Chapter 6 Riley's Pov

• Riley's POV
• I knew there was something fishy going on immediately as I walked into the mansion. I told them specifically that I did not want a party for the opening of the club. But they never listened to me. Everyone is about the fact that I just opened a club but I still had not thrown an opening party. I know I'm supposed to do so but I had my reasons for not doing so and one was standing right next to me. While I was already annoyed before I walked in, seeing Ash standing right next to Carlos with a smile on my face made me more angry and I knew this had everything to do with our friends. And guess what, everything became obvious when Ash asked Carlos if I was the one he was planning on introducing him to.
• What the actual fuck? I was in no control of myself at that moment so I punched Carlos.
• "Riley," Carlos said as he spat out blood. "Welcome to…"
• "I fucking told you I wanted no party. I made it clear to all of you!" I screamed.
• Although there was a different reason why I was now behaving this way and he was standing next to me but it's not like I could come out and say it right? The music stopped then and everyone gathered. It was a small gathering filled with people I know. People who Ash and I knew. What the fuck?
• "But you just achieved your dream. We need to celebrate with friends and family." Carlos said to me.
• Friends? Was he kidding me right now? Friends wouldn't go behind my back to do something like this especially when I was so clear on the fact that I did not want any party talk less the presence of someone I had issues seeing.
• "Friends? Okay. Then tell me why Ash is here. Is he a friend too?" I asked him.
• "Come on Riley. We are doing this for both of you. You guys look miserable and everyone wants their favourite couple back together." Carlos said to me.
• I heard Ash chuckle and I had to refrain from giving him a look. Why did the sound do things to me? Things no one has been able to do for the past three years.
• "Favorite couple? Come on man, think of something better." Ash said to Carlos.
• "I'm serious here. Everyone loved seeing you two together and all of a sudden you avoid each other, you don't want anything to do with the other and you still wouldn't tell us what the fuck happened. Did he cheat on you?" Carlos asked me.
• I never gave him a reply because there was no need to do so.
• "Fuck you, Carlos. Fuck you and every person here. If I had known this was the shit you wanted to pull them I would never have come. Do you want your favourite couple back? Get a life and you wouldn't be so insistent on getting your supposed favourite couple back." Ash said to him in anger.
• "Oh and Riley, congrats on opening your dream bar or club or whatever it is," He said to me before walking out.
• Why did that sound a bit genuine? Like he was happy for me like he cared.
• "What the fuck is wrong with you two?" Carlos asked me.
• "Us? What the fuck is wrong with you? You were the one who threw this party when I clearly stated I wanted none." I told him.
• "You did not want any party because the person you wanted to celebrate with the most just walked out," Carlos said to me.
• I blinked in shock. How did he know that? I never told anybody that was the reason why I did not want to throw a party. I turned to Diane who looked like she wanted to hide under a rock. Christian held her close as she tried to burrow herself under him.
• "What did you do?" I asked her.
• "I…I never…"
• "What the fuck did you do?!" I asked her.
• She swallowed and cast her gaze down.
• "Don't blame Diane. I was the one behind this." Rain spoke up.
• I turned to her with a murderous gaze. "You?"
• "Yes. I…you said it when you were drunk one time and I thought perhaps you still wanted to be with him so I…"
• "Did you fucking ask me?"
• "You wouldn't tell me the truth. You never tell me anything anymore and I just could not bear to see you like that when the answer to your problems was close to you." She said to me,
• I laughed as I blinked back tears. "So in the end, this was for me right?"
• "Riley…" Diane started.
• "Don't you fucking dare," I said to her and turned to Rain.
• "Don't bring your meddling selves near me."
• "Riley, I did this for you." She said to me,
• "No. You did this for yourselves. If you'd done this for me then you should have considered the fact that perhaps it would be awkward. That perhaps Ash would think I was behind this. If you cared then you would have left us alone to deal with this shit ourselves." I said to her,
• "But you guys are doing nothing."
• "Shut up Carlos. You are still in love with your ex-wife but do I force you guys to be in the same place? Do I fucking lie to you to get you to come to a party that she is hosting?" I asked him.
• Yes, I was angry and I was now saying things I wasn't supposed to say. The party was over anyway and frankly speaking, they started it. Why was it that I couldn't just live my life the way I wanted to live it? Why?
• "Riley…"
• "Don't you fucking call me," I said to him,
• "And the rest of you, piss off. I don't want to see your faces around me, especially the both of you." I said to Rain and Diane who had tears streaming down her face.
• 'Fuck this.'
• I muttered to myself as I walked out of the mansion. Was I too harsh? Perhaps. But did they deserve it? From my perspective, yes. Yes, they did. Why could they not just let me be?
• It was only after I had gotten outside that I remembered Diane had been the one to drive me here. There was no way I was going back to that party. There was a train station not too far from here and I could either do that or get an Uber. Guess which option I went for? Train station because I needed the walk and the fresh breeze to clear my head.
• Too bad everything took a wrong turn because it suddenly started raining. Even the sky was against me now? I tried to take shelter but damn, that was proving difficult. Maybe taking an Uber would be better now. I could hardly see through how badly it was raining. I also did not want any of my friends to see me. Maybe this was happening because I had said harsh words to Rain. I chuckled. Yeah, I could still muster up my bad sense of humour even at this moment.
• I heard a horn behind me and moved to make way for the vehicle. Only, I was walking on the pavement so why was the driver signalling the horn? Wait, was it one of my friends? It couldn't be right. I'm trying to avoid them so I hope to God it wasn't one of them.
• "Get in the car, Riley." I heard a voice say. A voice I clearly remember.
• I turned and there Ash was, sitting in the driver's seat.
• "What?"
• "Don't make me repeat myself." He growled out.
• "I'm perfectly comfortable where I am. I'm not getting in the car." I said to him,
• "I'm so glad you heard me. Now, if you don't want to freeze on the pavement, get in the fucking car." He said to me,
• "I'm almost at the train station. You don't have to pretend to care that I'm about to freeze to death."
• Ash shook his head and rolled up his window. I thought he was done with me but next thing I knew, he came down from his car and dragged me with force into the car before getting back in the driver's seat.
• "I don't need your help, Ash. The train station is not far from here." I said to him,
• "Riley, shut the fuck up and learn to appreciate okay? I'm not just doing this for you but for both of us. It wouldn't feel good if I just left you to freeze to death on the pavement when I could very well help you." He said to me,
• I nodded but that did not mean I was just going to accept everything like that. "Stop me by the train station."
• He chuckled. "Yeah, since you like trains very much. There is no way I'm going to do that."
• I glared at him but then shivered when I realized how cold I was. Ash silently turned up the heater. I appreciated it. He also gave me a sweater. I had no idea why he was being so kind to me but I appreciated it. Maybe it was the comfort combined with his scent that made me go to sleep and I had the most peaceful sleep in the past three years.