Chapter Fifty-Three: Some Kind of Game

Dustin came back and we all gathered around the table in the break room so that he could give us the update. Robin sat on the end, fiddling with her ice cream scoop, while Steve sat across from her twirling his hat around on his hand. I sat at the end, arms crossed over my chest, actively listening to Dustin.

"That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with this keycard also has a massive gun. Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it."

"But there's gotta be a way in." Robin stated. Steve stopped spinning his hat, blowing in it to restore its shape before throwing it on the table.

"Well, you know... "He leaned forward, his elbows on the table, "I could just take him out."

"Take who out?" Robin questioned.

"The Russian guard." She raised her eyebrows, and I looked at him skeptically. "What? I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard, its easy."

"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin inquired.

"Yes, Dustin, I did, and that's why I would be sneaking." He made a walking motion on the table with his fingers, earning a sigh from Dustin.

"Well please, tell me this, and be honest, have you ever actually...won a fight?" 

"Ok, that was one time-"

"Twice. Jonathan. Year prior? And technically Riley, since she also punched you in the face."

"Look, that doesn't count." He said.

"Why wouldn't it count? Because it looks like he beat the crap out of you. You had a fat lip, crooked nose, swollen eye, a lot of blood-"

"It was just a bunch of small things that all added up-"

"That just might work." Robin said quietly to me, causing me to furrow my eyebrows as she got up, grabbing her bag and running into the front section and grabbing all the cash from the tip jar.

"Robin?" Steve asked, standing up. We all walked out as she ran through the gate out from behind the counter. "Hey, Robin! Hey, what-what are you doing?"

"I need cash." She said, walking backwards towards the exit.

"Well two-thirds of that is ours." He said, gesturing to me. "Where are you going?"

"To find us a way into that room, a safe way. And in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up." She told him, counting off on her fingers as she said this. "I'll be back in a Jiff!" I sighed, glancing over at the same time as Steve to see Dustin licking his ice cream scoop.

"Dude!" He exclaimed, snatching it out of his hand. "Come on, man, not my scooper." He twirled it expertly and put it in his little scooper pouch. Dustin went back into the back room and I walked over and leaned back against the back counter, waiting for customers to show up. Steve glanced at me, hesitantly walking over and leaning beside me. "Hey."

"Hi." I said quietly, not looking at him.

"I think this is the longest you've ever been mad at me." He pointed out. I didn't respond, and still refused to look at him. "So what, now you're not even talking to me? You can't look at me?!"

"I just don't think now is the time to be having this conversation." I said, glancing at him before walking over to the side of the counter by the wall and busying myself by restocking the cups.

"Yeah, well I have a feeling if its up to you it will never be the right time to have this conversation."

"Yeah, well, you're right about that." I said, going to walk towards the back room, only to have him move to stand in front of me. I sighed, glaring up at him. "Get out of my way, Steve."

"No. I need to know why you're so angry at me, and clearly you're not gonna tell me unless I make you, so no, I'm not moving until you talk to me." I laughed spitefully.

"What makes you think you have the ability to make me do anything? I've punched you before, Steve, I will happily it again, so I highly suggest you get out of my-" I moved midsentence, going to walk past him again. This time though, instead of simply stepping into my path, he grabbed my waist, gently but firmly pushing me backwards until my back hit the wall. I gasped my eyes widening as he pressed himself against me, his eyes displaying an intensity that I didn't know he was capable of. "Wh...what the heck are you doing?! There are people in here-"

"I don't care, Barbie. You won't talk to me, so I'm not giving you a choice, so I'm gonna talk and you're gonna listen, you got that?" I raised my eyebrows at him, shocked at his forwardness. 

I wasn't opposed to it though, I had to admit.

"What?" I asked, in a softer tone than I'd been using a second ago.

"What is going on?" He whispered, taking his hands off of me and crossing his arms over his chest. "Well actually, I already have an idea what's going on, I just need to hear it from you."

"No, I already know what's going on and I need to hear it from you." I shot back.

"Well either we're both thinking the same thing, or one of us is wrong, and I can assure you its not me." 

"So you're saying this is my fault?!"

"I don't even know what this is!" He exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on because you won't tell me!" 

"Because you should already know!"

"How should I already know?! That doesn't make any sense!"

"None of this makes any sense!" I shot back. "None of it makes sense and I don't even know where to begin making sense of it, and clearly neither do you, so-"

"Screw this." Next thing I knew he had one hand on my hip and the other on my face, forcing his mouth against mine and driving me back into the wall once again. This only confused me more, but I certainly wasn't going to push him away, despite my better judgment. I wrapped one arm around his neck, grabbing his necktie and pulling him tighter against me, kissing him back. He tangled his fingers into the hair at the back of my head, sending a shiver down my spine. 

Our kiss was interrupted by the window slamming open, and that was enough to bring me to my senses. I shoved him away, pressing a hand to my lips and looking over to see all of the customers in the store staring at us. Steve put his hands on his hips, looking down at the floor in embarrassment.

"Making out this close to the ice cream has to be some kind of code violation." Dustin said, poking his head out. "Was that it? Did you guys kiss and make up so things can stop being awkward?"

The thought of this sparked anger inside of me, as well as confusion. First this dude gives me all of these signs, making me think that he doesn't like me anymore, and then he's going and kissing me, like he has never kissed me before, in front of the whole store as we're arguing? What the heck is he playing at?! 

I scoffed, shaking my head and pushing past him.

"Riley-" Steve started.

"Is this some kind of game to you?!" I asked, turning to look at him, frustrated tears in my eyes. His eyes filled with guilt and confusion as he took a step towards me, reaching out to touch me. "Don't touch me!" he put his hand down. "You might think this is funny, screwing with my emotions and messing with my head, but its not, and quite frankly I'm done with it. Just leave me alone, Steve."

"Riley...come on!" I walked out the back door into the hallway, slamming the door shut and angrily wiping away tears.

I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor, burying my head in my hands. I'm just angry and upset and confused and scared, and a multitude of other things, and I have no idea what's going on or how to fix it.

The door opened a while later and Dustin walked out, looking around until his eyes found me on the floor.

"Hey," He said, "Um...Robin's back. She thinks she has a plan." 

"Ok." He looked at me sympathetically for a moment. I looked up at him. "Was there anything else?"

"We're gonna be pretty busy here in a minute, but you should really talk to Steve." I scoffed, shaking my head. "Seriously. If you talk to him, all of this will make sense, I promise." I stood up blowing out a breath before walking past him back into the shop.

"Somehow, I doubt that."