Summary: Drake and Liam and Hana and Riley have some heart to heart conversations. Another elimination ceremony comes and goes, and Drake fails to keep his feelings hidden.
Riley woke up the next morning thinking about the same thing she did before she fell asleep: Drake. Not just the fact that she fell for him hard over the span of one day, but also the confusing end to their evening. She was so sure he was going to kiss her. She was waiting for it. And then all she got was a friendly pat on the shoulder. Had she totally misread him?
And then there was Liam. There was no confusion there. He was practically ready to propose to her. He was amazing and they had great chemistry. Not to mention she was in the midst of filming a show with the sole purpose of trying to become his fiance. Why was she even stressing over Drake?
She got out of bed and saw a piece of paper under her door. She picked up the note and read it:
Bennett,
There is no filming until the rose ceremony tonight, so I’ll see you then.
Drake
Well Drake certainly wasn’t looking for any excuses to spend more time with her. Maybe he noticed that she was into him, and he didn’t feel the same. Or maybe she was over-analyzing this and he just didn’t have a work-related reason to follow her around all day. Whatever the case, she needed to just put these feelings aside and let him do his job, so she could focus on Liam.
~~~~~
Liam and Drake went for a run and then hit the weight room. Drake felt guilty for spending last night with Riley, even though nothing technically happened. If he had one ounce less of self control, he’s sure something would have though. He couldn’t believe he almost did that to Liam.
“What did you do last night?” Liam questioned. “I didn’t see you after we got back.”
“I was tired, so I went to bed early. It was a long day.” Drake lied. There was no reason he couldn’t tell Drake about hanging out with Riley, since all they did was talk, but he still felt like he was betraying Liam just for wanting her, for fantasizing about her.
“I bet you were. Being a hero can take a lot out of you. I can’t thank you enough for being there for Riley.”
“Well…you know…it’s my job.”
“Always so modest, Drake…Well, our ride back was uneventful…kind of boring…but after my time alone with Riley, not much else could measure up,” Liam said with a slight smirk.
Drake felt a short wave of nausea hit him, and he really hoped Liam wasn’t going to elaborate. Riley said nothing happened, but she was acting really strange when she said it, and Liam’s little smirk was telling. “I’m, uh, glad you two are getting along well.”
“She’s the one Drake, I’m certain of it.”
Hearing this probably hurt worse than if Liam would have gone into details of whatever activities may have happened between them. “Liam, I still think it’s too soon for you to make up your mind. This is a really big decision.”
“I thought with you spending so much time with Riley, you would start to see what I see in her.”
Liam didn’t know the half of it. Drake saw it all right, and that was the problem. “I admit she is much better than most of those stuck up nobles, but I just want you to be sure.”
“Well as much as I wish I could just end everything right here, and choose Riley, for both the sake of the contract I signed with the show, and the normal customs of the social season, I have to see this through to the end.
~~~~
Riley tried to keep herself busy to pass the time until the Apple Blossom Ceremony. She and Hana went for a walk around the grounds. Hana pointed out all the different flowers and plants in the garden by name.
“Hana is there anything you don’t know?”
“My parents were very strict with my studies. They always told me that being well-rounded would help me find a suitor. Instead of toys, I had musical instruments. We didn’t even own a TV, but we had an extensive collection of classic novels and and non-fiction books. I was very isolated because I was always so busy. There was no time for friends or typical activities my peers would do. I didn’t even realize how much I missed out on until I came here.“
“Well maybe you can fill in whatever essential skills I’ll need for court that Maxwell and Bertrand haven’t taught me yet, and I can teach you about life outside the bubble of nobility,” Riley proposed.
“Sounds like a good deal to me,” Hana agreed. “I can teach you things like traditional Cordonian dances, and you can teach me contemporary dances like torquing…I think that’s what Isabelle called that dance she was doing when she was drunk at the last Apple Blossom Ceremony.”
Riley doubled over laughing. “Oh Hana. Innocent Hana. I think you mean twerking. I’m not sure you really want to learn that one, but I can teach you other things.”
“See Riley, this is why I need you here.”
Riley put her arm around Hana’s shoulder. “I think we are both pretty lucky to have each other.”
~~~~~
The Apple Blossom Ceremony came and went without much drama or excitement. Riley snuck in a few conversations with Liam, but was interrupted before long every time. Liam called Riley first to make up for the last ceremony. Victoria, Amelia, Louisa, and Grace didn’t make the cut, which narrowed it down to 12 women: Riley, Hana, Penelope, Kiara, Madeleine, Olivia, Lydia, Sophia, Charlotte, Diana, Catherine, and Anna.
Drake met Riley in the hallway to take her back to her room. He had barely said a word to her on the way there and it was looking the way back would be the same. She had worn a silver cocktail dress with a modest neckline but a mid-thigh length the showcased her toned legs. She thought maybe Drake would notice, like he noticed her the last time, but he hardly even looked at her all evening. This was fine though, right? She didn’t need some sort of love triangle complicating everything. They could just keep things professional. She was just going to walk back in silence unless he talked first…Or not.
“So are we back to me having to pry information out of you again, Drake?”
“Just don’t have much to say,” Drake replied.
“I just thought…after last night…maybe we were friends?”
Drake sighed. “I don’t think you want to be my friend.”
“Shouldn’t I be able to decide that for myself?” Riley challenged.
“Well, I don’t think I want to be your friend.” At this point they had arrived back at Riley’s door. Drake must have seen the hurt in Riley’s eyes because he tried to take it back. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” Riley asked, trying and slightly failing to keep her emotions under control.
“Do you really have no idea Bennett?”
“I don’t know Drake, one minute you pulling me in, the next you are pushing me away. That’s pretty damn confusing if you ask me.”
Suddenly Drake grabbed Riley around the waist and pressed her up against the door. He leaned in close and locked his eyes on hers. ”I can’t be your friend because I don’t know how to just be your friend. I want more than that…but I know I can’t have that because even if by chance you wanted me too, I couldn’t do that to Liam. So we can just pretend this never happened, and tomorrow we will go back to the way things were. It’s best for all of us.” With that Drake turned and walked away.
“Drake,Wait!” Riley called after him, but he didn’t look back.