Chapter 4
The Party
"Can we stop somewhere first?" Allison asked Scott who was driving to Lydia's party.
"Where?" he asked.
"Do you know where Riley Goodwin lives?" she asked.
"Yeah."
Scott was parked in front of Riley's house while Allison was talking to her at the door.
With his new hearing ability, he was able to hear everything that was said between the two girls.
"I don't know why I let you talk me into going. Lydia is not going to like this. In fact no one is going to like this," Riley said.
"I don't care what she thinks. And neither should you. She said I could invite anyone and I'm inviting you and Scott," Allison said.
"McCall?"
"Yeah, you know him?"
"I work with him."
"Well then let's get going. We are already late. Are you wearing that?" Allison asked.
Riley looked down at her jeans and jacket, "Is there something wrong?"
"No, its fine. Come on. Scott's waiting."
Riley and Allison got into Scott's car, "Hi Riley," he said.
"Hello Scott. So you got dragged to this thing too?" Riley asked.
He looked at Allison in the passenger's seat, "I wouldn't say that," and took off driving to Lydia's party.
On the way over, they were listening to the radio where there was a news report on the dead body that was found in the woods the other night.
Scott turned the radio off.
Once there, Riley received some 'what are you doing here?' looks but she ignored him.
"If you guys don't mind, I might be hanging with you guys like a third wheel. I don't know anyone here," Riley said.
"You go to school with these people," Scott said.
"That doesn't mean that I know them," she said.
"That's cool," Allison said, "You can hang with us until someone wants to talk to you."
"Like whom?" she asked.
"That guy over there," Allison pointed, "He seems to be staring at you," she whispered that last part to her.
Riley looked up to see Derek standing on the other side of the pool looking at her.
"Do you know him?" Scott asked.
She looked at Scott and then back at Derek but he was already gone, "I used to know him."
Riley looked around for Derek but couldn't see him anywhere, "I'm going to get a drink."
Riley was alone at the table getting a drink when, "What are you doing?" Lydia asked her.
"I'm having fun. Isn't that what's you're supposed to have at parties?" Riley asked sarcastically.
"I didn't invite you," she said.
"Allison did. You know your best new friend," Riley said.
She sighed, "I wish you would leave. I don't want freaks at my party," she walked away.
"Says the freak hosting this party," Riley said.
An hour into the party; she standing up against the side of the house watching everyone else having fun. She wished she didn't come but Allison asked her. She got to know Allison over the past couple of days because they are in the same study hall.
She kept her eyes open for Derek but she couldn't find him.
After finishing her fourth drink, Derek appeared in front of her.
She just stared at him questioningly. He didn't say anything until, "Allison's looking for you."
Then Allison stepped in front of him, "Glad I found you. Scott left suddenly. I don't know what happened. One minute we were dancing and the next…Derek said he can drive us home…Riley? Did you hear what I said?" Allison asked.
She didn't take her eyes off of Derek, "Yeah, I heard you," she looked at Allison now, "This party blows anyway."
"You stood here the entire time," Allison said.
"That's what happens when the host of the party calls you a freak."
"She didn't," Allison said.
"It doesn't matter. Can we go?"
Derek led the way to his car. Riley rode in the passenger's seat and Allison sat in the back. They whole car ride was silent until Derek dropped off Allison first.
"So you're back in Beacon Hills?" she asked.
He didn't say anything.
"What brings you back after so many years?"
Nothing.
"I'm trying to have a conversation here," she said.
"I don't want to talk," he said.
"We are going to have to eventually," she said.
Derek stopped the car and Riley looked up. They were already at her house.
"You remembered where I live," she said.
"You remembered where I used to live," he said.
Silence.
She looked at him, "We are going to have to talk eventually, you know that right?"
"I know," he said, "But not tonight."
"When?"
He sighed, "Riley, I don't know. Please," she got out of the car, "Riley," he stopped her, "Stay away from Scott."
"I haven't seen you in six years and when I do you won't talk to me and now you want to tell me who to I have to stay away from," she said, "Screw you, Derek!" she slammed the door.
She quickly walked up to her house. She heard Derek's car take off into the night.
XXX
"Scott," Riley called catching up to him in the hallway at school, "What happened to you last night?"
"I…wasn't feeling well. I went home," he said.
"You could have taken us home too. You left Allison and I stranded," she said.
"I heard you got a ride from someone. You said you knew Derek?" he asked.
She got a little irritated, "Does it matter? You should stay away from him," she said using Derek's words from last night, "He's a dick," she said and walked off.