Chapter Text
Even though things had changed for all of you, Anita wasn't still allowing Maria to go alone to some specific places—she was too young—, and that's when she didn't even know about her and Tony and how they saw each other on the fire escape suits outside her bedroom.
What was important was what Anita knew, and Anita knew Maria wanted to go to the dance organized at the gym—Glad Hand had been encouraged to organize another dance just a week later because of how the Jets and the Sharks had grown closer in the last week—, and that she wouldn't forgive her if she didn't allow her to go. Letting her go alone was a big no, and she herself didn't want to go because Bernardo and her had activities already organized for that specific night, and she was pretty quick convincing Luz and you to go with Maria to the dance.
Luz was, ironically, full of light and energy and the need to dance—and she also had a partner who she could dance with. You, on the other hand, were pretty tired, had no date because you had refused Alberto's offer to go with you, and if you were there it was because Luz had practically dragged you out of your flat so you could have some fun. You deserve it, mi niña, she has said, but now you were sweating on the bleacher, elbows on your thighs, head on your hands, dressed with that red dress you had already worn, because you didn't have as many dresses as the others had.
You watched how the girls spinned in their skirts, how Maria laughed with Tony, in the center of the gym, dancing slower than what the music indicated, all the other couples dancing at the right rhythm. The girls smiled as they danced with their boys, and when you saw Luz's smile, you couldn't help but smile.
Maybe you shouldn't have turned Alberto down—he was a good man, and he liked you. But you didn't like him one bit, yes, he was a friend and one of yours, but that didn't mean you were romantically attracted to him, and he certainly liked you too much for your dry liking of his. You didn't want him to think you were interested in him.
Luz had laughed at you when you had answered with all that to her question about why you didn't accept the boy's company, and she had told you something about boys and girls that you hadn't quite understood.
Riff watched from one side of the gym how you got up from the bleachers, and the fear of you leaving appeared on his whole being like a tight pressure on his chest he wasn't able to get rid off, even if he wanted. His body reacted faster than his mind, and before he knew, he was reaching out for you in a fast pace.
You were heading towards the tables that had those little water glasses when Rifd appeared from your left and stood in front of you. He looked as confused as you as he stared at you, not quite knowing what he was supposed to do now. You decided to help him start the conversation.
"Jet boy" you greeted, softly smiling at him.
Riff snapped out of his confusion "Hey, señorita," he smirked, tilting his head, taking a look at you from your head to your shoes, not missing one bit ", ya look kinda bored"
"And you're here to change that?" you teased, and eyebrow raised while you dodge him and continued your way to the drinks table.
"Maybe, if you wanted," he said, following you closely, and you had to turn your head a bit to look at him ", you know. You could teach me some of that mambo"
You shook your head, chuckling "This is salsa, chico"
"Isn't it the same?"
"You're being dumb again" you warned, taking one of the water glasses from the table.
Riff was fast to take the glass out of your hand, drinking it all fast in a quick sip that had you between annoyed, surprised and amused "Thank yer for that, sweetheart, I was so thirsty"
"You're unbelievable, Riff"
"Oh, so you do know my name?" Riff's brow shot upwards, staring at you.
"Why wouldn't I know your name?" you asked, taking another glass and this time drinking it yourself.
"Dunno," he smiled. It was a smile, a sweet smile, not his teasing grin ", since you always call me Jet boy?"
You shrugged "You always call me señorita"
"Not the same"
"Why wouldn't it—"
"So," Riff cut you off abruptly, looking around him like he was searching for someone ", did you come here with a date?"
You looked away when he stared back at you "Why do you care?"
"I don't, really," he said, chuckling. You looked at him, every second understanding him less and less "Just wanna know if I'll get my ass beat if I ask you for a dance"
You definitely understood him less and less with every second passing. However, his words made you smile softly, forcing you to look down at your shoes to try and hide that dumb smile.
When you looked up at him again he was still staring at you, smiling down at you with that sweet, new smile you had been able to discover.
"I don't think someone beating your ass will ever stop you from doing things" you said, not answering his initial question, which he noticed.
He stared at you with an intensity that didn't exactly make you uncomfortable, but rather awkward. And then, he frowned "Wait, so you do have no date? I ain't believing that! No way!"
He wasn't insulting you but you felt like he was by the way he was saying it. Your smile dropped and disappeared from your face, getting all defensive "Fuck off, que te den" you started walking away from him.
"Hey, hey— Wait, Y/N!" Riff rushed again to follow you, but you did not stop when he reached you. He had to grab your arm to get you to stop walking "I wasn't laughing at you, really. I just find it hard to believe you have no date, that's all"
You stared at him, now feeling dumb for misunderstanding his words, and eased by his new ones "So you do know my name"
"What?"
"You just said my name," you said, a corner of your lips rising in a sided smile ", I thought you didn't know it"
Riff smirked "So. Am I gettin' that dance or not?"
He held out his hand for you to take, letting go of your arm. You stared at his white hand, waiting for yours, and then glanced back at his eyes. Riff was looking at you softly, like he didn't want to scare you off. He really didn't want to.
You were starting to raise your hand so you could take his when Luz appeared by your right side, twirling, and grabbed that hand you were already raising, then shout ¡Baila, Y/N! before dragging you away from Riff, making you spin with her and leading you to the center of the gym with the other girls, so you could dance to the new, more energetic and familiar as in latin-like music.
Even though at first he felt completely pissed off by that girl interrupting you two, Riff watched how you started dancing with your friends, forgetting about him and deciding to have a good time for once, and it almost made him smile.
He watched how that girl made you dance with her like you were a couple, and how you later made Maria join you all, making all the other girls laugh as they danced. Maria made Tony dance with them, and slowly the girls started to force their dates to dance with them back again. Some brave Shark girls dared to invite Jet boys to dance with them—and thanks to the treaty, they accepted. Riff grinned when he saw you coming for him, a wide smile on your lips.
"What are ya doin'?" he asked you, almost giggling, when you slide your hands into his, dragging him back to the center of the gym.
"Baila, Jet boy!"
And boy did he dance. He was better at it than what you would have imagined, his hands on your body felt like something that just belonged there, on your waist, on your hand, on your hip, sometimes maybe even on your leg when you two got too bold with the kiks and the turns, and the getting too close to each other.
You found yourself unable to stop smiling during the whole dance, and Riff found himself enjoying the way your face lit up every time your smile covered your face. He made it his personal goal to make you smile through the whole dance, bonus points if he could get you to laugh.
Neither of you had realized how passionately and energetically you had danced until, when the music slowed down, letting a romantic, slow piece for the couples in love, and you leaned against his chest, resting your head on his chest. Riff leaned you even closer, his hands resting on your waist as your head brushed his cheek. You two breathed against each other, trying to get your normal heart rates back.
You felt Riff's heart pound against his chest, and only then you realized you were almost over him, like all the other romantic couples were dancing. That made you nervous.
"I think I need some air," you muttered, taking a step back and leaving his shoulder naked without your forearms there.
Riff nodded, realizing the image you two should be giving for the people looking at you "We can go outside, if you want?"
"Sí"
You didn't move when he took one of your hands on one of his, and you two went outside like that, you not quite figuring out why would he ever want to hold you hand. You couldn't already try to think a reason for why he would ever want to dance with you, you, a Puerto Rican, someone he had hated and chased.
You two leaned against the brick walls outside the gym, letting the cold air hit against your faces, him on your left, silence between you, a silence that wasn't awkward but wasn't comfortable either.
You shivered when Riff turned his face to you, his fingers catching your chin. His eyes shone softly, warmly. You didn't have time to react, his grip pulled you closer and way sooner than later, his lips were kissing yours, way softer than you would have imagined his lips to be. Wonderful, that's how his kisses were. It took you some seconds and all of your mental strength, but you were finally able to react, putting your hands on his chests and gently pushing him away.
"No, Riff" you whispered, shaking your head.
He grimaced, not liking your reaction, but keeping his distances "Right, fair enough"
"I just don't understand you" You sighed, frustrated, avoiding his look "Not even a week ago you were willing to kill us and now—"
"Hey, I ain't killing nobody, not now not yesterday" he snapped, staring at you coldly, unlike how he had looked at you before.
You shook your head "Don't play indignant with me, chico, you knew what I meant"
Riff shook his head, and then sighed. You hadn't realized how exhausted he looked until now. The wrinkles under his eyes were big, almost as big as Bernardo's were. How much pressure had a gang leader on his shoulders? You didn't exactly know, but it was probably too much…
You would never know either that Riff had spent days arguing with the most rebellious Jets, those who didn't understand his decision of stopping to chase the PRs. He was forced to shout, curse and slam his fists against tables and walls, to make them listen to him. Who would have told anyone peace was so complicated?
"Look, ye already said it, girly," he said, rolling his eyes, making you look at him ", we've only known this street. Y'all started coming and coming…"
"You had no right to do anything you did," you interrupted, that fearless look in your eyes. He opened his mouth to talk back, but you didn't allow him to ", don't do the whole speech, Riff, 'cause I won't buy it. I know better. We've had it rough too, vale? It's no excuse"
Riff clicked his tongue, not taking his eyes off of you "Then what the fuck do you want me to do? Uh? I ain't good, and I'm not being forgiven, and I can't go to the past"
"Tell me the truth, then"
The way you faced him almost made him lose his breath. Your eyes shone in a softer bright, one different from your fearless look. It almost made him soft.
"What truth?" he whispered, intensely tearing back into your eyes.
You blinked "The truth. If you could go back, would you change what you did?"
Riff raised an eyebrow at you "And how do you know I ain't lying to ya?"
"You want me to trust you or not, bobo?"
Riff stared at you, not understanding you or the shine in your eyes, which encouraged him to trust you, encouraged him to open up like he never had, a shine that was absolutely driving him crazy.
You were already thinking he wasn't going to answer, that you would have to go back into the gym realizing you were wrong about him, when he slightly smirked.
"I would," Riff cleared his throat, his voice suddenly hoarse and lower than usual, looking away ", yeah. I would change things"
Your gaze softened at his words "For real?"
"Yeah" he said, nodding "For real. I guess"
You searched for his hand, locking your fingers together, feeling how rough and calloused they were against you. Is not like yours were exactly velvet but still.
His fingers brushed gently against yours and your head tilted back so you could look up to him, your lips pursing together as slowly as they could.
"Te creo" you murmured, not taking your eyes off of his.
"Does that mean kiss me in spanish?" he asked, slightly grinning, taking a step closer to you.
You felt his hand going to your waist, and you grinned back "Try me"