𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒚

Riley ran into Vinnie's arms, hugging him tightly and burying her face into his chest. Pulling back to look at her, he noticed the smudged makeup and her slightly red eyes.

"What's going on?" He asked, concern filling his eyes.

"I just can't do this anymore." She broke out. "I'm still new to all this. Fame, LA, hate...I don't know how to deal with it. It's becoming too much to handle. I can't open my DM's without finding thousands of death threats. I can't look at my comments without seeing people ridiculing my face and my laugh and my personality. I can't walk around LA without people giving me weird looks."

She took a breath before continuing. "I know it's hard on you too. We try not to talk about it but we both know that this isn't working. I can see how the hate is affecting you too. We never expected this kind of reaction from your fans. And maybe they're the crazy ones, but you deserve to be respected by your fan base. You deserve to enjoy doing social media. I'm the only one stopping that from happening."

Her voice broke and she hugged him closer. "I'll leave if it makes life easier and the fans less crazy...and you happier."

"You want to leave? But-" Vinnie tried to cut her off, protesting, but she went on.

"Vinnie. The only people who are benefiting from this relationship is us. And barely even us. We feel joy when we're together but when we're apart and we see the comments, it hurts. I see it in your eyes. All the joy kinda gets sucked out of this when everyone else is rooting against you, you know?" Riley looked him in the eye and he couldn't bring himself to speak. His world was crumbling around him, but she was right.

"You don't have to admit it out loud," she whispered, "I know you agree." Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched him, his heart breaking through his eyes.

"It's selfish." Riley forced out. "To stay with you when no one else is happy because of it."

"It's not selfish!" Vinnie finally burst out, his voice cracking. But he had no reason to back up his claim. His hands dropped to his sides helplessly. "Riley, I need you."

She nodded, gaze dropping. "I know, Vinnie. But no one else wants us to be together and I need to do the right thing. It has to be done. It'll be better in the end."

He pulled her in suddenly, kissing her as though he needed her to be able to breathe. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. Their bodies were intertwined, pressed up as close as they could be together.

But when Riley pulled away, tears were streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, Vinnie." Her words barely made it out. Turning, she began half walking, half running away from him.

"Wait!" He called, stumbling after her. She stopped as he came up behind her, taking her hand and swiveling her around to face him. "You can't dump me like this."

She laughed sadly, shaking her head. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want it to end like this." Vinnie cupped her chin with his hand. "We deserve better. I'm breaking up with you too." Confusion showed on her face as she furrowed her eyebrows.

He went on. "I can't let us just end like this. This-" he motioned between the two of them, "This was mutual, okay? When the fans find out, we broke each other's hearts. It wasn't either of our faults. I promise that I will protect you from whatever accusations they come up with."

"I promise I will too." Gulping, Riley pressed herself against him again for one last hug. She whispered, "And I will never stop loving you."

His eyes began to fill with tears and he couldn't bring himself to speak. Silently, the two of them cried, holding each other for the last time, but wishing it would last forever.

✰✰✰

It's later that night, and two teens lie staring at their ceilings with broken hearts.

One rolls over and cries her heart out, curling up in her blanket and trying not to miss the one she loves the most. It's a long time before she falls into a restless sleep from exhaustion. All the way across the city, a boy feels the darkness beginning to creep in again. His heart is in pieces too small to pick up with his own hands. All he ever wanted was gone. He wished for many things. That he could have said I love you back, or that he understood why life worked the way it did, and that things would have worked out better.

It was the result of a choice, seemingly made selflessly, that neither of them deserved.

Just two kids, lonely once again...stranded in LA.

✰