Mascara Girl (Riley)

Riley nodded her head as Aurum reassured her, feeling silly for needing the reassurance at all. She kind of wanted to be mad at him for thinking that she needed the help…but then she realized she’d asked for it and just sighed instead. ”Okay.”

People seemed to be filing back in the direction of the courtroom, and Riley watched them for a moment before rising. ”Well, I guess that’s my cue.” she said. ”Meet you back here when it’s all done.”

That said, she tossed the half-eaten apple into the trash and headed back for the courtroom, now confident that she wouldn’t be torn limb from limb by the lawyers when she got on the stand.

And she wasn’t.

She got up there, answered the questions she was asked, and went back to sit in the audience.

Then…it was over. Riley was glad. Super glad. Now she got pasta, and didn't have to eat it alone.

She headed back towards the bench where they’d eaten lunch.

Yup. She’d survived. Mostly. It had been more nerve racking than Riley wanted to admit, getting up there on the stand and testifying. Maybe it was because she was so used to being in the spotlight when she’d done it in the past. There had been something to pick apart, something to accuse. That hadn’t been the case here, but the old anxious feelings had been hard to shake.

Aurum hadn’t asked for all that, so it stayed an inner monologue that Riley stopped where it was so she could have a chance to appreciate the ‘casual businessman’ persona Aurum was adopting. It fit.

He wanted to know if she’d brought her car. Riley laughed, ”I don’t even know how to drive.” she admitted with a smile. ”So once again it falls on those manly shoulders to save the day.”

Yup. Manly shoulders, among other things. Riley called them like she saw them. In fact, she’d never really minced words about Aurum’s manly charms. That was something she’d known from the day she’d seen him on the other side of the stand. It just hadn’t impressed her.

And he had a motorcycle. Of course he had a motorcycle. As Aurum pondered the thing, and decided they could ride together, Riley looked down at what she was wearing. A skirt, a white button up shirt, and practical heels. Yeah…that’d be great on a bike.

”Sounds like a plan.” she said. ”Thank god I wore tights today.”

Aurum led, with his smug ass smile, and Riley followed as they made their way to the courthouse’s parking garage. He was pleased with himself, and she would let him have his moment. She was getting Italian food and a motorcycle ride.

They got down there, to the bike, and Aurum offered Riley the helmet. She almost declined because she’d been a little meticulous with her hair, but that would have been so lame she couldn’t get the words out.

”Thanks.” she said, and pulled the helmet on over her headband and hair, buckling the strap.

Some girls might have balked at the next part. Riding a motorcycle with someone meant you really got a chance to know them. Riley already knew Aurum. Plus she was shameless. This was going to be fun…on a few different levels.

”Let’s go! I want some bread.”

He had to…make the garlic bread? Riley held her tongue again, curious where this was going. She’d figured on going to restaurant, but what restaurant was Aurum going to cook at? Were they going to his place? Because Riley sure as hell didn’t have cooking stuff at hers.

She could have asked all these questions, but they simply would have put more time between her and the food getting in her stomach, so she shrugged her shoulders and threw a leg over the bike after Aurum had gotten himself situated. ”All I’ve got to say is that it had better be as good as the restaurant I was thinking of.” she said before they took off.

Man motorcycles were fun. The wind, and the speed, and the proximity. When you were riding tandem there was simply nothing to do but hold on tight. That meant Riley’s arms were wrapped around Aurum’s middle and her legs were gripping the bike. It was thrilling, and she hadn’t been wrong. His shoulders were far from the only manly thing. Why was she noticing so vividly all of a sudden? Well, they were on a motorcycle.

And again, she reminded herself. She was going to have a good time.

All in all, everything back at the apartment was not good. Sveta had dismissed her attempts to get her to ask her brother out. Aurum had nudged her about stealth conversations behind his back. He suspected something, but he had not made it obvious yet what. And she was making food.

Making food was actually going swimmingly, believe it or not.

Actually, everything was kind of alright. Despite the nudgings and the failed nudge, there were no problems, no awkward moments, no end of the world. Matchmaking was still workable. What kind of girl would she be if she gave up at the first sign of trouble? ... Even if said trouble was a matchmaker being told her target did not want to be matched.

Silly Sveta. She knew so much about so little! She didn't know what she needed. All she knew... was what she thought she'd want.

And so, Amelia had spent a good portion of the afternoon making pasta. Making dinner. Making bread. Growing up in a home with Aurum and her mother, she had learned how to make lots of stuff. It might not have been as amazing as Aurum's, but... suffice it to say, she was confident in her cooking prowess.

A key turned in a lock, stopped, and retracted as Amelia put the finishing touches on her romantic candlelit dinner table for two in the kitchen. She'd set the table extravagantly, with all the silverware (shined to perfection), fine china (or Aurum's best. Whatever), and she'd spared no expense (raiding the cabinets, on Aurum's dime).

Yeah, the whole thing would be awesome, once she called Sveta and Aurum came home... or so she thought. Then the front door opened. Aurum entered with a lady.

Amelia set a fork, then hopped into the living room, blocking off the kitchen with her form.

"Um. Hey!" She grinned awkwardly, like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Sup, bro?" Who's the minx?