PIPER'S P.O.V.

When that weekend was over, I reluctantly drove Harry to the airport and we said our usual goodbyes, eager to see each other only a couple weeks later. The next week, Riley and I prepared for Cory to move in, cleaning any of our items out that we kept there as if it was a storage room. I had only seen James in class ever since the party, so we planned on studying before our test, which we would take the day I got back from San Francisco. The week we were leaving, which was still unknown to Riley, Cory started to move his things in. That Wednesday, his furniture arrived and a few of his friends came over to help him put it together. I ordered pizza and supplied them with beer in return for their service. Riley thought we were going to the beach for the weekend to stay at my parent's house in Cocoa Beach. I told her to pack some cute dresses for dinners so that she would have some options. That night, I called Harry for the first time all week.

"Hey, Piper. How are you?"

"Great! I'm excited for this weekend."

"Me too. Oh, Liam wants to know if Riley's said anything. He's scared to give away the surprise so he hasn't talked to her much. Is she noticing?"

"She hasn't said anything, no."

"Good," his voice got lower, almost a whisper, "he's really nervous, it's quite funny."

I laughed loudly as someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

It was Cory.

"Hey, oh, sorry. Is that Harry?"

"Yeah, it is. What's up?"

"No, it's fine. I'll come back later so you guys can talk."

That was weird, but I nodded and he left the room.

"Sorry, that was Cory. A bunch of his friends are here helping him with his stuff. He should be all moved in by tomorrow!"

"Cool. Bunch of his friends, huh?"

"Don't worry, I know them all. It's all good."

"Okay, well you should get some sleep. I'm gonna make sure to wear you out this weekend."

"Looking forward to it, babe. I'll call you tomorrow. Love you, bye."

"Love you, too."

I was more exhausted than I had realized so I took a quick shower and passed out. At about 3 am, I woke up from a nightmare. I hadn't had nightmares since I came back to school but this one was worse than ever. Every nightmare was the same. I relived Matt dying at least a hundred times, but some were worse than others because I didn't wake up before I reached his motionless body; the worst part. I sat up, sweating and shaking uncontrollably. My door flung open and I heard Cory.

"Piper?"

"What?"

"Are you okay? I woke up to you screaming. Was it a nightmare again?"

I nodded and started to sob, waterfalls of tears streaming down my face. He rushed over to my bed and pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay, you're awake now. It's over. Shhh."

He knew what to do when I had a nightmare but this was worse.

"Can you get my purse and some water? I need my pills."

He nodded and walked out to the kitchen, returning to my room with a glass of water and the bottle of pills. He opened the bottle and handed it to me and I poured out two pills, feeling the need to double up.

I handed him the bottle and he put the cap back on, setting it down on my bedside table.

"Thanks, Cor. I'm going to go back to bed now. Love you."

"Alright, love you, too. Let me know if you need me."

I nodded and fell back into the pillows. As soon as I heard the door shut, I let my tears come back, not trying to stop them. Sometimes it made me feel better to just cry. This wasn't one of those times, but it did exhaust me and I fell back asleep.
I woke up later than usual on Thursday, feeling groggy from my terrible nights sleep. I looked in the mirror to find thick bags under my eyes. I washed my face thoroughly and brushed my teeth before leaving my room. Riley was in the kitchen, already dressed for school.

"Piper! You're going to be late!"

"I'm not going to go today. I slept horribly last night and there's nothing important going on."

"Okay, well, I was thinking since we're leaving tomorrow morning, we should take Cory out for
dinner since he'll be all moved in tonight."

"You guys should go, but I can't. I made plans to study with James."
She rolled her eyes and poured a cup of coffee for each of us, hers in a to-go cup.

"Alright, fine. Well, I'll see you later then. Feel better."

"Bye."

I drank my coffee slowly, resting my chin in my hand. I went back in my room to get my phone, bringing my cup with me. I had a missed call from Harry so I called him back.

"Hey, love. How are you this morning?"

He sounded concerned, but I didn't want to talk about my dream.

"Fine, and you?"

"Piper, I know you had a nightmare. Cory texted me last night."

"What? When did you two exchange numbers?"

"When he realized he didn't totally hate me."

Great. Now they were going to team up to keep an eye on me.

"I'm okay. Just tired because it took me a while to go back to sleep."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. It's the same dream every time. I just didn't wake up early into it like I normally do. I
wish you were here."

"Me too. I'm sorry, Piper. But, I'll see you tomorrow!"

That made me smile. I would see Harry tomorrow and I knew that would make me feel better. When we got off the phone, I decided to clean up around the dorm. It wasn't messy but it had been a while since we vacuumed, mopped, dusted, and so on. I didn't want to wake Cory up so I started in the kitchen, doing dishes and wiping everything down thoroughly. When I was done there, Cory walked out of his room, hair sticking up everywhere.

"Morning, sis. Still some coffee?"

"Yeah, I'll get you some."

He slouched down on the couch and sat in a daze. I brought him a mug and sat next to him.

"Did you seriously text Harry?"

"Yep. I promised I would if I was ever worried about you."

He didn't even look surprised at my question. I couldn't be angry. I was glad they were getting
along, but I felt crazy, having them go back and forth about everything I do when I get emotional. Cory had an appointment with his advisor and then was getting the rest of his stuff from the house so I finished cleaning and packed my things when he was gone.
______________________________________________________________________________
RILEY'S P.O.V.

James walked in and followed Piper to her room with his books while Cory and I carried the last of his empty boxes to the door. I couldn't help but to glare at James. I knew they were friends, but I felt like he was hiding something.

"Bye, guys. We're going to go get dinner."

Piper yelled back an 'okay' while me and Cory walked out the door. It was nice spending some time with him because we hadn't in so long. We were really close in high school even though he was younger than me because we grew up together. I was around their family more than my own since my dad was always gone and my mom fought with me endlessly. I didn't have any siblings so being so close to Piper gave me my own second family.

"So, where do you wanna go?"

"There's this really good burger place just off campus. We could walk there. Sound good to
you?"

"Sure! I just want a real meal after all this unpacking. Pizza's getting old."
He was right. We had pizza and beer almost every night that week. As we walked out of the dorm building, he started to make conversation.

"So, how are things with that Liam guy?"

I hadn't talked to Liam for almost a week. He texted me every now and then, but I felt like we were growing apart. Things with Liam and I hadn't moved as quickly as they did with Piper and Harry since we weren't having sex. It sounds shallow and stupid but I knew it was what it boiled down to and it was my fault.

"Umm. Not really going, I guess. We never made anything official and I don't know if he thinks it's worth it since I haven't slept with him yet."

"Woah, woah, woah. You mean to tell me that he broke up with you for not sleeping with him?"

"No! We were never actually dating! Just talking. And he never ended things; we just haven't talked in a while and I'm sure that's why."

"You deserve better than that, Ri, you really do."

"I think you're getting the wrong idea. It's not his fault. It's no ones. It was just meeting at the
wrong time and him being gone all the time. Without having sex, what's holding us together after only just meeting a couple months ago?"

"No, it shouldn't be that way, Riley. He should do everything to be with you, with or without sex."

"I don't know. He's too good for me, anyway."

Cory stopped in his tracks and grabbed my arm.

"What the hell, Ri? What makes you think that?"

"Well, just look at his exes! They're beyond gorgeous! I'm average."

"You're so far from average. You know I used to have the biggest crush on you growing up!"

"Ha. That's funny, Cory. You liking me when you were ten doesn't make me better than average."

"Yeah, it does and I never said when I was ten. I meant all through growing up. You're beautiful,
Riley. I mean it, don't be so down on yourself."

It didn't make me uncomfortable to hear Cory talk about liking me when we were younger but I didn't expect it. When he was about 16, I started to see him that way more, but I never let it stick in my head. I loved him but I never let myself pursue something romantic with him.

"Thanks, Cory. That was nice of you to say."

He put his arm around me while we crossed the street, almost at the restaurant.

"Anytime, Ri."


PIPER'S P.O.V.

"Okay, so I think I need to read this entire chapter again. I'm so lost, Piper."

James ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it up in frustration.

"Or you could pay attention in class instead of texting!"

"She's so boring though. Her monotone voice kills me. 'And that is how Freud founded psychoanalysis.'"

We both laughed at his terrible impersonation of Dr. Johnson.

"Hey, you got something out of it! You know Freud was the founding father of psychoanalysis!"

He shrugged and continued to flip through his Psychology book. I reached over for my glass of wine and accidentally spilled some on myself.

"Shit!"

He jumped up and ran to the kitchen to grab some paper towels and I set my glass back on the bedside table and went into the bathroom. He came back with a wet paper towel and started to wipe the red stain off of my white tank top. Most of it was on the top near my shoulder, but some was near my cleavage. He didn't stop when he reached that part and I pulled away a little.

"Oh, sorry. Here."

He handed me the paper towel and left the bathroom, red with embarrassment. I wiped it as much as I could until nothing was coming out of the shirt anymore. I walked back into my room and James was gathering his things.

"Hey, what are you doing? You don't need to leave!"

"I... I thought I made you uncomfortable."

"It's fine. It was an accident."

He nodded and set his books down, walking over to me. He stopped in front of me; a little too close.

"It was and I'm sorry."

His face was inches away from my mine and I pulled away, trying to make it seem fluid. I walked over to the table and got my glass.

"I'm going to go get more wine."

"No, I'll get it. Go ahead and change your shirt. I'll be right back."

He took my glass, leaving his since it was still mostly full. Once the door was closed, I searched through my drawer for a t-shirt to change into. I decided on an old school shirt and slipped it on, tossing my tank top into my hamper. James knocked before opening the door, his eyes closed.

"Are you dressed?"

"Yeah, you can open your eyes."

He walked in and we both sat back down on my bed, him on the edge once again, and me by
my pillows. I took a large sip of my wine and held it in my hand, ready to drink some more. We continued to study and both finished our wine. After a half an hour, I started to feel really tipsy and decided against drinking any more wine when James got up to get himself more. While he was gone, I started to feel more and more drunk. How was that even possible? I only had one and a half glasses since I spilled most of my first glass. I felt a little sick and laid down in my bed, closing my eyes for a few minutes. Where was James? He was taking a lot longer than necessary to get a glass of wine. I opened my eyes and my vision was extremely blurred. I couldn't move and slowly started to fade from reality.


RILEY'S P.O.V.

Cory and I walked back into the dorm to find James, frantically grabbing paper towels. I waved to him and Cory nodded, acknowledging his presence before continuing to his room, pulling me behind him. Once we're behind the door, we sit on the edge of his bed.

"I don't really like that James guy."

"Yeah, me either, but Piper seems to think he's great."

I rolled my eyes. I never really understood why Piper liked hanging out with James but I was just drawn to a different kind of person, which I always knew was true. Cory shifted on his freshly made bed and I looked up at him, smiling.

"Wanna watch a movie, Ri?"

"Nah, we can just talk. We haven't really hung out like this in forever."

When Piper and Matt were dating at first, we were always with them, but really we were alone.
Cory and I became great friends back then and still were; just a little estranged.

"Are you excited to start classes next semester?"

"I guess so. I mean, I'm still undecided on my major so there aren't really any classes that stand
out to me."

"Well, I'm still undecided but you'll find some classes to be really interesting and they might even spark your interest in a major!"

"I hope so. Maybe we can take some classes together."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

His arm was behind my back as he leaned back on the bed, pulling himself to the top. His biceps contracted and I felt my body tense up a little. I crawled up to the pillows and leaned against one, laying on my side, and he did the same.

"I'm glad you'll be here, Cory. We can hang out all the time when Piper ditches me for her new friends."

He laughed and surprised me by placing a single kiss on my forehead. I felt my face grow hot and figured it was red.

"I'm sor-"

I cut him short, placing my lips against, slowly but with deep passion. He brought his hands to my waist and pulled me closer to him, kissing back. I pulled away as Liam passed through my head but I pushed that thought aside, knowing that I was just hurting myself by waiting around for him to call me.

"Are you okay? We don't have to do anything you aren't comfortable with."

"No, Cory. I want to... I want to have sex with you. I'm ready and I would rather it be with you than someone who will break my heart."

I meant what I said but his eyes widened in shock.

"Are... Are you sure?"

I kissed him again, rolling on top of him to make sure he got the picture. I wanted to get this whole virginity thing over with already. At least with Cory, I wouldn't regret it and he'd always be a part of my life. He would always be more than just the guy who took my virginity and in reality, that was all I wanted. He wasn't a stranger and he wouldn't hurt me. That was all that really mattered. We continued to make out and his hands found my bum, squeezing it playfully, making me grin. It all felt so right, even though I had never really considered it before. I wished it was Liam, but I kept pushing him from my mind, not letting myself think about him at all. Cory held onto my tightly and rolled us over so that I was on my back, my legs parting to make room for him. He sat up on his knees and began to fumble with the button on my shorts, looking up at me again before he pulled them down.

"You're positive?"

"YES! I'M POSITIVE!"

I was getting impatient and he laughed at me. He pulled my shorts down, leaving my underwear for the time being. He reached up and pulled at the sheets so that we could climb underneath them. I did so but he removed his pants and shirt before joining me. He was so toned and sexy and I regretted not noticing sooner. He pulled me on top of him once we were both under the covers, taking my shirt off over my head and tossing it aside. I laid my mostly bare torso on his and felt his large hands roam my back lustfully. I felt him harden under my crotch, making me feel a little wet. We made out for a few minutes at which point he unclasped my bra, making me sit up as he pulled it off, admiring my naked body before pulling me back to him and rolling me on my back once again. He immediately slipped under the sheets, crawling between my legs. His teeth grazed my hips and found the elastic of my panties, which he tugged on with his mouth, pulling them down to my knees before growing impatient and pulling them off with his hands. My legs instinctively spread apart farther for easier access as his hands kindly stroked my thighs, moving closer to my center. My body shook a little when I felt his hot breath on me, there. He kissed my inner thighs over and over before bringing his lips softly to my clit. His tongue slipped out of his mouth and as it reached me, I let out a light moan. It felt so good. Liam and I had done this before but with him, I was constantly thinking about what I was going to do to him next. I don't know why I felt that way, but as Cory did the same thing to me, I only thought in the moment, making the pleasure more intense. I was starting to feel myself reach my high so I tugged on his hair to stop him from continuing.

"I think I'm plenty wet now."

His head popped out from the sheets and he winked cheekily.

"I'd say so."

He scooted to the right side of the bed and opened the drawer of the small table sitting there. He stayed there, facing away from me and I heard him rip open a condom. When he was done, he scooted over to me again, and hovered over me, kissing me once again. I ran my fingers through the hair on the back of his head, pulling him deeper into the kiss.

"Are you ready? Tell me if I need to stop, okay? I'm going to talk you through this."

"Alright, I'm ready."

I wasn't scared anymore about it hurting. I felt a need for some relief and I knew I would get it from him. He positioned himself carefully and I felt his tip poke at my entrance. He looked at me as he ever so slowly pushed himself into me. It burned more than anything, almost as if I was tearing apart.

"Ow. Yeah, it... it hurts."

He leaned down and kissed my nose, not even all the way in yet.

"Let me know when you adjust to this."

I waited a few seconds and nodded for him to continue as the pain subsided some. It felt foreign but the burning sensation only lasted a few seconds each time he pushed in. Once he was all the way inside me, he stayed there for a long time, watching my face contort in pain. He was breathing heavily, obviously feeling good.

"That's the worst of it. You still okay?"

"Yeah, I am. Just keep going slow, please."

"Of course."

He pulled out a little, slowly and then back in, only moving a few inches each time. After a number of thrusts, it started to feel good, even though it still also hurt. I tried to breathe in deeply as he pulled out a little more each time, still gently thrusting back in, making sure he wasn't hurting me more than necessary. I groaned a little when he hit a spot that felt amazing. He brought his lips to mine again, reassured that I wasn't in unbearable pain anymore. I kissed him back, playing with his hair again. After another 5 minutes, I started to meet his hips half way, arching my back a little to get into a comfortable rhythm. He started let out short, sharp moans every time our bodies met in unison. My hips were bucking automatically and I let my body do as it pleased. I felt my stomach tense.

"Riley, I'm... I'm about to come."

"I am, too."

At the same time, we screamed in delight, my walls tightening again and again as he buried his face into my neck. We started to come down as he thrust into me a couple more times before laying down next to me. He held me in his arms and kissed me on the cheek.

"Thank you, Cory."

"No. Thank you."

He grinned a little and we laid there for a long time before I snuck back to my room and fell asleep.


PIPER'S P.O.V.

When James returned to the room, he sat next to me on my bed, concern in his face.

"Are you okay, Piper? You look really drunk."

He set his glass of wine down and moved closer to me. I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. He looked like he had four heads. I felt like I was getting more and more drunk when I hadn't had a sip in a while. The last thing I could remember was him laying next to me and kissing me roughly on the lips. I wanted him to stop but it felt impossible to tell him so, much less stop him physically.

Notes

AHHHH! Sorry it's so long. I just didn't want to do a filler chapter again and I know this one was pretty intense with a lot of drama unfolding so LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK :)

How far do you think James went with Piper, knowing she wouldn't remember? How will Riley react when she finds out the reason Liam was ignoring her was that he didn't want to spoil the surprise? Will she tell him about her and Cory? Will she regret sleeping with Cory? Any other input is also welcomed <3 x ILYA SO SO MUCH. Vote/subscribe if you haven't yet.