Hi, did the recent finale of "Jane By Design" piss anyone else off? Anyways, I bought a ticket on the S. S. Diley (Danny and Riley). Hopefully, ABC Family doesn't blow holes in this ship. I love Danny.

Loser in Love

Chapter Four

Freshman Year

The reservoir was packed full of teenagers. If you were someone in high school society then the reservoir was your hang out. Boys would often drive their dates up there to have sex; half the kids in my class were conceived there.

I had been planning this moment all year. Spring Break was the time when the most parties were thrown at the reservoir. Tonight is the biggest party of the year. I have a hot date and a box of condoms.

I was sitting in the passenger side of my date's ride. We had just parked to watch the sun go down. It was beautiful the way it lit up the night's sky, mixing all the colors together, the green of the grass, the gold of the sun, and the blue of Riley's dress.

"What is Fat Pants doing here?" my date asked.

Riley tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was barefoot and smiling. The wind blew through her hair. As the sunset it illuminated a faint halo around her. She was stunning.

My heart lodged in my throat. I have never seen Riley so beautiful before. It was as if I was seeing her for the first time. "She's beautiful," I breathe.

"You're a freak," my date said.

She kicked me out of the car. That was okay with me. I didn't really like her anyways. I caught up with Riley. My palms became sweaty and I suddenly had a severe case of goose skin.

"Hi, Riles," I said, running my hand through my hair and then shoving both into my pockets.

"Hi, Danny, what happened to your date?" asked Riley as we walked along the strip.

"It didn't work out," I said.

"That's a shame," said Riley.

"Why is that?"

"Any girl would be lucky to have you," said Riley touching my arm.

I wanted to add, "A girl like you," but couldn't.

Summer before Sophomore Year

I hadn't seen Riley much over the summer. She spent it at Fat Camp. I had grown almost nine inches over the summer. When I saw Riley after Fat Camp I could see over the top of her head. I was playing basketball with some of my buddies in my drive way.

When I saw her get out of the car, my heart fluttered like a humming bird. She waved at me with two fingers. She was struggling was her duffle bag. I quit the game and ran across the street to see if she could use any help.

When I got close to her words failed me. I could barely say anything other than a few grunts. Smooth move, Wheeler. You should drag your knuckles and carry a club, I thought to myself.

"Do you need any help?" Is what I tried to say, whether or not it come out that way was beyond me? I yanked Riley's duffle bag out of the trunk, threw it over my shoulder, and grabbed another heavy bag and followed Riley and her father inside.

I have never been in Riley's bedroom before. I was shocked when she invited me upstairs. She had a queen sized bed in her room, and the walls were different shapes of purple. Her carpet was white with purple rugs all over it.

She had a poster of a popular band beside her bed. On her nightstand was a framed photograph her holding her cat. I held up the picture and examined it. Riley had the cutest smile and perfect teeth. Riley left to use the bathroom, I sat on her bed.

I lay my head on one of her pillows and sniffed it. It smelled like lavender and vanilla, the same as her hair. I felt stirring in my stomach that spread to my appendages. My fingers felt numb and tingly. That was how I usually felt around Riley.

Present Day

After that incident at the reservoir Riley became the only girl I wanted, but I was too embarrassed to ask her out. I was too concerned with my reputation. Every boy has that one girl he is crazy about, but maybe she isn't popular or smoking hot, so he never asks her out. That's how I was with Riley.

She's still in my life and gorgeous. She was always beautiful to me. I was too stupid to make a move ten years ago. Riley deserves better, though I am not sure that the better option is Ben, and it certainly isn't Jack Parker.

I can't watch her flirt with him any longer. It hurts too much. I can't tell her I love her either, even though I am dying to scream it from the rooftops of New York City. Maybe I am meant to deal with it forever, these feelings I have tried to repress for a decade.

"I used to write 'I love Ben Wheeler' on all my stuff when I was in high school," Riley confesses while we have lunch together at the bar.

I used to write, 'I love Riley Perrin' throughout the journal I kept in high school. I only kept a journal to have a way to express my feelings without actually telling anyone. It was very therapeutic.

"What prompted you to lose the weight?" I ask in a desperate attempt to change the subject away from my brother.

"I was tired of being called Fat Pants and I wanted a change. I wanted to be respected and taken seriously as a lawyer. It was the right motivation to actually do it."

"So you didn't do it for Ben?" I ask.

"Truthfully, no, I didn't think Ben would ever come back into my life after high school."

I am happy to hear that she didn't do it for Ben. I smile to myself and eat my cheeseburger in silence. Every once in a while I steal glimpses of her.

"You have mustard on your face," says Riley. She licks a napkin and wipes the mustard off my cheek. I do everything I can to keep from blushing, even though something is definitely stirring inside me.

"Why didn't you lose the weight in high school?" I ask.

"I stupidly thought Ben would wake up and notice me for me and maybe my weight wouldn't matter to him. I guess I was wrong. I mean, who would fall in love with the fat girl?"

I would. I did. I still am.

I thought about maybe writing a prequel of "Loser in Love" featuring the characters back in high school, and how Danny came to fall in love with Riley and how he dealt with it. If you approve or oppose this idea please, please, please tell me in a PM or in a review. I would deeply appreciate your input.