Surprise! | RP with phtgrphcscot
Riley rubbed his hand over his mouth as he caught sight of his appearance in the restaurant window. Fuck. He looked awful. Okay, to be fair, he was presentable enough. He always took care of his appearance, combed his hair, wore cologne, but this? The person staring back at him wasn't him and even though he was trying to rectify that, he still hated looking at his own reflection. He hated looking and feeling sick. He wished there was a rulebook on how to deal with all this, but he was on his own in trying to find a path that worked for him.
He pulled at his t-shirt to try and hide some of it, but it was pointless. Roll with it, Riley, he advised himself. It wasn't like he could suddenly zap himself back to what he was one, two, even three months before. He wet his lips and drew himself up from the hunched, protective slump he found himself in more often than not, and went into the restaurant to look for Beth.
A surprise text message around an hour ago from her told him that she'd come to America sooner than expected and was staying at Tara's parents place until she found her feet. Riley, of course, immediately offered to take her to lunch so they could catch up. It was just pure luck he was in New York for a therapy session that morning and he was getting the tattoo with Tab on Sunday. He'd been about to pass out from boredom on Tab's sofa (she and Luke were out somewhere) when Beth's message came through. At least seeing Beth could help cheer him up after the session.
Inside the restaurant, it didn't take him long to spot her red hair in one of the booths along the wall. He smiled, feeling a twinge of something in his gut as he approached the table. "Jeezuz, the people you meet in New York," he said with a smile.
He pulled at his t-shirt to try and hide some of it, but it was pointless. Roll with it, Riley, he advised himself. It wasn't like he could suddenly zap himself back to what he was one, two, even three months before. He wet his lips and drew himself up from the hunched, protective slump he found himself in more often than not, and went into the restaurant to look for Beth.
A surprise text message around an hour ago from her told him that she'd come to America sooner than expected and was staying at Tara's parents place until she found her feet. Riley, of course, immediately offered to take her to lunch so they could catch up. It was just pure luck he was in New York for a therapy session that morning and he was getting the tattoo with Tab on Sunday. He'd been about to pass out from boredom on Tab's sofa (she and Luke were out somewhere) when Beth's message came through. At least seeing Beth could help cheer him up after the session.
Inside the restaurant, it didn't take him long to spot her red hair in one of the booths along the wall. He smiled, feeling a twinge of something in his gut as he approached the table. "Jeezuz, the people you meet in New York," he said with a smile.