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I know her well enough that as the music gets louder and she takes a few steps back, I know there is something coming.
She soars through the air, literally defying gravity when the music reaches its highest note. I have to bite back the screams of excitement when she lands it perfectly.
When the music fades, she collapses to the floor. I don’t know if that is part of the choreography or if she’s completely drained or, worse, hurt. Before I can even think better of it, I’m out of my seat and racing to the stage.
Chapter 12
Riley
Themusicstops,butI make no move to get up. My breaths come in harsh, ragged pants. Dance has always been my way of expressing my thoughts and getting a handle on my emotions. I know I’m not as good as I once was and never will be at that level again.
After the accident, no one thought I would ever dance again, but I was determined to not lose one more thing when I had already lost so much. It was slow and steady, and yeah, maybe some days I push myself harder than I know I should, but I can’t help it. Dance has always been my saving grace, the one thing that can save me from the world—from myself. I can both lose myself and find myself through the movement.
I’m not sure what made me decide to turn this song on after Maddey and I finished rehearsal. I allowed the lyrics to carry me across the stage with every move, just needing a moment to myself.
Cooper coming back into my life shook the comfortable life I’ve made for myself, shaking the very ground I stood on. Not only is he home, but he’s here in my school. It’s like I can’t avoid him.
Footsteps close in. Maddey must have stayed to watch the show, but it’s not a feminine touch that touches my shoulder or a feminine voice that breathes my name.
“Riley? Riles, are you okay?”
I jump back, falling down on my hip with a wince.What is he fucking doing here?I look over to find Cooper crouching down with his elbows resting on his knees and his brows bunched in concern.
“What the fuck, Cooper?”
“I asked if you were alright.”
“Yeah, I heard you. I’m fine,” I spit harshly as I stand and brush off the front of my outfit. Cooper pushes himself up to his feet, towering over me.
“Why did you tell me you don’t dance anymore? That was—”
I cut him off with my hand. I don’t want his praises or applause. “You don’t get to talk about me anymore. Don’t think about me. I don’t exist to you. You made that perfectly clear six years ago. There’s no reason to change that now.”
“Riles…”
I can’t do this. “Don’t.” I choke on my own words. “You left Riles in the past without another word to her. She’s dead. I’m not that naive girl you left behind. It hurt like hell to lose you, but I pulled all my tattered pieces up off the ground and rearranged them until the thought of you no longer made me feel like I’d died along with Tanner. I’m stronger than that girl, and I’ll never go back to being her. You need to leave.”
“Riley, please let me explain,” he pleads. For every step closer to me he takes, I take two away.God, he just won’t get the hint.
I let out an exasperated breath. I can feel the warmth of my cheeks, and it’s taking everything in me to keep the tears at bay. “Do you know why I hate you?”
Cooper shakes his head, and I scoff.Of course he doesn’t.
“Every day of my life, I have to wonder why I wasn’t enough. Why being with me wasn’t enough for you. Why having my love wasn’t enough for you.” I grab my bag and walk away but halt once I’m off the stage.
“You’re a coward, Cooper Graham—a goddamn coward.” Venom laces my voice and seeps through my pores.
He doesn’t make a move to dispute my claims. At least we can agree on that.
“I always supported your dreams. I always wanted to be there for you.” My arms flail. “You’re nothing but a liar and a coward. You couldn’t even tell me the truth to my fucking face. You just up and disappeared on me.”
I rush out of the auditorium without a second glance, the door hitting the wall with a loud clank. Once again, I’m running away from Cooper. I push open the main door that leads to the faculty parking lot and am forced to squint as the sun assaults my vision.
My sunglasses are somewhere in my bag, and I can find them once safely in my car.
Jogging down the stairs, I glance over my shoulder to make sure I’m home free with a clean getaway. While I may be running from him, once again, he’s not chasing me. Do I even want him to? I’m so lost in myself that when I turn back around, I slam directly into a hard body. Hands reach out and grab my arms, steadying me before I can fall back on my ass. That would have surely been the icing on the cake of this day, which went downhill in a matter of moments.
“Woah there, beautiful, where’s the fire?” The familiar Southern twang is smooth and full of arrogance.
