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Riff x artist!Reader Chapter 3

Notes: sorry guys.😭 I wasnt feeling that great in the last weeks, thats why it took me so long to write a new Chapter. I m trying my best, Friends.✨Hope you like it. Stay Hydrated, love Mai💗

Warnings: bad grammar

Desperate about what had happend to my painting, I sat on the fire escape and pondered. I had to find a plan as quickly as possible. Preferably one that could still work out today. It was already in the afternoon. The sun was shining between the skyscrapers of the city. I saw mrs Murphy lugging her groceries across the street, talking to the janitor of the building across the street. She was probably spreading the latest gossip she had heard at the market. I found myself thinking about Riff again. I had heard his name before - I was convinced of it by now. Maybe mrs Murphy had talked about him once. I thought about how she would spread gossip about me and Riff. I would much rather have that, than stories about me and Tommy of whether or not we were engaged.

Only now the stories about me and Riff were not even that unrealistic. I thought with horror that Mrs Murphy could have found my drawings. If that had happened, then I was as good as dead. My father would probably lock me up in our apartment for months and John would lock up my stuff, or worse, throw it away.

John couldn't stand it if I had feelings for a jet. Or any gang member. He's dreamed of seeing me and Tommy together for too long. Nothing could stop him. Sometimes I think about what I would do if women had the same rights as men. I wouldn't be here anymore. Maybe I would travel around the world, or wear pants. But these kind of thoughts were pointless.

I thought I had reached a new low point of the day, when suddenly I had an idea.

John really wanted me and Tommy to get together. That was for sure. So what if I just played along.

"Brother, I have a question. I know I've already been to docs once today. But is there any way I can go there again real quick? I'll be back in 15 minutes I promise."

" I don't think so. I don't like you spending so much time there. Those gang boys hang out there a lot. That's no place for a young lady like you."

" I know, I know John. But you know I've been thinking about it and...I'd like to ask Tommy out.“ i tried to sound as honest as possible. „ And he's coming to see you tonight. So I thought it would be nice if I got him his favorite chocolate from Valentina. He really likes it and I would love to have a present for him. He is always so generous to me. Please John."

"If that's the case, then thats fine with me. I'm glad you finally fancy him. I've always said you'd make a beautiful couple. But be back in time."

I really hoped he didnt notice my fake smile. The idea of me and Tommy as a couple was too horrible. Nevertheless, I could not help but rejoice. If I was lucky, the painting was still where I had lost it.

I walked through the noisy streets of new york. Past the paperboys on the street corner. A confident look on my face. A bag in one hand. The other one was nervously playing with the hem of my skirt. A habit since childhood. Father had always hated it. He said that my insecurity could be seen from miles away. Besides fidgeting was nothing what a young woman in my social rank did.

Fortunately for me, Valentina had not yet closed. Without thinking further, I went into the store. At first glance it was dark and no one was to be seen. But I heard voices coming from the basement. It had to be Tony and Valentina.

"They will be with me soon," I thought. I was overwhelmed that I was so lucky again. There was no one in the store, which meant I could search intensively for my picture. Without having to find a stupid excuse like "I dropped my pearl earrings" . This thought made me smile.

I went to the table where I had been sitting in the morning. This was the last time i Hand Seen my painting. But instead of my drawing, there was only a pack of cigarettes. The box was almost empty. Only one cigarette was still in it. Dark blue paint was stuck to the side of the box. I took it in my hand to have a better look. Even though my brother and father had the habit of smoking, I had never held such a pack in my hand before. My brother said it was not something suited for me. Just like alcohol.

I had always kept to the rules of the two men, but in this moment the feeling of curiosity overcame me for the first time. What would happen if I would not keep to these rules. But before I should continue to think about whether I should dare to smoke a cigarette or drink a sip from the gin bottle that stood on the top shelf of the kitchen, the door opened behind me. Without giving it much thought, I put the pack of cigarettes in my pocket.

Standing in front of me were Tony and...

Not Valentina. It was Tony and Riff. The two were still engaged in their conversation. Neither had noticed me.

"Come on Tony, it will be fun for you to dance again. And please let me know if you find out anything."

Nervously I started playing with the hem of my skirt again. I wanted to stare at the floor but instead I looked at him again. As if we were the only two people on this planet. He had a beautiful laugh. One of those laughs you always want to hear. His whole face was beaming.

He turned his head a little to the side. With his left hand, unnoticed by Tony, he reached into the bowl next to him.

"Would he look at me? Would he know it was me who had drawn him like a madwoman in front of the store. Maybe he'd say something to me..."

The thoughts just bubbled in my head. I had the feeling of completely losing my mind. I didn't even know this young man! What was i thinking?!

„Yeah, we'll see. And hey, Riff! Don't steal milkyways again." Tony tried to take the candy out of Riff's hand. But Riff was faster, he turned around and ran past me without giving me a glance. I didn't realize what had happened until the door had closed behind him and Tony had said my name out loud several times.

The rest of the day felt numb. I bought the chocolate for Tommy and asked Tony as uninterested and normal as I could about the drawing. But Tony just gave me a knowing look and told me to ask Valentina about the drawing. Tony definitely knew more than he wanted to say. He had probably found the drawing himself. Normally I would be freaking out now. Or start asking Tony about every detail he knew. But the disappointment that Riff hadn't even noticed me, had already triggered a different feeling.

Lost in my thoughts, I walked home. I hadn't been feeling this low in a long time. Now I had to go on this stupid date with Tommy. And my excuse was pointless. With my head down I walked along the street. Not knowing that on the other side, across from docs, an excited young man was walking up and down the road. In the small pocket of his ripped shirt, was a carefully folded sheet of paper.

Riff x artist!reader Chapter 2

Notes: hey Part twoooo is here! 🍄

Warnings: just bad writing, swearing

The morning sun was shining through my room as I packed my bag. John had told me in the evening to not draw again today. But he certainly couldn`t say anything against the fact that I wanted to go and buy things we needed. So I hid paintbrushes and pencils between the shopping list and money in my bag. My plan was to run as fast as possible to docs, then I had about ten minutes for a small sketch, After that I could do the errands and paint a little in the store while I talked to Valentina. After all, my brother could hardly object if I talked to another woman and was therefore a little late. Convinced of my plan, I ran to the apartment door and quickly said goodbye to my brother. I almost jumped down the stairs to the next floor. Hopefully the neighbor Mrs Murphy wouldn't stop me. She was always interested in the latest gossip from the block. Several times she had asked me if Tommy and I were going to get married soon. Why did everyone think I wanted to?

It wasn`t a long way to docs. I had been going there since I was a little girl, most times to look at the colorful candy. Once or twice valetina had given me a little chocolate. I had been overjoyed. Since her husband had died a while ago, I went at least once a week. Even if I had nothing to get from the shop. I just loved the little store and its cheerful owner. But my father had forbidden me to visit the store that often. "Too many bad young guys are going there " he had said. So i didnt visit Valentina regularly and if i was then only in the mornings. My father had said that it was the only time I should be out and about in the neighborhood, since the Jets were probably not up at that time of day yet.

I only had a few minutes to unpack my things. I sat down on a bench across from docs and started drawing. Quick strokes on the bright paper. It took only a few moments for the outline of the building. Then I got down to the details. The windows, the small display and the sign that hung above the door. The next time I looked up, I saw him. I thought I was dreaming, but in front of the store stood the young man from the subway train. He argued with Valentina.

"Hey, come on, just two minutes. I really need to talk to Tony.“

Could it really be him? And what was he doing here? Why was he arguing with Valentina?

Too many thoughts were in my head at once. I needed to draw. This time I was not interrupted. I couldn't help it and started sketching what was in front of me. More importantly I started to sketch him. His lean body, his paint-stained hands, his long fingers holding a cigarette. The brown tousled hair, the cheeky grin and those beautiful eyes. Everything was suddenly in front of me on the paper. Too big was the fear to forget him again.

"Fuck come on. I swear I won't steal anything."

"Well, maybe not this time. You've always stolen from me boy, don't think I'll let a criminal like you in my store again." Valentina's voice grew louder. It seemed to be very important to her, she was not someone who just raised her voice. But instead of worrying about Valentina, my thoughts were only filled with the man in front of me. She knew him, and that must mean she probably knew a name to that face. How much I would like to know his name. How much I would like to look at him from up close.

„Y/N "All at once I was torn from my thoughts. I had forgotten what my real goal was. I was running out of time.

"Y/N, sweetheart how nice to see you. Come on in. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore, I successfully chased him away. Come here and sit with me." she pointed at the chair by the window. "I haven't seen you for so long. How can I help you?

I gave her my list. She went right out and started looking on the shelves.

I chewed on my lower lip. Should I ask her? But she shouldn't think i was interested at all, otherwise it could lead to big problems. Besides, she had called him a criminal. That wasn't exactly a positive description.

"Who was that?"

"What do you mean, child?"

" the young gentleman you had a fight with? What did he want?"

Before she could answer, I heard footsteps and then the door to the basement open. Tony was standing there. I didn't really know him, we had only spoken once or twice. He worked and lived with Valentina. I think she saw him kinda as a son. He was tall and muscular. Most of the time he helped her with the heavy boxes from the warehouse or climbed up the ladders when something was needed from on top of the cupboards. Most of the time he looked a bit sad but still smiled friendly when he saw me in the store.

"Hey, what's this about? Who were you fighting with Valentina?" he looked worried at the woman in front of him, before giving her a kiss on the cheek to continue carrying boxes.

" your annoying friend was here again, asking for you"

"You mean Riff? I'm sorry he was here again. I told him you didn't want him here."

"If only he would listen. That boy is nothing but trouble."

Attentively I stood there and listened to the conversation. Riff? What kind of name was that? Somehow I had the feeling that I had heard this name before.

I looked at the clock above the door. It was already 10 minutes past the scheduled time. So I had only about 3 minutes to get back to the apartment in time. I had just spent too much time in front of the store. I paid and took the bag with my purchases from Valentina's hand. "Thank you very much. See you soon. I have to hurry or I'll be late. It gushed out of me before I heard the door close behind me. I ran to the next street corner and then started walking regularly. No one should notice that I had run all the way. That wouldn’t have been really ladylike. And Mrs Murphy would certainly ask me about it later or would gossip with the other neighbors. They definitely shouldn’t know I was that excited about a boy.

Fortunately John was in a good mood. He didn't say anything else about me being late, even though I got a slightly annoyed look when I stumbled through the door. But thanks to the good weather, he seemed to forgive me.

In my room I had the first chance to remember what I had experienced. And quickly I disappeared into a daydream about the mysterious man to whom I finally had a name. I thought about how it would be to run through his hair or touch his hand. He had had paint on his hand. Maybe he liked to paint too, I thought dreamily.

Wait. Paint. Painting…Painting ! "Crap" more swear words wanted to burst out of me but I thankfully remembered that my brother was sitting in the room next to me.

I couldn't see my drawing anywhere. I started to panic. Maybe I had lost it while running home. Or even worse, maybe I had left it with Valentina. I could not believe it. This could be horrible. If someone saw it… I wouldn’t know what to do.

I had to think of something as soon as possible, so that I could return to doc's store. And hopefully find my drawing before it might fall into someone’s hands.