In Fate's Hands

Riley pressed his lips to mine, and it was the sweetest kiss I’ve ever received. I felt my face getting warm as we parted.

“We should go out there, so they don’t think we fucked or anything.” I asked, never thinking those words would ever come out of my mouth. I’ve always wanted people to think I fucked everyone.

What the hell is going on in my mind.

He let go of me, nodding, a little sneaky smile on his lips. “You would like them to have that idea.”

I hit him. “Shut up. Go.” I pushed Riley out of the room gently.

We went into the living room and saw that no one was there except Nick.

Fucking assholes. “Where did the rest of them go? I swear if they left…” I said, getting irritated.

“They left.” Nick said, sounding just as annoyed as I felt.

“How are we supposed to get home?” Riley asked, pissed, but also sounding unsurprised.

When I looked around and saw that Nathan was no where to be found, I shouted, “Nathan! Where the fuck are you?”

There was no answer. Great. He’s passed out. He doesn’t know when to stop drinking.

I heard Riley sigh. “I guess we’re stuck walking.”

“Fuck my life.” I said, getting my shoes on. While I was getting one of them tied, I thought about the situation, and it may actually be a good idea to walk. I can spend more time with Riley.

“Stop being so overdramatic, Ethan, I swear.” Nick said, opening the door.

“Shut the fuck up, you little-”

I was cut off by Riley clearing his throat. I looked at him and he was giving me a stern look.

“No.” He said.

I looked at him, feeling somewhere in my heart that I was obliged to listen to him. I sighed and closed the door, feeling defeated. I was never stopped in the middle of an insult. It’s my nature to insult people, it’s just part of who I am. I don’t see how Riley could change that so fast and so intensely.

I looked up from the ground and saw Riley shivering from the wind. His sweatshirt is obviously not helping him much. I stepped up beside him and pulled him into my side, hopefully helping him warm up a little. He looked at me and smiled.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What? What the hell is going on? You and…no.” Nick stuttered. He walked fast and got in front of us, for some reason wanting to get a full view of us. “This is what came out of that ten minutes of alone time?”

I looked at Riley and he nodded. “This is it.”

He still looked confused, slightly stupid in my opinion. “But this…how…why him? Honestly? I didn’t know you were into whorish bad boys.”

That was totally uncalled for. I didn’t do anything to deserve that. I glared at Nick, who had a satisfied look on his face.

Riley hit Nick. “Hey, none of that, not anymore.” Riley said, standing up for me, which made me smile, but I was still pissed at Nick for throwing that at me.

“Well at least I’m not-” I started.

“Ethan!” Riley yelled. “No more of this name calling shit. It’s so fucking immature. I won’t have my two best friends and boyfriend bickering at each other nonstop, calling each other whores and bitches. Just no.”

I sighed and looked at the ground, feeling bad. I took out a cigarette and my lighter, Riley leaving my side to walk with Nick. Riley hates smoking, so I wasn’t moved by this.

They seemed to be talking amongst themselves, and I couldn’t hear them. Nick turned to look back at me and I got suspicious. I overheard the word “whore” in their conversation, also something about the twins going to fuck themselves, because I was Riley’s now. That part made me smile a little bit, knowing that he cared enough about me to be so protective already.

“You better not be talking about me up there.” I said, taking a long drag off my cigarette.

“Don’t worry, we’re not, at least not directly.” Nick said, smirking at me. I glared at him as he turned back to talk to Riley. Curiosity was eating me from the inside out to know what they were talking about. I hated not knowing what was going on.

Riley looked back and smiled at me, looking cold again. I looked at my cigarette, took one last puff before throwing the butt into the street, releasing the smoke from my mouth and nose.

I caught up to Nick and Riley, letting Riley under my arm again. “I’m surprised those two don’t fuck each other already. I walked in on them making out earlier tonight.” I brought up.

Riley made a disgusted face. “Ew. That is so awkward. Do you think they were still drunk?” He asked.

“I’m kind of hoping so.” I said. It would be too awkward seeing them all over each other all the time.

The conversation lulled a little. Riley was still shaking under my arm, and I looked down at him. “Hey, you wanna sit down and warm up a little?” I asked.

“How will that keep me warmer?” He asked, looking up at me through his wispy brown hair.

“Follow me.” I said, leading him across the street to a bench by the park. I let go of him and sat down. I looked up at him and started patting my lap, smiling.

He smiled, and I couldn’t tell if his cheeks were red from the cold or from him blushing.
He sat on my lap and I wrapped my arms around him. He put his feet on the bench and nuzzled his head underneath my chin.

“Is it helping?” I whispered in his ear, kissing the top of his head.

He nodded, tightening his grip on me.

I wished we could stay like that for the rest of the night, but Nick was waiting for us, and Riley’s parents will probably be pissed if they’re out later than 11.

I pet his hair, and he looked up at me.

“We’re gonna get going. I don’t want you to get in trouble with your parents.” I said, kissing him.

He looked really tired. “Okay.”

He got off my lap and I got up, continuing on our way home.

“Hey, Riley, just a question.” I heard Nick say.

We both look at him.

“What?” Riley asked.

“How is this going to work when your parents don’t know?” He asked.

I was confused about what Nick meant until Riley started looking slightly ashamed.

“Don’t know…do your parents not know you’re gay?” I asked.

Riley shook his head and directed his gaze to the ground.

“I think you should probably tell them.” I said.

“I know I have to, but I don’t want to know what will happen if they don’t accept me.” Riley said quietly.

I felt sorry for him, how ashamed he was of himself.

“They accept Kaedyn, don’t they?” Nick said, taking the words right out of my mouth.

“Well, yeah, but they also shun him-” He said.

“Because he’s a dumb ass, they both are. You’re not a problem child.” Nick said.

I smiled at what Nick was saying. I was starting to become more fond of him.

“I guess. It’s just one of those things that’s gonna be really hard to bring up and talk about. My parents know you’re gay, right?” Riley asked Nick.

Nick looked at him like he was crazy and laughed a little. “How could they not? We’re always laying on top of each other whenever we watch movies, and I swear Ian can’t keep his hands off my hips for more than a minute.”

Riley smiled at that. He wrapped his arm around my waist. I jumped at the sudden contact Riley’s lips made with my cheek. I looked at him and he was giggling at me.

I just shook my head at him and met his lips with my own. I swear I heard Nick giggling at us. I rolled my eyes under my closed lids and pulled away from Riley’s lips.

Riley let out a huge yawn.

“Wow, tired much?” I asked him, laughing.

He nodded. “Yeah, a little.”
I let go of him and stepped in front of him, my back facing him. “Jump on my back, I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

He grabbed onto my shoulders, getting ready to jump. “You sure?”

“Positive, just get on.” I said.

He jumped up and I caught his legs, boosting him up until I thought he was securely on. He rested his head on my shoulder and before I knew it he was out cold.

“Hey Ethan.” Nick said.

I looked down at him, having a feeling that he was going to lecture me about dating his best friend. The cans and can’ts. “Yeah.”

“You’re for sure dating Riley.” He said, more of a statement than a question.

“I guess so, yeah.” I said, kind of nervous as to what kind of bitching fest I was about to endure.

“If you fuck him over, if you even think about going after someone else while you’re with him. I will rip your head off.” He said, his voice slightly harsh and threatening. “He’s my best friend, he’s easily hurt, and he has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen in a person. If you break it, I swear to God I’ll break you.”

I sighed. “I would never do that to him. I care about him way too much. I would feel horrible if something happened to him, whether it was caused by me or no.” I said.

Nick examined my face, most likely seeing if I was bullshitting him or not. When he smiled a little and nodded, I knew he believed me. “Alright, I’ll accept that. Now you just have to convince Ian that you’re not full of shit.”

My mind froze. Fuck. I totally forgot about Ian. “That’s gonna be fun. He hates my guts.” I said, following Nick up his driveway.

“I’ll talk to him beforehand, butter him up a little. Don’t worry too much about it, you’ll be fine and on good terms with him soon enough.” Nick said, opening the door.

“Hey mom, hey dad, this is Ethan. We were hanging out with him.” Nick said.

“We never got a call.” His mom said, crossing her arms over her chest, also smiling at me along with his dad.

I returned the smile, feeling awkward. I wasn’t comfortable around parents. They usually judged me on my piercings and the way I dressed.

“I know, I totally forgot. I’m sorry.” Nick said.

“Riley would say the same thing, but he fell asleep on the way here. He was almost falling asleep walking home.” I said, giving them a sideways smile.

“How does Ry know you?” His dad asked.

“We talk a lot at school.” I said. “I’m going to take him to his room, could you show me where it is?” I asked Nick.

“I can show you.” Keegan said, his tone of voice more or less unpleasant.

I grimaced before turning around. Great.

I followed Keegan to Riley’s room. I laid Riley down on his bed and I heard Keegan close the door.

I turned to face Keegan, hands on my hips.

“I thought you weren’t one for relationships.” Keegan said, sounding snotty.

“People can change, it does happen.” I said, returning the same attitude.

“You weren’t supposed to change. Not like this. It’s not like you to be stable.” Keegan protested, his tone creeping more towards desperate.

I almost laughed. “Oh yeah? And how was I supposed to change if I didn’t change like I did?” When he didn’t answer, I said, “Keegan, just get over yourself. I chose your brother over you, big fucking deal. Move on and accept that you’re not on my mind anymore. Honestly.” I said, smirking, walking past him, but Keegan’s lips caught mine as I was walking out of Riley’s room.

I pulled away quickly and slapped him. “Get off me, stupid fucker.”

I left the room, and on the way out of the house, I got smiles from Riley’s parents and Nick, and a sneer from Kaedyn. I returned both to the rightful people before bidding them all farewell.

“Do you want a ride home?” Riley’s mom asked.

“No, you don’t have to go through the trouble. Thanks for the offer, though.” I said, waving, closing the door.

I got home, not speaking to my mom or dad, like usual, and went to my room. I fell onto my bed, falling in and out of consciousness, until my mind finally stopped racing with all the thoughts running through my head about tonight and what I’m in for tomorrow not only from Ian, but from Keegan and Kaedyn as well.

The alarm came too fast. I aimlessly flung my arm towards the noise, hitting the snooze button.

I rubbed my eyes and opened them drowsily. My mind was telling me to get up and get ready, but my body wasn’t responding. I finally forced myself up, going into the bathroom. I was amused to see myself still dressed from the night before, and my hair sticking up at weird angles.

I took a quick shower and did my hair. I stripped and got some new clothes on, going into the kitchen to grab something to eat.

I looked at the clock and saw I only had ten minutes to get to school.

“Holy shit.” I said, shoving my Pop Tart in my back pocket, grabbing my car keys and going out to my car.

I sped to school and had three minutes to get to class.