"His smile.

His smirk.

His laugh.

His existence.

Him."

Her eyes narrowed as soon as she heard those words that escaped from his mouth.

I am falling Faye, hard.

Her breathing stopped and she felt her cheeks burning. She felt a whole zoo inside her stomach and her throat went dry.

"Ha?" She looked at him with her warm blue eyes, trying to suppress a wide smile that was making its way to her lips.

Say that once again.

River found himself cursing under his breath.

Why the fuck did he say that out, loud enough for her to hear?

"What?" He asked her with a gulp, hoping that she would let it go.

And before she could explain it to him, Andrew walked up to them, wrapping his arm around Faye's shoulder.

"Faye, Xander and Conner wants to meet you. You know, River's cousins?" River watched as Faye walked away from there.

And for the first time, he was glad she did.

************************************

"You like him." Faye shifted her glare from the scenario to the girl who stood next to her with a devilish smirk on her face.

"Like... who?" Faye asked, stuttering, feeling a knot in her stomach.

"My brother... silly." Annalise said, laughing.

"Wha– what are you, talk–talking about?" Faye could already feel her burning cheeks.

"You have been glaring at them for the last fifteen minutes. Your hands are turned into fists and you look really really pissed. Trust me, I would not be surprised if you choke that girl to death." And Annalise pointed towards the dance floor where Faye was looking before.

There stood River with a brunette, dancing, smiling, laughing.

"Fucking jerk." Faye mumbled under her breath, her hands forming fists once again.

"See, that's what I was talking about." She could already feel Annalise's smirk growing.

"You like him Faye, you like him." Annalise laughed, making Faye gulp.

Does she like River?

Her heart pounded inside her chest as she cast an eye on him.

Do I like you?

Never had she felt the things that she was feeling for him. Never had she felt butterflies, sparks, goofy smiles.

Does she like him?

Her eyes went to the floor and she gulped.

She doesn't, she cannot.

She cannot love her best friend.

She cannot love him.

Excusing herself, she started to walk away from there.

She needed some time alone.

River noticed, River noticed the downfall of her mood, cause he already felt his body going after her.

"Where are you going?" The girl he was dancing with, a minute ago, asked, hurt visible in her face.

Hell, he doesn't even remember her name.

"I am so sorry, I need to go." And without spearing her an another glance, he ran towards Faye.

He watched as she left the mansion and slowly followed her.

He was just about to exit from the front door when Brenda walked up to him.

"River, why did you leave Miss Kelly all alone in the dance floor?" She had a frown in her face.

"Mother, I need to go." He pleaded.

"Hey, everything alright?" Concern was fresh visible in her face.

"That's what I am trying to figure out." And Brenda let go of his hand, letting him go.

Mumbling a faint apology he ran out of the door, his eyes going everywhere.

Their were hundreds of cars parked in the driveway, blocking the whole view of the garden.

Not only that, there were people everywhere, talking and laughing to each other.

"Hey River, I just saw Faye walking towards the back. She seemed a little sad, everything alright?" Xander asked, walking up to him.

"Oh, everything is fine." He said, nodding.

"You sure?"

"Yah, well, thanks. I will meet you later, I guess." And giving him a small smile, he ran towards the back of the house.

And there she was, facing her back to River, sitting near the pool, her legs dipped inside the water.

"Hey." He breathed out, a warm smile suddenly appearing in his features.

"What are you doing here?" She turned her head and looked at him with a frown.

"You just walked away from there, I thought something is wrong." He walked up to her.

"Stop worrying, I am fine." She whispered, her eyes not meeting his.

"I do not think so. Hey, what are you even doing, isn't that cold?" He raised his eyebrows, pointing towards the water.

"Give it some time, it gets better." She said, smiling.

He nodded at her before pulling out his shoes and dipping his legs with her ones.

"This is so effing cold." He mumbled, letting out the breath.

"It is just water dummy."

"Its almost November dummy." He said, sticking his tongue out in a childish manner, earning a laugh from her.

"You are an idiot."

"You are a potato."

"Chimpanzee."

"Pig."

"Ogre."

"Chicken."

"Pancreatic juice." And River looked at her in disbelief before bursting out laughing.

"You are such a nerd." He said, throwing his head back, trying to control his laughter.

She showed him the finger at response, blushing really hard.

Now that she thinks, why the fuck does he have the tendency to make her blush so much.

I am sick.

She massaged her head, looking away from River.

"Hey, seriously though, what's wrong?" His laughter died and he slide closer to her, bumping his shoulder with hers.

I think I like you, that's what went wrong.

"Everything is perfect." She said, ignoring her inner voice.

"Liar." He scoffed.

"What are you even doing here, your lady friend is probably waiting for you." Her voice sounded bitter.

"Lady friend?"

"Yah, the one you were grinding with a little while ago." River should have felt offended by that, he really should have, but suddenly, he found himself sitting there with a smirk.

"Are you jealous?" And those words were like a punch in her face.

She instantly felt her cheeks going red as she gulped.

Was she jealous?

Hell yes.

Is she going to accept that?

Never.

"Pfft. Why will– why will I be jealous?" She stuttered, her eyes everywhere but him.

"Because you think someone will steal this precious candy from you." He was enjoying this, he was so enjoying this.

"Get over yourself." She scoffed and his smirk broadened.

"Accept it Faye, you were jealous. Faye Lockwood was jealous."

"I was not."

"Was"

"Was not."

"Was."

"Was not."

"Was."

"Was not."

"Was not."

"Was." And she gasped as he let out a laugh.

"That's wrong, you, you cheated." She frowned and before he could do anything, she started punching him on the back.

River totally lost his balance and started falling in the swimming pool. Next you know, there he was, drenched in water, shivering slightly.

"Oh my god, that was just epic." Faye bursted out laughing, clutching her stomach.

"Its not even funny." River said, whining.

"Oh trust me love, it is." She said between hiccups.

"Shut up, its too cold in here." He smiled slightly.

"Come on, hold my hand." Still laughing, she extended her hand for him to take.

A smirk made its way to River's face as he held her hand. And before she knew, she was pulled into the water.

"Now this is funny." River grinned ear to ear, shivering slightly as the cold enveloped him.

"What the fuck River?" Faye shouted in top of her lungs, glaring at him.

"What?" He looked at her with a pout, blinking his eyes rapidly.

"You did it intentionally." The glare never left her face.

"Now, now, come here." He said, pulling her near him.

"What?"

"I am sorry sunshine." He said, blinking his eyes rapidly, making an adorable face.

"Yah, yah, whatever. Let's get out of here, we are gonna catch a cold." And as she tried to move, she stumbled.

Her eyes moved towards her dress, which was now soaked and was turning heavier and heavier by every second.

"I cannot move." She said, looking at River.

He came near her and wrapped an arm around her waist, making her shiver.

"I got you." He whispered, making her close her eyes.

The tension was increasing.

Momentarily, she found her arms wrapping around his neck and both of his hands wrapping around her waist.

Both were breathing hard, their eyes never leaving each other's.

The moment was perfect. There was everything in it.

Sparks, electricity, butterflies, everything.

Even in the water, they were a ball of fire.

His grip tightened and he started pulling her closer if its even possible.

Both had never felt anything like that.

Faye had never felt anything like that.

Not with anyone.

They were so close, so close that their nose were touching.

Suddenly, River's face was inching closer and more closer to her face.

She closed her eyes, ready to take him in, ready to place her lips upon his.

But instead of that he placed a kiss on the side of her lips and slowly went away from there.

************************************

@tomboy_16