Chapter Text
”Hey, Maxwell!” Riley made a beeline to where he was sitting. “Come show us how it’s done!” Riley grinned broadly down at Maxwell as the first strains of music began to float above the crowded ballroom. She reached out to take his hand but he gently deflected by grabbing a glass of water from the table in front of him. Riley awkwardly pulled her arm back to her side.
Looking down, he cleared his throat before responding “Lady Riley, if you don’t mind I think I would like to sit this one out.”
“Oh,” Riley was taken aback at both the formality with which he spoke to her and his rejection of her offer. “Um, yeah… yeah, sure. It’s no biggie!” She chuckled awkwardly and clasped her hands together. Something was off. “Is everything alright?”
“Everything is fine.”
He was being short with her. Riley felt her stomach drop. Her smile faltered with confusion and she gave a curt nod, not trusting her own voice. After a long moment, she shuffled away to where her other friends were standing.