your boyfriend.”

“Nun uh, Crosby plays in Pittsburgh,” Riley smirked again.

“HA HA,” Steven laughed sarcastically.

“Can I use your computer,” Riley asked, “I need to do this paper.”

“Yeah,” Steven replied, “Hold on, I’ll go grab it for you.”

Steven walked down the hall to his bedroom to get his laptop and Riley pulled her stuff out of her bag. Steven came back and sat the laptop on the dining room table, turning it on for her while she opened her notebook, “While you’re doing your homework, I’m going to run to the grocery store? Anything special you want?”

“Just make me something good for dinner, preferably something that isn’t made in the microwave.”

Steven kissed her cheek and grabbed his keys before heading out the door. The house felt empty to Riley and she immediately got to work realizing she got her homework done a lot faster with no distractions because the house was quiet and Steven was out grocery shopping. Finishing up the report that she had to do on political systems in the Middle East, she closed out of the document and smiled at Steven’s background on his computer. It was a picture that he had taken on his balcony, the first time she ever spent the night at his house.

Riley was sitting in his lap with her head on his chest and they were smiling at the camera. Steven had one arm around her waist and they felt like they were the only two people in the world. It was risky for him to even have it on his computer because he took it on the road and he roomed with Steve which was pushing the chance of being caught.

Riley finished the paper in no time and before she knew it, Steven was walking up the steps to the kitchen.

“Riley,” he called out, “Babe, help me with the bags, please?”

Riley stood up and met him in the hallway, “Jesus God, how much shit did you buy?”

“I needed groceries too so you might as well kill two birds with one stone, right,” he smirked.

“I’ll help you put them away,” Riley replied setting the bags down on the counter.

“You have homework to do.”

“I did it.”

“Already,” Steven asked, “You didn’t need my help.”

“Why would I need your help for an anatomy paper, we’ve pretty much done everything possible to help me study.”

Steven smirked, “Practice makes perfect, baby.”

“You’re a freak.”

“You love it though,” he laughed, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replied giving him a kiss but the tender moment between them was quickly interrupted when Steven’s phone rang.

Steven reached into his pocket and sighed when he looked at the caller id, “It’s Steve, this can’t be good.”

“Just answer it.”

“Hello!”

“Dude, seriously, you’re dating my sister behind my back.”

Riley felt a lump in her throat when she saw Steven’s face lose color, “I’m not dating Riley, come on man, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“There’s pictures of you two together at a restaurant, clearly something is going on.”

Steven laughed, “Steve, I tutor her. We are both young, we get hungry and we go out to eat. We pay for our own, I’m not with Riley.”

“Sorry, I overreacted, you’re right I didn’t think about it like that but let me get one thing clear, touch her, I kill you.”

“You’re a dick,” Steven laughed, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Riley’s going to a party later on tonight with Ashley and I don’t know the people they’re going with and I know Riley had it bad for the one punk a couple of years ago, so do you want to help me spy on her?”

Steven looked at Riley and smiled, “Sure thing, I’ll be over later.”

“We’re having poker night afterwards, Bugsy and the boys are coming over.”

“Alright, I’ll be over,” Steven replied, “See you tonight.”

Riley was done with the groceries when Steven walked into the kitchen and sat down at the counter staring at her, “What are you looking at?”

Steven figured it’d be best if he didn’t raise the issue about the party and just put on a fake smile which faltered because when he was around Riley, he was genuinely happy.

“I love you,” he smiled quickly forgetting everything right away.

“I love you too.”

“Your brother threatened to kill me.”

“I kind of figured that, don’t worry, when we tell him or if he finds out, he won’t do anything. He loves us both too much.”

“I better make you dinner so you can get home before he comes to hunt us both down.”

Riley laughed and reached into the refrigerator and grabbed the chocolate milk on the shelf, “Want some?”

“I don’t remember you asking if you could have some,” Steven smirked before going around the counter so he could start dinner.

“This dinner sucks no sex for a month.”

“Good thing I bought frozen lasagna, can’t mess that up.”

“Cheater.”

They both finished dinner and Riley left telling him she loved him and would call him later. Steven finished cleaning up the kitchen before he took a shower before heading over to Steve’s house to go spy on Riley.

“Have you talked to Riley at all today,” Steve asked Steven as they got in the car at Steve’s house.

“She came over earlier,” Steven replied honestly before lying, “She needed help with this trigonometry assignment that she put off until the last minute.”

“Did she say anything about the party?”

“She didn’t say anything, I had made the frozen lasagna that I bought earlier while grocery shopping and we ate while I helped her do her homework then she left.”

“I don’t know what the hell has gotten into her lately but something just doesn’t seem right about her. She’s completely different, it’s like she’s hiding something.”

“She wouldn’t hide something from you, you’re her brother. You’re the only family member she has here and you two may not be the closest brother and sister there is but she loves you.”

“I guess you’re right,” Steve said and Steven sighed in relief as the lies slipped right off his tongue like turpentine.

They sat across the street from the house where the party was and saw the ever popular red cups in everyone’s hands.

“There’s booze,” Steve sighed slamming his fist off the steering wheel, “Never pinned my sister for a drinker.”

“She’s not,” Steven replied knowingly but Steve didn’t know that, “Ashley drinks but Riley doesn’t.”

“My sister turned you into one of her girlfriends, oh Jesus God I can’t even look at you the same way.”

Steven laughed, “Fuck you dude.”

They both were watching the house when they saw Riley come on the porch followed by Ashley and a guy with brown hair who looked like he was wearing his little sister’s jeans.

“That’s Jackson, the kid she had a crush on,” Steve said pointing to the boy who had his arm around Riley. Steven felt his fist clench and his jaw tighten but they eased when Riley shrugged him off.

“I got a bad feeling about this kid and this party, go get her.”

“I was way ahead of you,” Steven said opening the car door and crossing the street.

“What the hell is Stamkos doing here,” Ashley mumbled to Riley who looked at Steven crossing the lawn.

Riley glared at her boyfriend as he stepped on the porch, “Riley, say goodbye, it’s time to go.”

“Steven, what are you doing?”

“Who is this,” Jackson asked.

“This is my brother’s friend,” Riley said keeping her and Steven’s cover, “Apparently he’s an asshole like my brother.”

Steven wanted to argue but he was in no mood because he’d say something he’d regret and possibly lose her and blow their cover at the same time, “Riley, please? Steve has a bad feeling about this whole party and we’ll take both you and Ashley home, just don’t make me drag you out of here.”

Riley glared and slammed her cup down on the porch, “I’m not a baby.”

Steven followed behind Riley and Ashley and he turned around and glared at Jackson who had a smirk on his face. Steven just wanted to wipe the smirk right off of the punk’s face but he couldn’t bring himself to be territorial over Riley.

Riley and Ashley both got in the car slamming the doors behind them, “Break the door, I take your car,” Steve said through the rearview mirror and Riley rolled her eyes.

“Replace it with a Barbie jeep since you and Stamkismyass want to treat me like a four year old.”

Ashley didn’t say anything and Steven wanted to reach behind the seat and grab Riley and kiss her but he knew better right now. They dropped Ashley off at her house before heading home where Riley took off up the steps and slammed the door of her room behind her.

“Steve, what the hell did you two jackasses do?”

“We followed her and she had a cup in her hand but I don’t know if she was drinking or not. I needed to get her out of there before something bad happened, something didn’t sit right with me and so Steven and I went to go get her.”

“I need to use the bathroom, I’ll be right back,” Steven lied and he walked up the stairs opening the door to Riley’s room.

“Go away,” Riley said face down on the pillow not bothering to look to see who it was.

“Riley,” Steven began before walking over to the bed.

“Leave me alone, Steven.”

“I know we shouldn’t have followed you but I was mad at you for lying to me and Steve had a bad feeling about the party, I only did it because I love you. Who the hell was that Jackson guy?”

“He’s a friend, I had a crush on him two years ago and he was there tonight. He moved to Orlando and was in town. I swear to God, Steven, it’s been you for the past year and a half that I’ve had eyes on.”

“Baby,” he said sitting down on the bed and pulling her into his lap. Riley straddled him and put her forehead to his, “I love you so much and I’m sorry you’re mad at both Steve and I but we did it to keep you safe. I was mad at you for lying then I saw his arm around you and something in me snapped.”

“You don’t have to worry about me wanting anybody else, I want you Steven,” Riley whispered pressing her lips to his. Steven ran his hands under her skirt and had his hands on her ass.

Maria was downstairs trying to rub Steve’s back reassuringly that he did the right thing but he suddenly felt guilty since Riley was mad at him, “I’ll go talk to her,” she said standing up and going upstairs. She heard giggling coming from Riley’s room and she noticed the bathroom door was open and Steven was nowhere in sight.

She was about to walk into Riley’s room when she saw Steven and Riley were making out on the bed and Steven’s white button up shirt was now open and Riley was running her hands up and down his chest. Steven had his hands under Riley’s shirts and Riley let out a moan as Steven attacked her neck.

Maria quickly shut the door and went downstairs where she found Steve sitting at the dining room table with Ryan Malone and Dominic Moore, “Did you talk to her,” he asked.

“She said she’ll talk later and she needs some time to cool off,” Maria lied not wanting to out her boyfriend’s sister.

Steven came down a short time later and the guys were making fun of him for blowing up the toilet with his massive “man shit” as they called it. Maria laughed to herself when she saw the hickey on Steven’s chest and his hair was in disarray. It was clear that he and Riley had a quickie upstairs.

Steven walked into the kitchen to get food and smiled at Maria who tried not to laugh.

“Where’s the salsa,” he asked.

“It’s in the refrigerator, you corruptive little pervert,” Maria blurted and quickly laughed.

Steven turned around and looked at her like she had three heads before he asked where the spoons were, “I’m sure you like to spoon,” she mumbled and Steven blushed thinking she was hitting on him.

“I’m not hitting on you, Stamkos,” she said laughing, “I have a math problem for you to solve.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The square root of Riley’s tongue plus S squared equals what?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I saw you making out with Riley and you two practically dry humping each other. Next time you two want to fool around make sure the door is locked and shut because it just may be Steve that walks in next time.”

“You’re not going to tell him, are you,” Steven asked.

“I’m not saying anything to him, I think you and Riley are cute together. How long has this been going on?”

“Almost two months,” Steven admitted.

“Aww,” Maria cooed, “Young love is so cute.”

“Shut up, seriously, you’re scaring me,” he laughed.

“I’m going to go talk to Riley about what happened with Steve, I promise I won’t say anything to him about you and her. It’s my secret as long as it’s yours.”

“Thanks!”

“No problem, pervert.”

Riley was sitting on her bed watching TV when Maria came into her room and shut the door, “You and Stamkos, huh?”

“Who told you?”

“I saw you two playing tonsil hockey then he came downstairs with a hickey on his chest and his hair in complete disarray and I figured it out and he admitted it. Don’t worry, I’m not telling your brother. Do you love him?”

“Yeah, I do,” Riley said smiling, “He makes me happy and he’s always doing little things for me like cooking me dinner and taking me for a walk on the beach.”

“Steve does the same thing,” Maria gushed, “I love him too.”

“You make my brother happy. He’s the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time.”

Riley and Maria laughed while having their “girl talk” when Steve walked in, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, we were just talking,” Maria said standing up from the bed and winking at Riley, “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve and Riley said in unison and they both started laughed.

“I shouldn’t have spied on you,” Steve said sitting on the bed and hugging her, “I just worry about you.”

“I know and I overreacted, I’m sorry,” Riley replied hugging him tighter.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Steve,” she smiled giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“Mom’s coming next week.”

“Is she,” Riley asked, “I can’t wait to see her.”

“She’s coming back for the Eastern Conference finals.”

“It’ll be good to have her around.”

“Maybe she’ll find you a nice boyfriend while she’s here and not a douche bag who is wearing his sister’s pants.”

“I don’t need a boyfriend when I have my big brother in my life to keep me safe.”

“Suck up,” Steve joked, “Seriously, when you get a boyfriend, he better treat you right.”

Riley slapped his arm and Steve sat on her tickling her and they fell into a moment they hadn’t had since they were little. Each brother and sister moment made them feel guilty and Riley thought to herself if Steve only knew the truth, would things be the same. Life sucks especially when you’re Riley Downie.

2 comments:

  1. YAY!!! an update!!! Soo good, can't wait for more!

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  2. Woooooooooooooooh! An update! You made my night! Very good update, I just hope when Steve finds out everything Is ok... But it probably won't! Please don't wait so long next time! I love this story!:)

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