Finding the Reason

Riley sighed as her friend tried to convince her to go to a party. "I don't know. I don't really know anyone." She said as she walked to her car. She looked at her friend, Emily, nodding. "Okay i will come with you." She said. She figured it would at least get her out of the house. Since she moved from the city she was really hating the new town. Riley got into her car, "See you tonight." She said as she drove to her house.

That night Riley looked out the passenger window of her friends car as they pulled into a field. She was surprised at all the people there and the big bonfire they had. Riley got out and walked with her friend, "Wow this is a big party." She said.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob had spent most of his day setting things up at the field. It was supposed to be the biggest party of the year and he was doing his part to make it that way. Ethan Hale had brought about a dozen hay bales from his Dad's place and all of then were placed a good distance away from the large pile of sticks, logs, and kindling that took over the center of the clearing. The last thing they needed that night was someone catching on fire.

He and a few others left a couple of hours before the start of the party to get ready and pick up their dates. His date just happened to be his younger sister, Wendy, who was lucky to be going in the first place. As soon as he cut the engine to his light blue pick up, Wendy had disappeared. He rolled his eyes and went in search of someone he knew and cared to talk to.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley watched as her friend got beer then took one from her. She was never a fan of beer but she would have to deal with it for the night. Riley let her eyes scan the area, not use to this environment. she bit her bottom lip lightly once her friend wandered away from her. She sighed as she walked around before sitting down. She figured her friend would find her eventually. Riley looked at her phone, frowning when she saw she didnt have any service. She hated the country so much. She just wanted to be in the city.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob rolled his eyes when he found that most of his friend were preoccupied doing things that were normally reserved for closed doors. He decided to wander for a bit until he noticed a girl sitting alone on a hay bale and frowning at her phone. He grinned as he strolled over. He leaned down and drawled, "You should know better that to bring a phone out here." Now that he was closer to her, he had no idea who she was which meant she was probably the new girl that he had heard a few kids talking about.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at him, surprised he was talking to her. "Why's that?" She asked as she put her phone away. He seemed to be nicer than most of the people here. A lot of people had been mean because she was new to the town. Her mother had married the preacher of the town and everyone was really judging her mother and her hard. Riley looked at her beer then back at the guy in front of her.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob took a seat next to her. "Mostly because we are in the middle of nowhere. Most people only get reception in town." He drawled with a slight shrug before offering his right hand. "I'm Jacob. You're Riley, right?" He asked, hoping she wasn't weirded out by the fact that he knew her name. It was one of the few tragedies of living in a small town. Everyone knows everyone and everyone hates each other. It was pretty tiring just thinking about it.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at his hand then shook it, "Yes that's me." She said as she pulled her hand away. "I'd say i was surprised you know my name, but it seems like everyone already does." She said with a shrug. She took a sip of her beer, "So does everyone come here all the time or is this a once a year thing?" She asked as she let her fingers run over her beer bottle. Riley looked at him and smiled as she ran her fingers through her hair.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob grimaced. "Yeah, that must suck. This is the only place that I have ever lived, though. I've never been the new kid." He said and scanned the people around them before looking back at her. "This usually only happens when we get tired of seeing each other at school or church. This particular event is an annual thing. It's kind of like an early going away party for the seniors despite that most of them are going to stay and help their folks out." He said with a shrug. "It's kind of sad actually."

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at him, "Oh so this is the kind of place people just grow old in....wonderful." She said, muttering the last word. She took a sip of her beer then looked at him. Riley was confused about how they managed to invite everyone to this one place. She preferred to go to clubs, but there wasn't any around here. "Isn't it suppose to be wrong to party and go to church?" She asked. She had never been very religious but now she had to go with her mom every sunday. So she was still trying to figure out how everything worked.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob grinned. "Aw, come on now. I'm sure it's not that bad out here." He said with a small chuckle. He hadn't expected her to all out love moving down here but he loved calling it home. He thought about what she said for a moment. "I don't think so. If we didn't sin a little during the week then what did Jesus die for?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose you'll know soon enough though won't you? Have you ever had to sit in on one of Reverend Stuart's sermons?" He asked.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at him, shaking her head, "Not yet." She replied. She finished her beer then held the empty bottle in her hand. "So what else is there to do around this town?" She asked as she stared at the bottle. Riley bit her bottom lip lightly as she thought about getting another one. She looked back at him and smiled.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob grinned. "That depends. How do you feel about risking your life?" He asked cryptically as he stood up, offering his hand. "You want another?" He asked. He threw out her empty bottle and grabbed two more from the cooler, opening them both, and offering one to her. "The most that we have to actually do are the impromptu bull riding competitions that go on about once every three or four months." He said with a shrug and took a swig of his beer. That was probably all he would grink of it too. He still had to drive himself and his sister home.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley smiled and took his hand as she stood up. She took the beer from him, "Thanks." She said. She took a sip of it, "So other than that you guys hang out in the middle of a field on weekends?" She asked him, laughing softly. "Interesting." She said as she took a bigger swig of her beer. Maybe it would be more fun if she was really drunk.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob chuckled. "Pretty much." He said. "Don't knock it until you try it. What did you do with your friends in the city? Shopping every weekend? I bet you all even started the day at a Starbucks." He said teasingly. He started walking slowly around the bonfire, making sure that he was on the side closest to the fire, taking most of the heat.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at him, "Starbucks and a coffee shop down the street." She said, looking up at him. "And i went to clubs on the weekends sometimes." She said. Riley took a swig of her beer then looked at the fire, "Something wrong with starbucks?" she asked him, laughing softly.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Clubs? The new daughter of Reverend Stuart goes clubbing on the weekend? Does he know what he's getting into?" He asked with a wink. He shrugged. "No, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Starbucks if you like terrible, over-priced coffee." He said with a small smile.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley stared at him, "it is not terrible or over priced." She said as she took a sip of her beer. "And yes I go clubbing but not anymore since there is nothing here." She said. She finished her beer and got another then started to drink it. She hadn't been drunk in so long and she was already feeling it a little.

@ IfNotNow

Jacob nodded in agreement but frowned when she grabbed another beer. He would never intentionally tell another person how t live their life but he was a tad worried that she was drinking a little fast. That was the third beer that he knew of. "How are you getting home tonight?" He asked.

@ xxKitanaxx

Riley looked at him, "my friend drove." She said. She raised an eyebrow, "why?" She asked. She walked with him, letting her eyes scan the party around her. She couldn't believe how many people were drunk already.

@ IfNotNow