~I still own only what I've ever claimed to own…I'd just like to say thanks
so much to those of you who have reviewed! I'm having a lot of fun writing
this, and I'm trying really hard to develop Reilly into a strong leading
character! Please keep reading…~
Chapter 9: The Boys Chat and Ri Gets Rained On
"You're coming?" Reilly squealed excitedly into the phone. "When??? When will you be here? How long until you can ravish me?" Tristan laughed on his end of the line, relieved at Reilly's obvious excitement at his news. Since their argument at the end of September, the two of them had both been making an effort to be more considerate of eachothers' situations, but in the back of his mind Tristan had still been a little worried that Reilly was moving on very quickly without him. "5 days over Thanksgiving break…I'm skipping Wednesday, and Monday most likely…I couldn't wait until winter break to see you," he answered. Reilly smiled, bouncing on her knees on her bed. "Yea!" she yelled directly into the receiver, grinning like a four year old. Tristan laughed again, "Ow, Ri, are you trying to injure me or what?" Reilly's eyes sparkled wickedly. "Oh not yet baby, that will come in a few weeks!"
"HE'S COMING!!!" Reilly screamed as Tricia entered the room, nearly dropping her bags at Reilly's unexpected outburst. "Who?" she laughed. "Ohhhhh, Josh Hartnett?" she asked. She had taken to referring to Tristan as Josh Hartnett because of his resemblance to the actor, despite Reilly's insisting that the resemblance was inconsistent. Not that she bothered arguing at the moment. "Yup!" she cried. "In like…3 weeks…2 and a half? No, 3…" she paused, counting days on her fingers. "Well then, I'll be sure to make myself scarce those nights!" Tricia winked. "Wonder what Orli will think about all this?" she added. Reilly frowned. "He will think nothing of it, why do you say that…nevermind, I don't actually want to hear it!" she brushed past Tricia, singing to herself, and began grabbing her things to take a shower while Trish rolled her eyes at her roommate's ridiculous attempt at pretending she didn't know exactly what was going on.
* * * * * * * * * *
"So…our girl's got a boy coming over to see her in a few weeks, I hear," Orlando remarked offhandedly to Dom, who was flipping idly through television channels. Dom felt himself stiffen slightly at Orli's referral to Reilly as being both of theirs, but he shrugged it off quickly. "Uh- huh," he replied noncommittally. "Should be nice to meet him." Orli nodded in agreement, then decided to change the subject. "So you ready for the Halloween masquerade at Regents?" It was in three days, and after much arguing,the boys had won the costume battle, refusing to go as Merry and Legolas as Reilly and Tricia had so cheekily suggested. Due to much thanks from Tricia, all akwardness over who was escorting who was avoided when she claimed Orli for herself, stating that the three inch platforms she intended on wearing underneath her princess gown would leave her towering over Dom, whom she was nearly as tall as barefoot. And so in the end, it was decided that Dom would go as the devil to contrast Reilly's angel, and Orli would be Tricia's Prince Charming.
"Uh-huh," Dom replied, still not looking in Orli's direction. "Alright mate, what's the deal?" Orli asked finally. Dom faced him and looked as if he were about to argue but changed his mind. "What do you really think, Orli," Dom began, "about Tristan coming to visit her? Actually, what exactly do you really think when I say the name Reilly Scott?" he said the words quickly, and tried to keep any bitterness he felt out of them. After all, it wasn't Orli's fault he was feeling…whatever he was feeling. Not that he could really blame it on Reilly, either…Dom shook his head, attempting to clear it, and then looked expectantly at Orlando, who finally sighed.
"So it's that obvious, is it? I mean…not that THAT is really all that definable…I'm not sure. When she walks into a room it's like the whole world lights up…just hearing her name is enough to make my day better. But…" he paused. "I'm not sure how I feel about her, really…not exactly…I think I like her, more than I should…but then I don't think I'm actually expecting anything to come from that, and I'm ok with that…" he trailed off, and shrugged a bit helplessly. "Yeah," Dom muttered unhelpfully. "Well, what do you think she thinks of you?" Orlando looked a bit taken aback by the question, but recovered quickly. "I think…we're friends. And I think she likes it that way…she loves Tristan," he finished. Dom nodded. Yeah, she loves Tristan, he thought to himself. She loves him…but she's not in love with him, he could still hear her saying those words in his head, could remember how she had looked away, ashamed at herself, and how he had told her it was ok because she had always been honest about it, and because she never led Tristan to believe anything different. But Orli did believe something different, Dom thought, looking at his friend. He thinks she's in love, he thought. Why can't I bring myself to tell him that she's not? He wondered.
* * * * * * * * *
"Reilly! You're all wet!" Dom's eyes widened as he took in the sight outside his door. "Um, yeah…a little," Reilly replied, touching her eyes with her fingers to see if mascara was running down her face or not. "See, I heard it was going to rain…well, I mean, it's always raining, but what else is new…but Trish borrowed my rainjacket that I like, and so all I had was the really ugly one…I don't even know why I have it, I think my dad packed it for me…and so I just couldn't bring myself to wear it, but then like I was gonna wear my peacoat, no, um, wet wool, definitely not…so I thought I'd chance it and just try to get here quick, but…oops." Dom stepped back, a little dazed as always by Reilly's rapid-fire stream-of- consciousness speech, and pulled her inside. Her dark red turtleneck sweater was soaked through, her hair darkened by its wetness and dripping all the way down her back, and she gazed up at him with dewy eyes, droplets still clinging to her flushed cheeks. Oh my God she's beautiful, he thought to himself.
"You need to get changed, your going to catch your…" Reilly interrupted him. "Death of cold? Yeah, ok, thanks Grandma!" Dom laughed, relaxing a bit for the first time in the past couple of weeks. "Well, grandmas are looked at as intelligent people you know, and for good reason…" Reilly broke in again, "yeah, cause they're old!" Dom feigned an appalled look. "No! Because they know enough not to run around London in the pouring rain in the end of October with no coat!" He dragged her by her hand upstairs and handed her some grey cotton pajama pants and a navy hoodie that Reilly recognized as the one he had worn on the plane. When I held his hand for way too long, she thought to herself, smiling slightly. Dom laid back on the end of his bed and waited while she changed in the bathroom. "So what brings you over in these terrible conditions anyway, Ri?" He called in to her. "Well," Reilly replied, her voice slightly muffled as she pulled the hoodie over her head. "I'm not really sure…I woke up this morning and I missed you…so I came over." Dom blinked, surprised at how hard her words hit him. He felt a little pang in his heart and swallowed, confused, shocked at how…touched…he was. He knew she cared about him, of course, but with all the Orlando…everything…it had almost been like… well he didn't really know. But different. You're being so stupid, he thought to himself, and was shocked to feel a little pricking behind his eyes. What am I doing? He couldn't place his emotions, and unfortunately couldn't really fight them either, as Reilly came out, slightly confused by his silence at her response, and sat down beside him.
"Hey?" she said it like a question, and he sat up, not meeting her eyes and trying to calm down. Of course she saw everything. "Dom? Baby, what's wrong?" he shrugged and shook his head at the same time, and realized he was shaking a little. "Nothing…I mean…I don't know?" he met her eyes helplessly, and without a word she took him into her arms and felt him just kind of collapse against her. She wasn't exactly sure what to do…this was new. She and Dom had of course had some pretty heavy moments over the course of their relationship, while talking about the rougher times in their lives, but…they had never actually had one. They had never cried, they had never gone through anything they couldn't lighten with a joke…but this seemed different…and she wasn't exactly sure what she should do. Knock it off, Reilly! She scolded herself. Don't be scared now! It's just Dom and he needs you, and this is not the time to be having emotional hang ups! She tightened her hold on him and stroked his back gently and just waited, feeling him breathing against her.
Dom finally sat up and looked at Reilly with wide eyes, slightly embarrassed. He was relieved to see only concern in her eyes. She bit her lip, looking at him questioningly. "I…I guess I just missed you too," he said quietly. Reilly nodded. "Well I'm right here," she whispered, holding his hand and stroking his wrist like she had that first day they met. "And I'll always be right here."
A/N~ hey! Sorry for the kind of heavy chapter, I'm trying not to make this drama too dark and angsty, but I thought it was important to show what everyone was feeling at this point…anyway, things should be getting interesting soon, with the Halloween dance and Tristan and the Two Towers coming up!~
Chapter 9: The Boys Chat and Ri Gets Rained On
"You're coming?" Reilly squealed excitedly into the phone. "When??? When will you be here? How long until you can ravish me?" Tristan laughed on his end of the line, relieved at Reilly's obvious excitement at his news. Since their argument at the end of September, the two of them had both been making an effort to be more considerate of eachothers' situations, but in the back of his mind Tristan had still been a little worried that Reilly was moving on very quickly without him. "5 days over Thanksgiving break…I'm skipping Wednesday, and Monday most likely…I couldn't wait until winter break to see you," he answered. Reilly smiled, bouncing on her knees on her bed. "Yea!" she yelled directly into the receiver, grinning like a four year old. Tristan laughed again, "Ow, Ri, are you trying to injure me or what?" Reilly's eyes sparkled wickedly. "Oh not yet baby, that will come in a few weeks!"
"HE'S COMING!!!" Reilly screamed as Tricia entered the room, nearly dropping her bags at Reilly's unexpected outburst. "Who?" she laughed. "Ohhhhh, Josh Hartnett?" she asked. She had taken to referring to Tristan as Josh Hartnett because of his resemblance to the actor, despite Reilly's insisting that the resemblance was inconsistent. Not that she bothered arguing at the moment. "Yup!" she cried. "In like…3 weeks…2 and a half? No, 3…" she paused, counting days on her fingers. "Well then, I'll be sure to make myself scarce those nights!" Tricia winked. "Wonder what Orli will think about all this?" she added. Reilly frowned. "He will think nothing of it, why do you say that…nevermind, I don't actually want to hear it!" she brushed past Tricia, singing to herself, and began grabbing her things to take a shower while Trish rolled her eyes at her roommate's ridiculous attempt at pretending she didn't know exactly what was going on.
* * * * * * * * * *
"So…our girl's got a boy coming over to see her in a few weeks, I hear," Orlando remarked offhandedly to Dom, who was flipping idly through television channels. Dom felt himself stiffen slightly at Orli's referral to Reilly as being both of theirs, but he shrugged it off quickly. "Uh- huh," he replied noncommittally. "Should be nice to meet him." Orli nodded in agreement, then decided to change the subject. "So you ready for the Halloween masquerade at Regents?" It was in three days, and after much arguing,the boys had won the costume battle, refusing to go as Merry and Legolas as Reilly and Tricia had so cheekily suggested. Due to much thanks from Tricia, all akwardness over who was escorting who was avoided when she claimed Orli for herself, stating that the three inch platforms she intended on wearing underneath her princess gown would leave her towering over Dom, whom she was nearly as tall as barefoot. And so in the end, it was decided that Dom would go as the devil to contrast Reilly's angel, and Orli would be Tricia's Prince Charming.
"Uh-huh," Dom replied, still not looking in Orli's direction. "Alright mate, what's the deal?" Orli asked finally. Dom faced him and looked as if he were about to argue but changed his mind. "What do you really think, Orli," Dom began, "about Tristan coming to visit her? Actually, what exactly do you really think when I say the name Reilly Scott?" he said the words quickly, and tried to keep any bitterness he felt out of them. After all, it wasn't Orli's fault he was feeling…whatever he was feeling. Not that he could really blame it on Reilly, either…Dom shook his head, attempting to clear it, and then looked expectantly at Orlando, who finally sighed.
"So it's that obvious, is it? I mean…not that THAT is really all that definable…I'm not sure. When she walks into a room it's like the whole world lights up…just hearing her name is enough to make my day better. But…" he paused. "I'm not sure how I feel about her, really…not exactly…I think I like her, more than I should…but then I don't think I'm actually expecting anything to come from that, and I'm ok with that…" he trailed off, and shrugged a bit helplessly. "Yeah," Dom muttered unhelpfully. "Well, what do you think she thinks of you?" Orlando looked a bit taken aback by the question, but recovered quickly. "I think…we're friends. And I think she likes it that way…she loves Tristan," he finished. Dom nodded. Yeah, she loves Tristan, he thought to himself. She loves him…but she's not in love with him, he could still hear her saying those words in his head, could remember how she had looked away, ashamed at herself, and how he had told her it was ok because she had always been honest about it, and because she never led Tristan to believe anything different. But Orli did believe something different, Dom thought, looking at his friend. He thinks she's in love, he thought. Why can't I bring myself to tell him that she's not? He wondered.
* * * * * * * * *
"Reilly! You're all wet!" Dom's eyes widened as he took in the sight outside his door. "Um, yeah…a little," Reilly replied, touching her eyes with her fingers to see if mascara was running down her face or not. "See, I heard it was going to rain…well, I mean, it's always raining, but what else is new…but Trish borrowed my rainjacket that I like, and so all I had was the really ugly one…I don't even know why I have it, I think my dad packed it for me…and so I just couldn't bring myself to wear it, but then like I was gonna wear my peacoat, no, um, wet wool, definitely not…so I thought I'd chance it and just try to get here quick, but…oops." Dom stepped back, a little dazed as always by Reilly's rapid-fire stream-of- consciousness speech, and pulled her inside. Her dark red turtleneck sweater was soaked through, her hair darkened by its wetness and dripping all the way down her back, and she gazed up at him with dewy eyes, droplets still clinging to her flushed cheeks. Oh my God she's beautiful, he thought to himself.
"You need to get changed, your going to catch your…" Reilly interrupted him. "Death of cold? Yeah, ok, thanks Grandma!" Dom laughed, relaxing a bit for the first time in the past couple of weeks. "Well, grandmas are looked at as intelligent people you know, and for good reason…" Reilly broke in again, "yeah, cause they're old!" Dom feigned an appalled look. "No! Because they know enough not to run around London in the pouring rain in the end of October with no coat!" He dragged her by her hand upstairs and handed her some grey cotton pajama pants and a navy hoodie that Reilly recognized as the one he had worn on the plane. When I held his hand for way too long, she thought to herself, smiling slightly. Dom laid back on the end of his bed and waited while she changed in the bathroom. "So what brings you over in these terrible conditions anyway, Ri?" He called in to her. "Well," Reilly replied, her voice slightly muffled as she pulled the hoodie over her head. "I'm not really sure…I woke up this morning and I missed you…so I came over." Dom blinked, surprised at how hard her words hit him. He felt a little pang in his heart and swallowed, confused, shocked at how…touched…he was. He knew she cared about him, of course, but with all the Orlando…everything…it had almost been like… well he didn't really know. But different. You're being so stupid, he thought to himself, and was shocked to feel a little pricking behind his eyes. What am I doing? He couldn't place his emotions, and unfortunately couldn't really fight them either, as Reilly came out, slightly confused by his silence at her response, and sat down beside him.
"Hey?" she said it like a question, and he sat up, not meeting her eyes and trying to calm down. Of course she saw everything. "Dom? Baby, what's wrong?" he shrugged and shook his head at the same time, and realized he was shaking a little. "Nothing…I mean…I don't know?" he met her eyes helplessly, and without a word she took him into her arms and felt him just kind of collapse against her. She wasn't exactly sure what to do…this was new. She and Dom had of course had some pretty heavy moments over the course of their relationship, while talking about the rougher times in their lives, but…they had never actually had one. They had never cried, they had never gone through anything they couldn't lighten with a joke…but this seemed different…and she wasn't exactly sure what she should do. Knock it off, Reilly! She scolded herself. Don't be scared now! It's just Dom and he needs you, and this is not the time to be having emotional hang ups! She tightened her hold on him and stroked his back gently and just waited, feeling him breathing against her.
Dom finally sat up and looked at Reilly with wide eyes, slightly embarrassed. He was relieved to see only concern in her eyes. She bit her lip, looking at him questioningly. "I…I guess I just missed you too," he said quietly. Reilly nodded. "Well I'm right here," she whispered, holding his hand and stroking his wrist like she had that first day they met. "And I'll always be right here."
A/N~ hey! Sorry for the kind of heavy chapter, I'm trying not to make this drama too dark and angsty, but I thought it was important to show what everyone was feeling at this point…anyway, things should be getting interesting soon, with the Halloween dance and Tristan and the Two Towers coming up!~