𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥

honeypie

The weekend had gone by quickly after the party. River and I continued to talk about random things throughout the night as if no one else were there. I found out that he was adopted before his first birthday by his moms who were a Jamaican immigrant and first generation Indian. His birthday was January 10th, five months before mine, June 12th. He had an interest in horror movies just as much as I did and had watched every Marvel Movie.

The party had died down by 1 am and we were the last two people, Romeo and his friends had fell asleep earlier in the night. River left around 1:30 after he convinced me to let him help clean up.

Now I was getting ready for another long week at school. I put on a white crop top with a black skirt and got ready faster than usual today. Romeo had kept his promise to not saying anything to our parents and we headed to school.

Rowan was standing by my locker as usual adjusting her favorite leather jacket as she talked to River.

"Hey, Lia," she greeted.
"Hey Ro. River," I said as I approached them.
"Hi, Lia," River said closing his locker.
"So, our French teacher is absent today and the substitute is that old man who never takes attendance. We should leave early, it's our last class anyways," Rowan suggested.

River began to walk away, "I'm talkin' to you too, Atkins." He quickly turned around, "Skipping school?"

"Yeah, we could go bowling. It's lame but it's better than school," Rowan continued.
"Ok," River said.
"You sure?" I asked. I didn't want him to feel as if he had to do it.
"Yeah, I'll see you later." We all walked towards our first period classes as the bell rang, waiting for our last class to come around.
➳
Before we left, I went to Romeo's class to let him know I wasn't staying and of course he was excited because he was going to be at a friend's house.

We all got into my car, with Rowan insisting she sit in the backseat and drove to the bowling alley. As soon as we arrived, one of Rowan's home-schooled friends just so happened to be there and the two walked off into their own lane.

"Well I guess it's just us," I said pressing the scoreboard. "I'm just going to warn you that I'm very good at bowling so don't be surprised if I win, River."

I looked back in his direction as he walked towards me, slightly laughing. "Nice to know your middle school legacy still lives on."

I smiled and grabbed a bowling ball, making my way to the dashed line on the lane. I threw it across the floor getting a strike the first time.
River was also good, but my continuous strikes ended up winning the game and we decided to go to the arcade on the far left of the building.

We played every game in the arcade together and he ended up winning the jackpot on a spin the wheel game. At the desk where you cash in tickets he said something to the lady before she smiled and handed me a huge purple care bear as he gave her the ticket card.

"I'm guessing you're one of those guys," I laughed as I hugged the bear.
He rubbed the back of his neck, "I just thought since you like purple and you used to like care bears in elementary school-you'd like it."
"I do, I was just teasing," I smiled and gave him a hug which cause his body to go rigid before hugging me back.

"Awww," Rowan yelled walking towards us as we let go. "Aren't you two just adorable?"
I rolled my eyes at Rowan, "Okay, I think it's time to go."
We walked outside towards my car before Rowan made a statement, "We still have an hour left."
"Well, there's this bakery down the road if you want to go there," River suggested.

"Rita's Bakery?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"We haven't been there since Johnson's Sweets opened back in 6th grade," Rowan said, shocked.
We drove down to the bakery we had so easily forgotten, entering a quiet room with few customers.

"River, dear, I see you've brought friends," Rita said bringing him into a hug.
She looked at Rowan and I with narrow eyes before placing a hand on her hip, "I remember you two. Our sweet darling, Ophelia, and the hell raiser, Rowan. I haven't seen you two in a while, have I?"

I instantly felt guilty. I knew Rita for a good amount of my youth and as soon as I hit middle school I started hanging out at the new modern bakery. It was as if the way she bonded with us all meant nothing.

"We're sorry," Rowan murmured.

Rowan just apologized, wow.

"It's fine, at least River still had sense after getting into middle school. The rest of you must've been hit by some wave of hormones," she waved off directing us to a table.
"So uncalled for," Rowan said lowly.

"I have a hearing aid for a reason, dear."
"I'm getting deja vu," Rowan whispered to me as I failed to contain a laugh.
We sat at our table as Rita went in the back, she came back with what we used to consider our usuals. A chocolate donut for Rowan and a slice of honeypie for me. She also brought honeypie for River along with three mugs of hot cocoa.

"Oh my god. I forgot how good these donuts were," Rowan said through bites.
"Last time I had honeypie was the last time I was here," I looked over at Rita who was smiling at the fact that Johnson's Bakery just wasn't as homey as her bakery.

I took a bite and it tasted just how I remembered it from when I was younger. I turned to look at River who shyly turned away.

He must've been staring at me.

All three of us turned when we heard Rita clear her throat. She had a smirk plastered on her face and was looking at River then me.

"Ophelia, sweetheart, could you help me with the ice cream?" Rita asked. I instantly stood up, growing up I always loved helping her with the homemade ice cream.

We went to the bakery's kitchen and started the mixers as I sat in the stool.
"So what's with you and River," she blurted out.
"What do you mean?"
"Are you two an item?"
"We're just friends," I simply said nodding my head.
"It didn't seem like that, people don't just look at friends the way River looks at you."

I shyly looked down, "I don't know he seems standoff-ish."
"He just needs a push, sweetheart." She smiled putting a hand on my shoulder. We finished the ice cream and brought it back to our table.

"Mmm," Rowan hummed as she ate her bowl.
I scooted closer to River, "Thanks for reminding us about this place."

He looked me directly in the eyes, "No problem."

"I better see you two more often," Rita said eyeing Rowan and I.
Rowan looked up from her ice cream, "Don't have to tell me twice."

Rowan^