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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 15:01:17 GMT -5
Roland sighed. "Yeah... I felt a little bad about it afterwards. She really did have a rough night, what with Lina showing up unexpectedly, and Cyrus starting that argument with her, then me yelling at her... Maybe I'll get her some flowers or something. I just... I hate when she pries too much. You can probably imagine what we argued about."
He gave her a meaningful look. "I wish I knew why she was so interested in my personal life. I didn't see her pulling Jamie aside to ask about his little friend."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 16, 2009 15:13:28 GMT -5
"Because Jamie's still in school," Riley said. "And he seems like he is *already* with Scarlette, so she doesn't have to try and push them together. I'm sorry you argued about me."
That sounded odd to say, but she did feel bad. Roland had a rough night too, and it was mostly her fault. Well... at first. Then Blake had a lot to do with it, too.
"I should have told her... and your sister... that I'm seeing someone."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 15:23:40 GMT -5
"It wasn't really about you," he started to say. But he trailed off in the middle of "you" when she mentioned that she was seeing someone. For a second, it hurt, almost as if he'd been stabbed in the heart. He looked away from her, hiding the pain until he was able to cover it.
"So you're seeing him, then? Prewett? He's a... he's a nice guy."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 16, 2009 15:59:43 GMT -5
Riley shrugged. She knew it was kind of mean to say, but she had to... for Cara's sake as well as Roland's. If what Geoffrey said was true... he probably needed to hear it.
"Kind of," she said. "It's not really serious. Not yet. But he is a nice guy."
If he paid attention, the look she was giving him was an apology, and it radiated from her. Would she still be interested in Fabian if Roland had figured this out earlier? She liked to think so. She really liked Fabian.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 16:25:54 GMT -5
It may have been what he needed to hear, but it wasn't what he wanted to hear. He was almost shocked by how much it hurt to hear her say that. Even though she wasn't seriously dating Fabian, the fact that she was seeing him at all told Roland that she was not feeling what he was.
And it hurt.
Somehow, he managed to contain his reaction to a slight frown, but it wasn't easy. "That's great," he lied. "I'm happy for you."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 16, 2009 16:34:26 GMT -5
No, you're not.
She couldn't say it out loud. She wanted to, she wanted to call him a liar. Under most other circumstances, she might have. But to what end? She would force him to admit that he liked her, and she would have no answer for him. She did like him, just maybe not in that way.
Because then, she'd have to call herself a liar, too. But she did like Fabian, and she liked how he made her laugh. Things were comfortable and uncomplicated with Fabian.
"Thanks," she said, softly.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 16:51:04 GMT -5
What else was there to say?
All he could do at this point was lie to her and tell her that he was happy for her, when really, he wanted to find Fabian Prewett and wring his neck. He wouldn't, of course... but he wanted to.
He straightened up. It was time to put these feelings out of his mind. She'd made herself perfectly clear. She didn't want him. "Well, you should probably go," he said. "We should try to get some sleep. I don't want to be dozing off while I talk to Angelique."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 16, 2009 16:57:41 GMT -5
Riley sighed. She should have expected that, and she couldn't blame him for sending her away.
"Okay," She said, sitting up a little more before she stood up and folded his blanket. She bit the inside of her lip, words on the tip of her tongue that she knew better than to speak.
Finally, swallowing, she nodded. "Try and get some sleep, okay? I will see you in the morning."
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 17:04:46 GMT -5
He was probably imagining the sorrow that flashed in her eyes when he suggested that she go home. It was just a product of wishful thinking. It never even occurred to him that she might suspect how he felt about her; after all, he was only just starting to realize that himself.
"Thanks. You, too. I hope you don't have any more nightmares." His crooked grin reappeared as he nodded toward the bedroom door. "As for me, I think I'll try actually sleeping in bed tonight."
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Post by Riley Neves on Mar 16, 2009 18:10:37 GMT -5
"That's probably a good idea," she said, hoping that he did get a good night's sleep. She wondered if he would even fall asleep at all.
She knew she would, but she would probably wake up a couple times in the process.
"Good night, Roland. And Merry Christmas."
She let herself out, giving him a soft smile as she went, but it faded from her lips as soon as she closed his door.
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Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 16, 2009 18:23:12 GMT -5
Roland's smile slipped from his face as she left. Godric, what was happening to him? He felt a terrible ache inside that he couldn't control. After all that had happened between them, she was more interested in Fabian Prewett. How could she kiss anyone else after the kiss they'd shared in the study? He could still feel it burning on his lips.
He was the first to admit that he'd been far too casual in his personal life in the past. He'd kissed women who meant nothing to him. He'd slept with women he didn't even like. But none of it had ever felt like the kiss between him and Riley. And it really meant nothing to her? Had she just not felt it? He sincerely doubted that she was the type to kiss just anyone. So why had she kissed him?
He let out a tired sigh. She had him so confused. He wished he knew what to do.
But for now, he had to get to sleep. Though it was tempting to sit up and finish the bottle of firewhiskey, he decided that the best thing to do was just go to bed.
He only hoped he didn't dream about Riley again.
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