I forgot what the date was

I know I was reminded several times by the girls, by the guys and mostly by Grandma. I know I've been distracted this week with a big project in my marketing class, a test in Econ and learning that scouts are coming to the next game. The game I might not be playing.

It's not like I have a lot on my plate. I haven't seen much of Riley and that's definitely sucked putting my mind in a place where I'm thinking about the last time we were together to keep from going crazy. I'm not handling this well and it's starting to show.

I'm usually good about keeping my schedule on the calendar. I'm good about writing everything down to get it into my calendar. I had the project and the test. I even have the scouts on it. But I completely forgot to add the gala to my calendar and now I'm late.

"It's about fucking time you got here. We're gonna be late to get over to pick up the girls now." Sawyer growled as he tried to tie his tie. He's got a huge thing about being late to anything. Not that I don't. It's been drilled into all of us that to be on time we have to be ten minutes early. "And even though we'll have to wait a half hour for the girls, you know we aren't allowed to make them wait for us."

"Yeah. Why is that anyway?" Wyatt came in, his tie resting undone around his neck. "Every girl I've dated has made me wait at least twenty minutes for them to get pulled together. How hard is it really to slap some makeup on and throw on some clothes?"

"Longer than I'm at the gym." Harper grumbles. "Come on, Aiden. You need to hurry up."

"I forgot the gala was tonight, okay?! I was dealing with coach. He's pissed I fucked up the last game. Now he thinks he should start Morris instead of me this week and I know that Uncle Matt has arranged for scouts from the Chargers and Rams to come see me play this week." The tone of my voice says everything. I'm in no mood for this thing tonight but I have no choice.

Family comes first

"That'll suck if you aren't playing. Bet Morris will love you for it." Harper grins knowing I'm in no mood.

"Bite me, bitch!" Flipping him off and turning away from them, I grab my tux from the closet and toss it to the bed.

As I drag my shirt over my head and go into the bathroom, I hear the three fucktards teasing me about my situation. Starting the shower, I think about how I'm going to get coach back to my way of thinking. I'll have to talk with Uncle Blake and Matt to see what they can work out for me.

Today was bad enough but it's been a shit week for me. First I made the mistake on Monday of asking the foundation about Riley's check that Grandma had ordered and got my ass ripped by the foundation curator because it's none of my business who gets what. Just because I'm a Bradford doesn't mean I run the school.

I mean, really bitch?

If I wanted to I could write Riley a check myself and take care of this for her but I know Riley would just shred it up. That's after she chewed me out for trying to pay her way. She's been crystal clear about the subject. Riley wants nothing to do with my money.

Then, my Econ class had a surprise test that, yeah I wasn't prepared for. I've slacked off in the class lately to make time to spend with Riley. If she knew that I would be spending less time with her than I am.

I worked my ass off on my marketing presentation. Then I found out that all the work I'd done needed to be videotaped and submitted to three people in the class to give feedback on it. I fucked that up big time and rushed to at least get it in late and get partial credit for the work. No A for me.

Then as I was leaving practice today, coach gave me another lecture about screwing up the last game. Like I haven't been kicking myself enough the last few days for screwing up the game. My mind isn't on going to some stupid fundraiser. I don't want to get dressed with a noose around my neck, that if grandma knew what I screwed up this week she'd hang me by.

Climbing out of the rain locker I quickly dry off, comb my hair, brush my teeth and get dressed. Slapping on some cologne and popping in a breath mint, I grab my phone wallet and keys then head downstairs. Within fifteen minutes I was ready to walk out the door fully dressed including my tie. The guys looked at me when I came down and rolled their eyes.

"You take almost as long to get ready as the girls." Sawyer grumbled.

"Maybe but the difference between you and me is I make this look good." I smirk cockily walking past them and out the door to our waiting limo.

It was then I remembered I hadn't warned Riley what to expect tonight. Not that I won't be right next to her the entire time but I know these things can be intimidating to anyone who hasn't had to deal with the media or had to hobnob with the elite of California.

It can even get to those of us who grew up in it

I should have warned her. People are cold, rude and will look down their noses at anyone they think is below them. I've had it happen to me, that is until Grandma found out and made them apologize publicly for their behavior. It's never happened to me again but once was enough for me to never forget it and remember to never treat others that way.

Grandma has always enforced the mindset that you treat others the way you want to be treated. I'm a firm believer in this. I've seen the effects of people letting fame and money go to their heads. I've watched those people fall from the pedestal they put themselves on because of it. Roan was just the latest on that list.

It's what started the feud between him and his dad in the first place. Roan thought he was better than the rest of the team he played on back in New York. Not like the rest of the team didn't have their dad's who played in the MBL. Most of them did or had the money to get them on the team. Reese did his best to get Roan to see reason but his ego was bigger than he was. Roan got into a huge fight and got arrested for assault.

That's when Dillon and Grandma stepped in. Now Roan is going to face his parents for the first time since he was arrested. I'm not sure he knows they're going to be here tonight. I'm not sure if he cares. I do know that if he messes up this night for Grandma, she's going to kick his ass and no one will stand in her way.

The fact is Roan still hasn't learned

"What's wrong with you, Aiden? You look pissed." Harper asked, pulling from the memory.

Shaking my head I looked out the window at the stadium as we passed it. "I should have warned Riley. She's never dealt with something like this. You know she doesn't like to be the center of attention and some of those people..."

My mind goes right back to how Roan has behaved at house parties and outings. He's got an attitude no time has been able to erase. He thinks he deserves everything he wants without working for any of it. It's the reason he's not starting the games and warming the bench.

It's the reason Wyatt is popular with everyone and Roan can't seem to connect with anyone. It's the reason Roan has stayed very much alone except for those who think money makes them worthy of being adorn, that they should be bowed down to. It's not right and the rest of us have had enough.

"... And you know Hunter and the girls will have talked to her about it. Relax man, Riley will be fine. It's not like there's anyone there that would try shit after what happened last year. Grandma is a lion defending her cubs when anyone crosses one of us." Sawyer's confidence in our family to protect the rest is as strong as any as he reminds us of Mattox and what happened last year when he tried to drug Colby.

Man, Grandma was pissed off

But Riley isn't Colby. She's not family and is used to these events. I should have planned this out better. I should have taken her to dinner first and gotten our own car. I don't know what I was thinking. I didn't do this right at all and now it's too late to fix it.

Not that there's anything wrong with going with my family. I've always had a great time with them at these things but Leighton always wanted me to cater to her a bit. To take her out before and after. She liked me to make a show for her by letting her walk the red carpet without the others. Would Riley like that attention too?

"She's not Leighton, Aid. She's going to be fine with what you do or don't do." Landon, I swear, reads my mind.

"I just should have planned this better. Gotten her flowers and treated her to dinner and maybe made plans for afterwards." I feel like I'm gonna let her down.

"What's the matter, you suddenly afraid you aren't man enough for Riley?" Harper digs at me.

"Fuck you!" I respond, getting tsked at by all of them.

"Does she let you kiss her with that mouth?" Landon grins knowing he's poking the bear in me now.

"Yep, tongue too." I add knowing that they've succeeded in lightening my mood. "I just want tonight to be special for her."

"You don't think she expects all that shit Leighton did, do you?" Wyatt seems pretty nervous himself. "Should I have done that for Hunter?"

"Hunter is nothing like Leighton!" My head snaps around to him and I glare at him."I thought you two were just faking it? Is there something you'd like to explain?"

"Yeah, well, we are... we are just faking it, but you know, it'd be like more practice for us." Wyatt stutters when we look at him like this was the most absurd thing he could have said to us.

They've been "practicing" since they made this stupid decision to fake a relationship around campus for practice. I don't think anyone buys it but they've been making enough of an effort that people are starting to believe them. Not anyone who knows them well but strangers buy it. They're just too awkward with each other to believe it's real.

True to form we had to wait for the girls. Telling us to sit down and wait was nothing new for us. We turned on the TV, raided the refrigerator and waited. I know I can set my watch to the exact twenty minutes I'll be waiting for them too. Hunter, I swear, is OCD and is always exactly twenty minutes late every single time.

It was absolutely worth the twenty minutes though. Sitting there staring at the TV then glancing up to see Riley coming towards me looking like an angel. All that long dark hair curled up in a mass of ringlets cascading over one shoulder and down the back of her baby blue dress with silver sparkles through it, setting off the lights into a rainbow of colors.

I was frozen just looking at her and my first coherent thought was if we could just dodge the whole thing, I won't have to share her. If I could just get the others to leave so I can keep her to myself. From personal experience I know that I am going to be sharing her with my family and every dickwad who eye fucks her I'm going to be flattening.

I just hope Grandma will make my bail.

I feel like Cinderella getting ready for the ball with Prince Charming. Even the dress that the girls helped me find reminds me of a fairy tale princess. Hunter swears Aiden is far from being a prince but I beg to differ. He's been every inch of a prince to me. And I'm afraid that midnight is going to change everything back to the way it was before I met him.

"I wish I had your hair." Emery gushes. "It holds the curls perfectly."

"Here, you have to wear these. They match the gown." Hunter holds out a pair of teardrop diamond earrings for me.

"Oh yes, I forgot you had those." Emery agrees quickly, helping Hunter put them on me. "They're perfect!"

"I shouldn't wear them, you should." I protest for all the good it does me. These two have had their way since they took me shopping. "I might lose them."

Emery snorted out a laugh. "Hunter lost the first pair she had of them too. Blake had to buy her the second pair."

I can't imagine owning the first pair

She wraps another lock of hair around the hot iron and rolls it up tight to my head. While Emery works on my hair Colby finishes my makeup. I truly feel lavish being pampered like I have today. We went to get our nails done and had pedicures.

After seeing how stressed I was, Hunter offered to get me a massage but I didn't have enough money for it and I wanted to cover my own expenses. Hunter already insisted on paying for the dress and I'm determined to pay her back for it once I get another job.

I just need to find one or a fairy Godmother to get enough money to pay for my car repairs, again and the dress. I've already started looking at my classes for next semester and my financial aid isn't going to cover all my classes. I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I can't find a job soon. One thing is certain, I won't be able to go home for winter break.

I'll have to break the news to Dad soon.

Because of the girls spending so much time on me, when the guys arrived to get us, we weren't ready. Hunter didn't seem concerned about making them wait. She swore she would be ready in twenty minutes and sure enough we were walking out of the bedroom twenty minutes later on the dot.

"Wow!" Sawyer grinned stepping in front of Aiden and taking my hand. "You look stunning, sweetheart. I'm so glad you decided to dump Aiden and come with me."

Blushing in embarrassment over the attention, I was surprised when Aiden shoved Sawyer aside muttering what Sawyer could do to himself which I doubt is physically possible but Sawyer seemed to take it in fun and laughed at Aiden's sudden possessiveness.

Hunter walks over passing a bag to Aiden. "I know you won't be bringing her home tonight, so I packed some things for you. You can thank me later."

She moved on to stand in front of a speechless Wyatt. After a twirl in front of him, she got the reaction she wanted from him and with her index finger under his chin, she closed his mouth. Smug with the response, she guided the awe struck Wyatt out the door, while Landon and Colby walked out behind them, heads together as they concoct the story for the family.

"I should have bought you flowers." Aiden seems stunned that I am able to pull the dress off.

"Do you think I need them? I didn't expect them." The others didn't get flowers, why would he have to give them to me?

"I'm not dating them and they're family. You are my date, my girlfriend. I'm sorry, it's been a really bad week. I've forgotten a lot." Aiden kisses my cheek. "You look stunning, baby. Absolutely stunning."

"Hunter said this was okay but... I feel really weird... I don't dress up like this." I'm starting to ramble and I know that's a bad sign for the night to come.

"You look perfect. You are perfect, Riley. I'm the luckiest guy in the world tonight because I'm going to this thing with you on my arm." Holding out his arm for me, he wraps my hand in the crook of his arm and escorts me out.

We rode together in a long black stretch limo, soft luxurious leather seats, glasses of champagne for each of us and all of us talking at once. The ride went fast. With Aiden sitting next to me and rubbing his thumb over my knuckles while he held my hand. I know he was trying to soothe my nerves but it wasn't working.

The minute we turned in the drive and I saw the crowd of people, flashing lights and could hear the noise I knew I was out of my element.

Long cars waited in line as stars and celebrities, sports people and the like exited each car being greeted by screams and calls, whistles and flashes of cameras. I could feel my pulse jump every time we moved up the next car length. Hunter nudges Wyatt to refill my glass. I don't think I even realized that I drank the first glass.

"They're just people like everyone else, Riley." Hunter reminds me of what she had told me earlier. "Aiden, don't you dare leave her alone tonight. I give you my word Riley, one of will be with you at all times."

The girls made a vow tonight to me. We weren't going to go anywhere alone. I guess Colby had a bad experience a year ago and all of them regret it. A blessing for me that they won't see it happening again.

"I'm right here, baby. You just keep your hand in mine and we'll be inside in no time." Aiden assured me as we reached the front of the line.

The car door opened up and there were people already calling to each of the family as soon as they got out of the car. Aiden scooted out before me and held his hand out to help me out of the car.

Sawyer nodded to me as Emery squeezed my hand. "You stay with Aiden, he won't let anything happen to you." She nods before I slide from the seat and stand up immediately getting blinded by the flashes.

"I've got you, Riley." Aiden loops my hand around his arm and guides me to the red carpet. "We're going to walk up the carpet and I'll have to do a couple interviews in there then we'll go into the lobby. There's going to be a lot of people in there and we'll regroup with the others. From there we'll go inside to find our table and the family. Just smile, you're going to be fine."

It was easy for him to say. He was a natural in front of the camera. He answered or avoided questions with ease and didn't seem to get flustered at all even when he was asked where his girlfriend was.

"She's right here!" Aiden hollered back to the man. "Isn't she gorgeous?"

I know I blushed as flashes went off in my face. He was asked about the upcoming game, about the draft and what team he was hoping to get on. He was asked if Leighton was coming and ignored the question, and asked who I was but didn't answer that one either.

"I shouldn't have come here." I whispered to myself when we walked into the lobby and into the room of beautiful people.

Gowns glittered and shimmered, men dressed in tuxedos and women laced in jewels. There were enough diamonds in the room to feed a small country for years. I was in awe and out of my depths.

"You're right where you belong, Riley." Aiden whispered before kissing the side of my head. "With me."

He kept me close to his side as he introduced me to family friends and people who knew his uncle. We weaved through the crowd stopping here and there to say hello and make brief conversation. Aiden just finished talking to a man named Montgomery that played football with Blake when I could hear someone calling his name.

"Aiden! Aiden!"

He paused stiffly before squeezing my hand. "I didn't know." He began but before he could finish a hand gripped his and turned him away from me.

"Darling, I've been looking everywhere for you." I recognized her from the photo I'd seen on Aiden's dresser. The photo he'd taken down and replaced with one of us. It was her, she looked just as much like a movie star in person as she did in the photo.

"Don't touch me!" Aiden jerked away from her before stepping back to wrap his arm around me. "We broke up, Leighton. Months ago, I broke up with you. Don't act like it didn't happen."

The brief glimpse of hurt was masked by a sullen pout. As if she was wounded by his comment. It was clear that Hollywood had made its mark on her by the dramatic response on her face. She worked the crowd with her eyes as if making sure someone was watching that would spread the word of her pain.