A/N: Hello again, lovelies! Thank you to all who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited. Here's the next chapter for ya. If I have time to get my ninth and tenth chapters written, I'll post TWO chapters next week. Does that sound good? Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Riley rested her head in her hands as she looked at the pixelated image of Maya on her computer screen and waited for her best friend to respond.

"Why do you even sit with Pam and Abi and their friends?" Maya asked, her face laced with concern over her best friend. She didn't like what she heard from Riley. If they said that to Riley when she was there, they would have met her second best friend.

"I don't know," Riley said as she straightened her posture and folded her arms in front of her. Since her first year of high school, Riley had hung out with Pam, a taller girl with pencil straight brown hair, and Abi, a girl about Riley's height who had unusually dark brown eyes and hair to match. They sort of took her in, but lately it seems like they were showing their true colors. "I'm hoping they'll change somehow? They seem different around their other friends." Or maybe they're different around me, she thought.

Maya blew her long blonde bangs out of her face. "My poor Riles. I wish I could be there for you more often."

"Thanks… but alas something gets in the way again, like every time."

Maya frowned. She honestly wished she could do something more for her. "I know. We still on for the movies this weekend?"

Riley face brightened as she nodded. "Yep. Wouldn't miss it for anything!"

Maya smiled when she saw her best friend perk up. That's the Riley we all love. "Alright, I hate to do this but I gotta go."

"I understand. See you tomorrow."

"See ya."

Riley pressed the 'end call' button and closed her laptop. She walked over to her bed and threw herself down onto it. Why did she hang out with Pam and Abi? There were the obvious reasons: they were in majority of her classes, they cared for her at one point (maybe they did, Riley wasn't entirely sure anymore), and they seemed to like to work with her.

What if that's all just a ruse? Riley thought as she threw one of her smaller pillows in the air and caught it. As she continued to throw and catch the pillow, Riley thought back to the past four years.

Throughout their time in high school, Riley can recall being invited by one of them twice, maybe three times out of all the get togethers they planned. And out of those three times, Riley only went to one event. The first one she was invited to was Pam's birthday party: a horror movie marathon. Riley wasn't one for scary movies and Pam knew that, but Pam decided to invite her anyway so she didn't feel left out. Riley politely declined, but was upset to find out that they didn't even watch any horror flicks after all. It may sound silly that she was upset over it, but when they specifically said that they were having a horror movie marathon, it hurt to find out that they didn't and she could have attended.

That one event she went to was Abi's sweet 16, and she didn't even have a good time there. It was like being at school all over again. All the other friends conversed amongst themselves, and Riley ended up sitting at the end of the table pretending to be interested in the table decorations.

Then there were the times when her two of her former best friends, Hannah and Grace, started to get the group together for bowling. Riley didn't even know that they were bowling until she texted Maya one night asking if they could talk. Maya was very confused when she responded. The group told Maya that Riley was busy that night and wasn't able to come. Riley spent that night curled up in a ball on the floor, trying to read through her tears, upset that she was once again completely alone.

Tears began to slide down Riley's cheeks as she recalled everything that her so called 'friends' had done. She'd much rather be alone than to associate with any of them again. But why didn't she separate herself from the group? Riley wanted someone to talk to. Yes, she considered Maya to be a sister and could always talk to her, but she wasn't always available when she needed to talk things over. Majority of the time, technology would get in the way and wouldn't allow them to communicate. Phone calls, texts, emails, instant message… it didn't matter the communication style, technology would sabotage it somehow.

Riley grasped the pillow in her arms and rolled over onto her side. She desperately wanted someone to talk to about her past. She wanted someone who was willing to ask 'why?' instead of giving her pity.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Riley tried to talk to the others in the friend group; however, they seemed interested at first, but then they ended up ignoring her; or they would come up with a reason not to listen to her at all. She was there for them so many times that she lost count, why couldn't they do the same for her? It's not that Riley felt that they owed her for anything; she just wanted to be heard. These actions made her feel that she was bothering everyone she talked to. Riley also wanted to be able to tell them how they were hurting her. Words do hurt, despite the famous saying. Whoever thought of that clearly didn't go through what I have been the past few years. But if they didn't want to listen to her in the first place, what was the point in trying?

Also, all the betrayals that she experienced gave her great trust issues, that the only person she trusted outside the family was Maya. Heck, she trusted Maya with this information more than her own family. It wasn't that she didn't love her and trust her family. Riley did. But sometimes you need someone outside the family to get advice from. And right now, that didn't leave too many options.

I just want someone who will listen and ask why, Riley thought. I want someone who cares.

A/N #2: Hope you're enjoying it! If you could take a moment and leave a review before you head out that would be great :) So, hope I have time to write those two chapters, and keep an eye out for another little surprise I'll be posting on Christmas morning! Until next time!