Riley Admits She Has Always Wondered About Him
1118 Words
The garage was quieter than usual that evening. Most of the Vipers had already headed out for a ride, leaving the smell of oil and gasoline hanging in the air. Riley sat on a stool, wiping her hands on a rag, staring at the half-finished bike in front of her.
She heard the crunch of boots against gravel outside, then the creak of the door swinging open. Ethan stepped inside, shoulders tense, eyes scanning the place as if it might swallow him whole.
“You should not be here,” Riley said, her tone sharper than she meant.
“I know,” Ethan replied, shutting the door behind him. “But I had to see you.
She tossed the rag onto the counter. “You could have picked anywhere else. This is their turf.
“I figured most of them were gone.” He shifted awkwardly. “Are you alone?
“Yeah,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Ethan leaned against the wall, watching her. “I don’t care about safety right now. I just wanted to talk.
Riley sighed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Talk about what?
He hesitated. “About us.
Her laugh came out hollow. “There is no us.
“Are you sure about that?” His gaze was steady, almost challenging.
She looked down at her hands, greasy and rough from work, nothing like the polished girls who crowded around the rink after his games. “You think you know me, Ethan. But you don’t.
“I know enough to see you’re stronger than half the people I’ve ever met,” he said softly.
Something in her chest tightened. She hated how his words sank past the walls she had built.
“Don’t do that,” she whispered.
“Do what?
“Make me want to believe you.
The silence stretched between them, heavy with things unspoken. Riley leaned back against the workbench, her voice lower now.
“You want honesty, Ethan? Fine. I’ve always wondered about you. Since we were kids.
Ethan’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?
She gave a small, shaky laugh. “Back then, when you used to walk past the garage with your skates slung over your shoulder, I used to think.
What would it be like? To live your life. To feel like the world wasn’t caging you in. You always looked like you had somewhere to go, something worth chasing. And I envied that.
Ethan stepped closer, his eyes never leaving her. “You were watching me all that time?
“Not like that,” she said quickly, heat rising in her cheeks. “I was just curious. I wondered what it would feel like to belong somewhere that wasn’t covered in chains and rules.
He swallowed, his throat tight. “And now?
“Now,” she said, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay calm, “I wonder what it would feel like to let you in. To see if what I thought back then was true.
But I can’t, Ethan. Because the moment I let you in, the Vipers will tear it apart. Caleb will never allow it. And you… you’ll have to choose between hockey and me. That’s not fair.
Ethan’s heart pounded. He closed the distance between them, though he stopped short of touching her. “Riley, I’ve spent my whole life doing what’s expected. Hockey, scouts, practices, discipline.
But the truth is, every time I’m around you, it feels real. Like I’m not just skating in circles waiting for someone else to decide my future.
Her eyes flickered, uncertainty warring with hope. “Don’t say things like that. You don’t know how dangerous it is.
“I don’t care about danger,” he said, his voice rough. “I care about you.
The rag on the counter slipped from her fingers, landing softly on the concrete floor. She took a step back, pressing her palms against the bench behind her for balance.
“Do you know what happens if Caleb sees you here? Do you know what happens if he hears me say I’ve wondered about you for years?
Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Let him hear. Let them all hear. I’m done hiding what I feel.
Riley’s chest rose and fell quickly, the war inside her plain in her eyes. “You’re reckless.”
“Maybe,” Ethan admitted. “But I’d rather be reckless with you than safe without you.
Her lips parted, but no words came out. She searched his face, trying to find a crack in his conviction, but instead all she found was sincerity.
For a long moment, the garage was silent except for the faint ticking of cooling metal. Riley finally whispered, “I used to think about skating. I thought if I could run fast enough, maybe I’d escape all this.
But then I realized I wasn’t meant to be free. I was meant to hold things together for the club. To be loyal, no matter what it costs me.
Ethan shook his head. “That’s not true. You’re more than a name patched on a jacket. You don’t belong in chains, Riley.
Her laugh was bitter, but her eyes shimmered.
“And you think you’re the one who can break them?
He stepped even closer now, his breath warm against her cheek. “I don’t know if I can. But I want to try.
The fight in her faltered, her shoulders sagging. She whispered, almost to herself, “I’ve always wondered if you’d say that.
Ethan’s hand lifted, hesitated in the air, then dropped again. He wanted to touch her, to close the distance, but he respected the fragile moment. “So what now?
Riley looked at him, her voice both fierce and tender. “Now, we pretend nothing was said. Because if anyone hears, everything we’ve built so far will crumble. But between us… maybe I’ll let myself keep wondering. At least for a little while.
Ethan searched her eyes, reading the conflict carved into them. He gave a small nod, swallowing back the words he wanted to say.
As he turned toward the door, Riley’s voice stopped him. “Ethan.
He looked back.
Her expression was soft, almost vulnerable. “Don’t stop showing up. Even if I tell you to. Don’t stop.
The words sank deep into him, like a spark igniting something that could no longer be ignored.
“I won’t,” he promised, and then he stepped out into the night.
Riley stood in the garage alone, her heart pounding, her lips forming the words she could not say aloud.
“I’ve always wondered… and I still do.”
- Writer
