Chapter 17 (Riley's POV):

I ate breakfast in silence, trying not to think about everything that had happened the night before. I only had a few fuzzy memories and I still had the feeling that something important occurred, but I just couldn't remember it.

"What's the matter?" Nate asked, staring at me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm thinking about last night. I think something happened. Something... Big." I confessed. He looked surprised.

"You don't remember?"

"No. The only thing I remember is that we were in the bar and I was drinking... And I can't remember anything else. I mean... I keep imagining this girl, but I don't know her face and I have no idea how she fits in the story."

"Oh... Okay."

"But was there something that I should remember?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. He forced a nervous smile.

"No, no. Nothing."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not!"

"I know you are! What happened?!"

"Nothing. Riley, I should go." he said, leaving. I followed him, mad because he was hiding something from me.

"Wait up!" I called, running after him. "What are you not telling me?"

He stared at me and stuttered a bit.

"That girl you don't know... She's my ex." he explained. I was totally caught off guard.

"Oh... I didn't remember that... But it's cool. Why didn't you tell me?"

"No reason, Riley." he sighed, lowering his head. "I need to go."

I watched him walk away and wondered if he was still hiding something from me. And was all that about his ex?

I went to my cabin, where I found Emily lying on her bed.

"Hi." I greeted, sitting and my bed and looking at her. She didn't answer. "Oh, come on. I didn't give a silence treatment this long."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I just had a few drinks. Everybody drinks once in a while." I said. She got up and stared at me, with a sad expression.

"Don't you get that something might've happened to you?! If you had actually gone to that guy's house, you could... He could've hurt you!" she yelled, with tears in her eyes. I looked at her, surprised. That's why she was giving me the silence treatment? Because she was too worried about me?

"Ems..." I began.

"I didn't see your condition yesterday! You weren't making any sense at all, and you could barely walk! If it wasn't for Nate, who knows what might have happened!"

"If it wasn't for Nate, I wouldn't even be there!" I said. She cried a little more and I hugged her. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful, I didn't want to worry you"

"That's fine... Just don't ever do it again, okay?" she begged. I smiled and nodded.

"I promise."
"I... Hum... I'm going for a walk." she informed, heading to the door.

"Hey, Ems."

"What?"

"Did you talk with talk with Nate, this morning?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I have the feeling he's hiding something from me."

"He just mentioned his ex, the fact that you drank a lot, and that guy. Nothing else."

"Hum... Okay... I'll talk with him later."

"Okay." she agreed, leaving. I stared at the door. I knew she was going to see Kyle, I was sure of that. It actually seemed like he made her happy... Urgh, what am I saying? Kyle is a bad influence, this can only end badly.

I headed to the soccer field, where I saw Nate on his way to the locker room.

"Nate!" I called.

"Riley, what's up?"

"We need to talk. About last night."

"Can we do it later? I have a game now."

"But-"

"Bye." he said, entering the locker room. I sighed and went to the benches. I could be imagining things, but I really felt like he was avoiding me. And that could only mean he was hiding something.

I sat on the tallest row of the benches and I heard the mumbles of the girls sitting in front of me. I realized they were talking about the players.

"It's a real shame Kyle couldn't play today, he's totally the best." commented one of them.

"I think he's dating one of the new girls. He already missed two practises and the coach is pissedwith him." said another one. "That girl must be really special for him to do this."

I was getting really mad. Why should the talk about stuff they don't even know about? Well... At least, now I was sure that Emily went to see Kyle.

"But don't change the subject. Without Kyle here, we can focus on Nathan Walker." reminded another one, as Nate entered the field. I closed my fists in anger. I was even angrier than before. Can't they just watch the game and be quiet?

"You're right. You know, ever since Gwen kissed him, I can't think of anything else. I only picture me, alone with him. Or with Kyle!" said the first one. I was getting ready to talk back, until it hit me.

I visualized me and Nate, outside my cabin. I was with him, totally drunk, without being able to even stand, and he was holding me. I remembered the talk we had... And the kiss I had given him!

I opened my eyes in surprise and left the benches running. I looked at Nate, that stared at me, with a confused expression on his face. But that didn't make me stop. I kept on running until I reached the lake we were at the other day.

I sat on the grass and started to breathe really fast. I had kissed him! Damn, I'm so stupid! Apart from the fact that I kissed him, he even hid that from me!

"Riley..." Nate said, showing up. He still had his soccer equipment on and he was breathing really fast as well. If I had to guess, I would say he left the field running, just because of me.

"What are you doing here? Weren't you playing?" I asked, coldly.

"I was, but I left because you ran out of there." he explained. Yep, I got it right. He had done that because of me... As I realized that, I blushed.

"You could've kept on playing..." I said, looking the other way. He sighed and sat next to me.

"Why did you leave like that?"

"Why didn't you tell me I kissed you?!"

"Oh... You remembered that..."

"Yes, I did! Why did you keep it a secret?"

"Because I thought it was something you didn't really want to remember. You were drunk and I understand if that kiss meant nothing to you." he said, surprising me. Is that what he thought? That the kiss meant nothing to me? I got up and started walking. "Riley!"

"Don't bother, go back to your game."

"I didn't even do anything to you! Why are you being like this?!"

"You should know why. Oh, wait. I just remembered none of this means anything to you!" I said, walking away.

"Riley!" he called. I ignored him and kept on walking. How could he be such a... Dude?! Urgh, damn it!

I went to my cabin and laid down on my bed, trying not to punch the pillow. The truth is I was able to forget about Kyle for a while. Right now, I had another jerk to worry about...