The Butterfly Effect by Renea Porter

Author:Renea Porter [Porter, Renea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B00YYEXLMC
Goodreads: 24793141
Published: 2015-06-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

NATHAN

For a moment I could have sworn I saw Riley. When I took a second look, I realize I did. She was talking to Ace and my blood was boiling. I could hear her laugh. What’s his angle? Riley seemed nice and cozy with him, too. Guess she got over me fairly quickly. Me, well I’ve been drinking myself into oblivion on a daily basis.

Am I stupid for applying to other schools just so I can be with her? Regardless, I need to move on with or without her. It kills me knowing that I broke her the way I did. I could have given her some hope of us reconnecting when the time was right. Right now is not the time to act irrational, yet she makes me feel that way.

“Ace, class is starting,” I say sternly.

Ace waves to Riley and moves to come inside the class. He’s no longer blocking me and Riley. My eyes lock with hers. She looks so gorgeous, even without that get up she’s wearing. It’s all a facade and I see right through her. Standing tall, she rolls her shoulders back while clutching the books to her chest, frozen in place. I can sense her breathing kicking up, her pulse racing because she doesn’t know what to do. Her face is emotionless. But her head is buzzing with all kinds of thoughts. She’s thinking about running, but then that would give her away. She thinks facing me the guy that broke her heart; she’ll win out in the end and that her broken heart won’t show. But I see and sense it all. She allows me to and she doesn’t even know it.

I want to go to her, wrap my arms around her, and tell her it’ll all be okay; kiss her beautiful lips and lose myself in her doe eyes. Something snaps my attention and I blink my eyes and she’s gone. Did I just imagine her here? Saddened by the events that just played out in my head, or for real, I pull the door shut and begin teaching the class.

The thing that pulls me so deep down the rabbit hole is that Riley is Riley. She gives no excuses about who she is and you just have to accept that. I think that’s what I love about her.

The image of her in the hall, emotionless and standing so still, burns into my brain. She was breathtakingly beautiful. So beautiful, my heart actually aches. I’ve never felt that feeling before. The feeling of emptiness when she’s not around, the silence that becomes too loud I can’t think, it’s all so consuming. Riley consumes me. I’m going to stop denying otherwise. Now how do I fix this shit hole I find myself in?

The thing is I may have pushed her farther away in my attempt to do the right thing. And this could be the worst mistake of all.

***

RILEY

Seeing Nathan in the hallway was like looking at a stranger, but someone I knew intimately.

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