Chapter Text
Riley wanted nothing to do with this.
She hated rich, preppy city girls—the kind who wouldn’t know the difference between a tractor and a tanning bed, who only ever talked about shopping, boys, and themselves. And now, one of them was coming to stay for the summer. Worse? Riley’s own mother had invited her.
Everything Riley had heard about this girl only made it worse. Spoiled. Loud. Trouble. The kind of girl who didn’t belong anywhere near a dirt road, let alone under Riley’s roof.
And of course, she showed up in a black car that probably cost more than their house — because why wouldn’t she?
Before Riley could even process what was happening, her mother came bounding out of the house, practically vibrating with excitement. Riley stayed planted on the porch, arms crossed, wishing—for the hundredth time—she could borrow even an ounce of that optimism.
Her mother waved enthusiastically at the woman in the driver’s seat. And then she stepped out.
The girl.
The one who was staying with them for the entire summer.
Or, as Riley saw it: a walking, talking reason to count down the days until September.
The passenger door swung open, and out she stepped. Evelyn.
Long black hair, straight and glossy, like something out of a shampoo commercial. She was a little taller than Riley, all legs and attitude, with a tank top that probably cost more than Riley’s entire wardrobe and sneakers so clean they practically sparkled in the sunlight.
Riley blinked.
Seriously?
Tank top. Designer shorts. Pristine white shoes. On a farm.
“She’s gonna ruin those within the hour,” Riley muttered under her breath, arms still crossed, jaw tight.
Riley’s mind raced, already filling in the blanks — snotty, rude, full of herself. Probably couldn’t go five minutes without checking her phone or talking about some overpriced brunch spot in the city.
But then her mother had to go and make it harder to hate her.
“Ah! You must be Evelyn!” she squealed, practically tripping over herself as she hurried toward the car. “You are just so pretty!”
Riley cringed.
How could her mom be this excited about some rich girl coming to stay with them? A girl who probably thought dirt was a decoration and bugs were a reason to call for help.
Riley hated to admit it, but her mother wasn’t wrong — Evelyn was beautiful.
But then again, so were all rich city girls. Glossy hair, perfect skin, clothes that looked like they belonged on a magazine cover. Beauty was just part of the package.
But then… she spoke.
And Riley froze.
Shocked didn’t even begin to cover it.
Evelyn let out a small, awkward giggle, then smiled politely. “Thank you. It’s so nice to meet you.”
It wasn’t what she said that made Riley freeze. It was her voice.
Soft. Smooth. And—surprisingly—just a little bit deep.
Not high-pitched or fake. Not what Riley had imagined at all.
Then Evelyn leaned slightly past Riley’s mother, eyes landing on Riley for the first time. “You must be Riley, right? It’s nice to meet you too.”
Riley straightened instinctively, caught off guard for half a second before recovering.
“Yeah. Nice to meet you.”
But she wasn’t falling for it. Not even a little.
That soft, innocent act? It was just that—an act. Riley had seen it before. She knew the type. As soon as her mother left the room, Evelyn would drop the sweet routine and start bossing her around like she was the hired help.
Because that’s how girls like Evelyn worked.
Or at least… that’s what Riley told herself.
The silence stretched — just a little too long.
The two girls stood there, staring at each other, neither one saying a word. Evelyn’s expression was unreadable, and Riley wasn’t about to be the first to flinch.
Thankfully, her mom jumped in before things got unbearable.
“Well!” she said, a little too cheerfully. “Riley, help Evelyn with her suitcases, would you? I’m going to catch up with your mother.”
She gave Evelyn a warm smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder before turning and heading off, completely unaware of the tension she’d left behind.
Riley didn’t move right away. She just looked at Evelyn, still trying to decide what kind of girl she was dealing with.
———————————————————-
Riley didn’t say anything as she grabbed the first suitcase — or the second. She just wanted to get this over with. The less time she had to spend around Evelyn, the better.
Of course, the girl had packed like she was moving in for a year, not staying for a summer on a farm. Expensive-looking luggage, heavy as hell, and way too much of it.
With a quiet grunt, Riley hauled the last suitcase up the stairs and down the hall, stopping in front of the guest room.
“This is the room you’re staying in,” she said flatly, pushing the door open.
It was a small, cozy space — soft quilt on the bed, lace curtains, a vase of wildflowers on the windowsill. Cute, in a quiet, lived-in way.
Completely out of sync with the girl standing behind her in spotless sneakers and designer shorts.
“It’s nice. Thank you,” Evelyn said, giving the room a quick glance before stepping inside.
It was small, sure, but she didn’t seem to mind. She ran her fingers lightly along the windowsill, taking in the wildflowers, the old wooden dresser, the soft creak of the floorboards beneath her sneakers.
One person didn’t need much space, after all.
Riley lingered in the doorway, arms crossed. “Just so you know, my mom doesn’t like clutter or mess,” she said, already sounding bored. “So pick up after yourself.”
Evelyn turned back to her with a polite nod and an unreadable smile. “Of course.”
Riley sighed, already exhausted. She’d known this girl for maybe twenty minutes, and somehow, that felt twenty minutes too long.
“You can put your stuff in the drawers,” Riley said, turning to leave. “Come downstairs when you’re done. Dinner’ll be ready soon.”
She didn’t wait for a response, just started down the hallway.
“Thank you, Riley,” Evelyn called after her, voice soft and polite.
Riley rolled her eyes. She is so full of shit.
There was no way she could survive a whole summer of this.
“Yeah,” she muttered under her breath, heading down the stairs.
—————————————————-
Dinner, to put it mildly, was awkward.
Riley’s mom did most of the talking, going on and on about the farm — the early harvest, the new chicken coop, something about a busted fence post Riley had already fixed two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the tension between Riley and Evelyn hung in the air like humidity before a thunderstorm. And it was getting worse by the minute.
Evelyn sat across the table, eating like she was in a commercial — back straight, napkin in her lap, cutting her food into perfect little bites. She even chewed politely.
For some reason, that pissed Riley off. She wasn’t even sure why. Maybe it was the whole act — like Evelyn was trying too hard to look sweet and innocent. Or maybe it was because she was actually pulling it off.
“Is the room up to your standards, Evelyn?” Riley’s mom asked with a warm smile.
“Absolutely,” Evelyn said, nodding. “Thank you again.”
Riley stabbed her fork into a piece of potato, trying not to roll her eyes. Of course it is.
“Well, we’ll let you settle in for a couple days,” Riley’s mom said, smiling as she passed Evelyn the bowl of green beans. “But after that, we’ll expect a little help around the farm, okay?”
Evelyn nodded without hesitation. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to just sit around doing nothing all summer.”
Riley glanced up at that, mildly surprised — though she didn’t let it show.
Her mom beamed. “Good. You’ll stick with Riley for the most part. She handles the animals, so you’ll be helping her out.”
Riley nearly dropped her fork.
Great.
So she wasn’t just stuck with the princess in the house — she’d have her tagging along during chores, too.
All summer.
She forced a tight smile and shoved another bite of food into her mouth, chewing harder than necessary.
This was going to be a nightmare.
——————————————————-
The rest of dinner was… fine. Still awkward, but Riley’s mom kept the silence from settling in completely, chatting enough for all three of them.
Riley, meanwhile, just wanted the night to be over. She kept her eyes on her plate, her thoughts far from polite, and her patience wearing thin. Every time she looked at Evelyn — sitting there all composed and charming — her skin crawled.
Because it was fake. All of it.
And the worst part? Her mom was buying it.
After the meal, they cleaned up together in the kitchen. Riley was short with Evelyn — not outright rude, but close. Clipped answers, sharp movements. She didn’t have it in her to pretend.
Her mom noticed. Of course she did.
Once the dishes were done and the kitchen was clean, they all said goodnight. Evelyn offered another polite smile before heading upstairs, her footsteps quiet on the old wooden steps.
The moment she was out of sight, her mom turned to Riley with a look.
“How could you be so mean to the poor thing?” she asked, not angry — just disappointed. “She just got here.”
Riley let out a sharp sigh, arms folded across her chest. She paused, trying to hold her tongue, but it snapped anyway.
“It’s all bullshit, Mom. And you’re falling for it.”
Her mother closed the cabinet with a soft thud and gave her a long look. “You don’t know that, Riley. She’s a sweet girl. At least give her a chance.”
Riley leaned back against the counter, jaw clenched. “What if I don’t want to?”
Her mom’s voice lowered, quieter but firm. “Then you’re gonna make that girl feel more out of place than she already does. And you know how that feels.”
That one hit a little too close. Riley’s eyes flicked to the side, her mouth opening — then closing again. Nothing came out.
Her mother gave her a soft pat on the shoulder as she passed. “Goodnight, dear. And be nicer to her.”
And just like that, she was gone — leaving Riley standing alone in the quiet kitchen, arms still crossed, guilt beginning to settle in her chest like dust.