Emma woke up. Today they were letting her go home, back to her parents' house, and back to civilisation. Lisa walked into the room and looked at her through smiling eyes;
"You all set?"
"I've been ready to leave all week!" Emma replied happily, running her hand through her hair she looked at the wheel chair next to her bed which was going to be her means of transport for the next few weeks.
"Let's get you sorted then." Lisa helped Emma into her wheelchair, flustering and mothering all the while. Lisa had two daughters at home, both younger than Emma and the fussing came naturally.
Emma's mother rounded the corner and was nearly knocked over as Emma whizzed around.
"Slow down Em! I'm glad you're out of that bed finally but take it easy!" She said.
"Let's go home." Emma replied.
"You'll need to come back to get a check up on your legs in a week, and maybe look into a time frame for when you can have your cast taken off and then different types of physiotherapy. And of course," Lisa said tears brimming, "to come and visit me!"
"Of course!" Emma replied smiling happily.
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Rikki didn't feel anything. The only time she felt like she had emotions was when she was drunk, and her stomach felt too fragile for early morning drinking today. She chose instead to sit in the shade of a large tree by the water's edge and relax, and smoke the last of her tobacco. Cigarette pursed in her lips, she moved onto her stomach and leaned dangerously close to the water looking at her own reflection. Her sunglasses hid her always tired eyes, and managed to keep her face from looking too gaunt. She dropped her cigarette tab onto the still water and listened to it hiss, watching it simmer then be carried away from her in the slight current. A shadow fell across her and she rolled over and sat looking up at Nate.
"Hi there." He said grinning down at her.
"You got a cigarette?" She asked him,
"What? Yeh...it's my last box I'm quitting again on Monday!" Nate smiled passing the cigarette to Rikki who took.
"I'm just heading to the bottle shop, wanna come?" He leant down and lit her cigarette.
"I'm going for a swim actually..." Rikki replied, and Nate looked instantly disheartened. "But how about I give you a text after, where you headed?"
"Some guys from footie are having a party to celebrate the win yesterday."
"Right-o, I'll give you a text and I'll meet you there. I'm up for a party."
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"Rikki slept with Nate!" Emma yelled and Cleo held a finger to her lips.
"Not so loud!" Cleo squealed back and staring around.
"Nice to see you can keep a secret for more than five minutes Cleo." Rikki said in cold voice. Cleo and Emma both jumped as Rikki popped her head up from the water on the peer.
"Not drunk today?" Emma replied jumping to Cleo's defence. Rikki frowned, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Funny." She snapped, but her face relaxed as she surveyed Emma in her wheelchair. "How are you?"
"I'm ok." Emma replied and then looking at Cleo who was biting her lip nervously. "Rikki listen, do you want to come to mine tonight?"
"I'm going to a party with Nate; you guys can come if you want."
Cleo and Emma raised their eyebrows at this odd reply. "I-I'll give you a call, I've got to get back and check in with my mum."
Rikki nodded, smiled slightly and then submerged into the water again.
"I'm going to ring Zane, she's out of control." Emma whispered to Cleo.
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Zane hung up the phone and threw it at the wall smashing it. He felt hot tears running down his face but wiped them away his jaw clenched tightly, and struggled to keep his breathing even. Grabbing his car keys he stormed towards his car, Emma's words ringing in his ears.
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Rikki sat on a chair on the balcony looking down on the party raging below her. She thought about her life as she drank her beer and smoked another cigarette, and knew things were out of control. When she thought of Zane she felt her stomach clench with guilt. She picked up her phone and decided to ring him, she'd tell him everything and she'd take the consequences. His phone jumped straight to answer phone. She rang Emma.
"Hey Em, I'm sorry about earlier. Are you coming to this party?"
"Cleo and Lewis are going down because his brother's doing the music but I'm not feeling up to it."
"I can't get in contact with Zane, and I need to speak to him."
"About what?" Emma asked, biting her lip.
"I'm going to tell him about me and Zane, it was a mistake."
"Rikki...I already told him."
Rikki froze, the bottle in her hand falling to the ground and smashing. She hung up the phone quickly, a lump rising in her throat.
She stood up and lent down to get her bag, cutting her fingers on the broken glass. Tears were welling in her eyes, but she held them back and ran down the stairs to try and find Nate.
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Zane dragged Nate into the street behind the party.
"You slept with Rikki." Zane said. It was not a question.
"Zane, mate, I don't remember. We were both upset, and drinking, next thing I know I'm waking up at her place." Nate replied quietly.
"You know how much I love her...how much I loved her." He corrected frowning.
"You're going to throw it away because of one stupid night?"
"I don't know. No, I mean...how can I even go back after what you both did?" With this Zane lost control, clenching his fists as tight as he could and hit Nate in the face who staggered backwards.
"Zane please just listen to me." Nate pleaded.
Zane swung his fists again and again until Nate lay gasping at his feet.
"Zane what are you doing?" Rikki yelled appearing in the street.
"Don't talk to me." He said looking at her coldly.
She approached him and stood awkwardly to his left.
"I'm sorry." Rikki said, she no longer had tears in her eyes but the pain in her voice made Zane turn to face her.
"Is that all you want to say?"
Rikki looked at the floor and then back into Zane's red and sweating face. "I told you I always hurt people Zane."
Zane looked from Nate who was still panting on the floor and Rikki who was staring up at him trying to read his expression.
"I'll see you." He said in a dead sort of tone and walked over to his car, then drove away into the darkness.
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It's been a while, and since I didn't want anyone to die (rebel16 :) ) I thought I'd better put something up. I've been writing some other stuff you see so this one got pushed the back of the queue. Hopefully Rikki will snap out of his depression soon, ahy? Reviews would be useful, and any ideas on what you'd like to happen in the story would be appreciated. (A)(E) x