Anotha one.

Love you!

Chapter outfits: www dot polyvore dot com slash cgi slash set?id=208068710

*note: whether or not the ucla gala is an actual thing (and I'm sure it's not), just go along with it for now.*

NINE: GIRL MEETS WISHFUL THINKING

You would call it friends with benefits, no?

Riley knew what was happening with Chase had gone way too far. She had no interest in taking it farther, romantically, but she couldn't stay away, either. All she had wanted was to remain friends, and strictly that. The benefits part had come when she'd lost her inhibitions and, apparently, her morals and dignity.

"You know you're going to have to confront him eventually," Shallon chided.

"I don't really want to," Riley groaned. "Besides, he's back in Chicago now, so I have no desire to dredge up what happened while he was here."

"I think he does," Shallon said, gesturing to the number of unread messages and missed calls on Riley's phone.

"While we're on the topic of things neither of us want to divulge details to," Riley said loudly, "maybe we should talk about what's going on between you and Lance."

Shallon threw up her arms. "Nothing's happening!"

"You like Ding Dong," Riley accused. "You know he's still with Maya, right?"

"Nothing happened," Shallon said tightly.

"All I said was that you liked him."

"Riley, it doesn't matter how I feel."

"Yes, it does, because you can't keep avoiding the truth about how you feel," Riley said. "You won't let me do it, so why should I let you?"

Shallon groaned. "Fine. I like Lance. But I haven't done anything about it because it's clear that boy is in love with Maya. Okay?"

"No, not okay," Riley said. "Tell Ding Dong to break up with Maya and that you like him."

"He doesn't like me," Shallon insisted. "No guy does."

"Shal, give me a break," Riley groaned.

"No, Riley, I won't. Guys follow you around and drop to their knees because they want to get into your pants. Guys don't seem do to that with me, no matter how little clothing I wear."

"Shallon," Riley sighed. "First of all, guys are overrated and stupid. And you're gorgeous, you know that?"

Shallon shrugged. "So I've been told. Doesn't mean I believe it."

"You are blonde, beautiful, built like a model, and you're genuine and down-to-earth," Riley rattled off. "Then again, it's the most beautiful girls who tend not to notice their own beauty."

"Stop," Shallon groaned. "I'm serious, Riley, I've never had a serious boyfriend, and no guy ever approaches me at a party unless they're super drunk to the point where they can't tell what people look like anymore!"

"Like I said," Riley said wisely, "guys are stupid. Try not to think about it too much, okay? You really don't need a guy to validate your attractiveness. Now get dressed, will you? You can't show up to the UCLA Gala in sweats."

Shallon groaned. "I actually hate how they dress code us. What if I don't want to wear navy or gold?"

"Get up, woman," Riley said, dragging her to the closet. "Get dressed or I'm dragging you there in what you're wearing."

The annual UCLA Gala was the mid-year event that the entire school was invited to. You had to wear school colours, and admission was free for all university students. If you wanted to bring guests, the fee was thirty dollars. Even guests were required to adhere to the dress code. It was a formal event, which meant dresses, painful shoes, and suits. Liv arrived at the apartment right before they were set to leave, wearing a dress that hid no secrets.

"Damn, girl," Riley said when she saw her.

"What, too much?" Liv asked, glancing down at her boobs.

"You look hot," Riley observed.

All eyes turned to Josh, who swallowed hard. "You look great," he managed.

"Those shoes!" Riley gasped. "You're practically the same height as me when I'm not in heels."

Liv grinned. "Gotta make up for the height that I'm lacking."

"Okay," Shallon said, coming out of the room with her hair finally finished.

"Awesome," Riley said approvingly. "Even though it took you like, an hour."

Shallon glared at her.

"Anyways," Josh said, coughing, "let's go."

UCLA was only a fifteen minute walk from the girls' apartment, but Liv drove because there was no way they'd survive walking in their heels. But it was hell to find parking; they spent the time saved by driving circling campus trying to find an empty space. "Next time," Josh said, "we're coming an hour earlier."

"Whatever, let's just try and get good seats," Riley said once they'd parked.

"Do you think either of you are going to win awards?" Liv asked as they made their way into UCLA's largest theatre.

Riley laughed. "For what, skipping the most lectures in a single semester?"

Josh glared at her. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," Riley said hurriedly. "Oh, look, I see four seats there!" She ran off.

Josh groaned. "How is she even in second year?"

"To be fair, she was a very diligent student last year," Shallon said as they followed Riley. "She's just decided not to care about school this year."

"Great," Josh muttered. Cory was going to kill her. And him.

Maya sat at her desk in her dorm, staring at the wall. Her spring break trip to California had been this huge bust. She'd completely ruined her relationship with Lance by letting her feelings for Josh get in the way of everything, and now she wasn't sure how to fix things. To make things worse, they'd gotten into the biggest fight before she'd left, over something so small and petty. It was just that when she saw Josh and Liv interact, she got jealous, and it showed. It was evident to everyone, especially her boyfriend, and he was the last person in the world she'd wanted to hurt. But she ended up hurting him all the same.

She was a terrible girlfriend.

Lance deserved better.

Josh deserved better.

She didn't deserve either of them.

Maya didn't know when Lance was coming back, or if he ever was. She didn't know if they were still together, and she didn't know how to fix things. All she knew is that her entire world was falling apart, and it was all her fault.

She took out her phone, and stared at the number of phone calls she'd made to Lance. All of them had gone unanswered, of course. Fifty-two calls. She hadn't texted him because she didn't want to try and mend the gap that way, but it was looking like her only option.

She pulled up his contact and began the message:

Lance. I really, really need to talk to you, but I guess you don't. So this is kind of the only way I can get a message through.

I am so, so, sorry about what happened in California. I was a terrible girlfriend, for ignoring you, and for making it obvious that I still had feelings for Josh. I'm sorry that I couldn't give you the time of day. I'm a terrible girlfriend, and I regret everything that happened more than you know. I hate that I tried to force you to get on that plane with me. It would've only made things worse, and I'm glad you stayed.

I hope you're having fun in California.

If you don't want to see me again, I'll understand. I can't imagine you wanting to still be with me after all the shit I put you through in the last two weeks.

I'll see you around, and I'm really sorry. I hope you'll be able to forgive me one day.

Love, Maya.

This chapter was really, really hard to write, and it's pretty much just a huge filler. Sorry for all of you who were hoping for something more.

I'm so, so sorry it's so short! I really struggled with trying to come up with more things to add, and in the end, everything just fucking sucked.

I'm sorry :(

NEXT CHAPTER: RILEY GOES TO CHICAGO TO SEE CHASE.

Lauren.