Over the next week, Riley did everything in her power to avoid Noah. She sat with Ian when he was awake enough to eat dinner with her, or with her Firefly friends who welcomed her with open arms. There were only three members of her squad who had supposedly survived, as she had discovered the day after Noah had kissed her: Alexander, Jerry, and Daniel.
Jerry was as sleazy and horse-faced as ever, his thin lips constantly twisted into a sneer like he smelled something awful. Riley steered clear of him, too. Daniel didn't challenge anyone to arm wrestling matches anymore, not even Alexander. Alex had turned sombre like Daniel, but then again he was never the most chipper person Riley knew.
Today's weather was essentially the opposite of last week's heat wave. The rain hammered on the roof of the cafeteria, like a million fingers playing a drum solo. Raindrops slithered down the window panes, as if they were in an endless race to reach the puddles forming on the slick pavement below. The weather seemed to match Riley's mood: dreary. Jason hadn't shown up, not even at her dorm room. Though she refused to believe it, the trickle of hope that he was alive and well began to evaporate. And seeing Elena in the hands of Noah, along with the sudden and inexplicable rejection from Jason's parents merely cemented the growing feeling of hopelessness in her mind.
Riley sighed as she chased her boiled peas and carrots around her plate with her fork. Her mind was a muddled mess of confused thoughts, chasing each other around like her fork and the vegetables. Ian had assured her Jason was safe, but if he was safe, why couldn't he tell her where he was? Was he lying to her? Did he actually know, or was he just saying things to keep her from freaking out?
Ian wouldn't lie to me…He knows how much I care about Jason. He may be tough as nails on the outside, but he's sympathetic and caring on the inside. He wouldn't lie, not to me… Riley thought as her cheek sagged against her palm, which was supporting it. Even though she couldn't stand him, she unconsciously scanned the rowdy dinner crowd for Noah from her spot beside Alex, Daniel, and a few other Fireflies. They paid little attention to her since she wasn't contributing to the conversation, which she absentmindedly noted had turned from discussing the best type of alcoholic beverage to use for Molotovs to their assignment for history class. After everything that had happened, Riley still couldn't believe she had to go to school. A quarter of her class was dead, and there were few enough kids now that the teachers added students from different grades to learn independently within their classes. So instead of learning Grade 11 history with 20 classmates her own age, she was now learning it with a mixture of about thirteen Grade 11's, three Grade 12's, and four Grade 9's.
Noah was where he usually was, sitting by the window on the opposite end of the room. A few other newly minted Cobras sat with him. She noticed that for the seventh day in a row she hadn't seen them eat solid food. It was always soups, yogurt, or smoothies. She figured it was so the food would go down easier while their throats healed. Riley had also seen them training with Rowland, whether it was sparring in the compound yard or learning to jump roofs. It wasn't uncommon for one of them to come back with a sprained ankle or covered in bruises.
Riley nearly jumped out of her skin as she felt a hand settle on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Ian smiling in greeting at her, with traces of sleepiness still clinging to his electric blue eyes. In her opinion, he seemed more like himself without his contacts on. Ian motioned his head to the exit, and she gladly left her depressing ponderings at the table as she deposited her tray atop a garbage bin and followed him.
They halted just outside the closed doorway, out of earshot of the eavesdropping and rumor-spreading teenagers in the cafeteria. If there was one thing that didn't change with the desolation of the military, it was the incessantly annoying habits of teenage gossip. And with all of them crammed under one roof, rumors spread like wildfire.
"I've been noticing you don't seem very happy around your friends lately. What's up?" Ian queried innocently, picking at an imaginary loose thread on the shoulder of his black t-shirt. He wasn't one for rain jackets, Riley noted.
Riley wanted to slap him for his obliviousness, but he had at least a foot of height on her and twice the muscle. She settled for dry sarcasm. "Oh, let's see. My boyfriend mysteriously disappeared a week ago and hasn't shown up since, and the people I thought loved me like a daughter kicked me out of their apartment, telling me never to come back. To top it off, a complete stranger by the name of Noah kissed me! You think that wouldn't make a person a little depressed?"
Ian raised a questioning eyebrow, that innocent façade still pasted on his face, smoothing his features and hiding any inner feelings perfectly. Riley had confided in him about the incident at the barn, and he couldn't help but let out a brief chuckle. It died as a cough at Riley's furious glare. That's what boyfriends are supposed to do. He thought bemusedly to himself. He felt guilty for playing dumb whenever she mentioned Jason, but Noah wasn't Jason anymore, at least not in the Cobras' eyes. He doubted Noah thought he was still Jason, either.
"I'll have a word with Noah later, then. He seems to like you, are you sure you don't want to give him another shot?" Ian asked idly, only to discard the idea as Riley shot him another death glare. "Okay, maybe not. Anyway, I need to ask you a favor. Since you're a Firefly, you have to complete Firefly duties. I know you've been doing patrols and such, but I need you to deliver a letter to a friend of mine by the name of Patrick in Wall Market. Can you do that for me?" His tone turned serious, and Riley blanched at the request. Wall Market was the name given to the shadiest part of the QZ, crawling with smugglers, criminals, and a thriving black market.
"You crazy son of a bitch! Are you trying to get me killed? Besides, there's no reason you can't do it yourself." Riley protested, crossing her arms with an indignant huff. She trusted Ian, but she had her limits. He was definitely crossing the line.
Ian took a deep breath, staring up at the concrete ceiling for a moment to calm himself. "First of all, don't insult my mother." He growled through gritted teeth, and a spurt of fear surged up Riley's spine, but she refused to cower at the razor edge in his voice. "Second, they know my face there. Let's just say they won't welcome me with open arms. Thirdly, you won't be going alone. I'm sending Noah with you, after he and I have a little chat."
"Okay, now I'm definitely not going. Not with that perverted asshole." Riley said flatly.
"Please, it's really important to me!" Ian pleaded as he clasped his hands together, "Plus, I know Noah wants to make it up to you. He's really sorry for last week, and this will be a good chance for him to practice stealth. Please?"
"If Noah was sorry, he'd tell me himself. I'm not going with him." Riley stated with finality, and tried not to cave as Ian's shoulders slumped forward dejectedly.
"Noah can't talk. I promise to give you a lesson in French-kissing if you deliver the letter for me." Ian purred seductively, tucking a strand of loose hair behind Riley's ear. The resulting shiver down her spine told her that her body hadn't forgotten the last time she kissed him, and how sweet he tasted. It was tempting, and with Jason gone…
"Is this how you bribe the other girls? I am not your sex toy, Dominique!" Riley yelled more harshly than she intended, flinging her hands up to cover her mouth in surprise as she shrieked his real name. Ian went pale, his eyes widening as there was a momentary lull in the din of the cafeteria chatter. It picked up again seconds later, and Riley pushed past Ian and out into the rain. Ian stood rooted to the spot in a temporary daze, shaking himself out of it a few moments later. He trotted after her, his clothes and hair getting instantly soaked. At least the cool rain felt good on his skin. It was better than the baking sun.
Riley whipped around as he grabbed at her arm, her blue eyes blazing with fury. "I'm sorry, Riley. I didn't mean I wanted to take advantage of you." His usual confidence and swagger was gone, replaced with sincerity.
"Then what did you mean?" The girl planted one hand on her hip, leering at him expectantly. Rain soaked through her purple tank top, turning her hair the colour of wet sand.
"I…I…" Ian stammered pathetically, trying to get over the block in his throat. Riley sighed in frustration, hardly giving him a chance to collect his thoughts before she stormed off. Ian called her name again, but she didn't answer. She continued stalking in the direction of her dorm. He loped after her, reaching out just enough to brush his fingers against her shoulder.
Riley turned on him, her face twisted into a snarl. "Leave me alone, Ian! I said no!"
"Riley, I know you're upset, but please believe me when I say I need you to deliver that letter. It can't wait until tomorrow, and I don't trust anyone else to do it for me. I'll do whatever you want, if you'll just get that letter to Patrick. He's short, bald, and has a cataract on his left eye. Can't miss him." Ian begged desperately, holding Riley at arm's length.
"Tell me where Jason is. Then I'll go." Riley said firmly, staring Ian straight in the eye.
Except that. Ian internally groaned. "He's closer than you think."
A glimmer of hope flickered in Riley's eyes, but then dimmed again like a dying ember. "That's not good enough."
Ian bit his lip, staring up at the weeping clouds as if they were going to provide an answer for him. "If you go to Wall Market with Noah, Jason will be there. I guarantee it." He clenched his teeth for playing her as a fool again, but his body loosened up as she threw her arms around his neck, giving a joyful squeal. She pecked him gratefully on the cheek, beaming as she took his hand and tugged him back into the dry safety of the barracks. He wished he could make her happy like this all the time, and without the guilt.
Once inside, Ian shook himself like a wet dog, rubbing the water from his dripping hair. Riley giggled as he sprayed water droplets on her as she wrung her own hair out. "Give me ten minutes to talk to Noah, and then you can go. Take your rifle with you, just in case. And don't eavesdrop." Ian warned authoritatively, jogging off to find Noah amid the conglomeration of Fireflies. Riley was left alone in the hall, shivering more from giddiness than the cold. She was going to see Jason again.
A moment later, Ian and Noah strode into one of the empty rooms of the barracks, but not before the former gave Riley another warning glare. Riley knew not to cross him, but she couldn't resist inching closer to the door when Ian had shut it.
"So, how've you and Riley been doing?" Ian questioned quietly. He had a feeling Riley was listening, so he spoke in a murmur. He sat opposite Noah on the bottom bunk bed, the rusty springs squeaking under his weight. The rain hammering against the window was even louder here without the noisy talk in the cafeteria.
Noah shrugged, the corner of his lip tugged downward into a half-frown.
"I figured. You can talk to me in Sign, I know the language. It's the only useful thing my parents taught me besides killing people and horse riding. My mother was mute. Naturally, I mean." He elucidated at Noah's raised eyebrow.
Noah nodded, signing, "Why can't I tell Riley who I am? It's killing me, treating her like a stranger." He sighed sadly through his nose.
Ian frowned. It wasn't the first time he had asked him this question. "I told you, you're not the same person anymore. The person you were before you became a Cobra is dead, along with everyone you knew except your parents. God knows you're not the same boy now that Riley fell in love with two years ago. You're nothing but a shell, and don't deny it because you know it's true. It's tradition to sacrifice yourself so that a new life can be started. You know what those two snakes on your shoulder represent?"
Noah shook his head.
"Service and sacrifice. I've had to give up the love of my life, too. Now she's dead, and I never even got the chance to say goodbye." Ian's gaze became distant, his eyes filled with pain for a moment. Then they were icy again, as if he had never shown any vulnerability. Noah flipped his hood back, revealing his look of sympathy. His auburn hair was the colour of the rusty bolts holding the bunk beds together, shaved in a military-style buzz cut. His eyes were as dark as pine needles, the brown behind the contact lenses giving it a deeper shade. It looked almost natural.
"In any case, since you're not Jason anymore, you could start again with Riley if you wanted to. You've got no trouble making girls fall in love with you, huh?" Ian asked cheekily, laughing softly as Noah averted his gaze. A hint of a smirk played on his lips. "I thought so. Riley needs a hero, someone who can keep her from turning out…well, like you. A pretty face with no soul inside."
Noah scowled at him. "And what if I decide tradition can go fuck itself and tell Riley who I really am?"
Ian's lips curled up into a wicked smile, one that made Noah shrink back a little. Ian was always terrifying when he smiled like that, no matter how long you've known him. "You pay a high price for treason against the Cobras. Noah, just like Jason, would die. Hanged by the neck until death, and Riley along with him. We can't have you convinced by her to desert the Order, now can we?"
The redhead hissed through his teeth, flipping his middle finger at him. Ian chuckled, patting Noah on the head as he stood up. His comrade tugged his hood over his face again, baring his teeth in a snarl. "Glad we're on the same page." Ian said dryly, but halted as he felt Noah tap him on the shoulder.
"Why are you doing this for us? Letting me and Riley stay together?" Noah signed, his eyebrow cocked in question.
Ian shoved his hands into his pockets, pursing his lips. Noah was right to question him, but then again neither one of them could ever stand seeing Riley sad. To have Jason ripped away from her just made her depressed. She needed someone else to be her light now, and hers was fading. It was a very gradual change, but not one to go unnoticed by Ian.
"Let me put it this way. I can't bring my dead girlfriend back. I can't see her anymore, kiss her, touch her, or tell her I love her. I wish all the time I could go back and change things, but I can't. But you haven't lost Riley. You can still do all those things and more with her. You can be her hero or whatever you want. I just…seeing you two, I can't let that love go to shit just because my father decided to make you a Cobra. I don't want you to be like me, shunned and alone, chasing after girls who don't love you." Ian explained sorrowfully, looking Noah square in the eye.
Noah let his words sink in for a moment, and then held his hand out to him. Ian glanced down at it, a small smile tugging at his lips. He grabbed Noah's wrist in a forearm handshake, "Now go sweep that angel off her feet. She needs a knight in shining armour." With that, Ian led the way out the door.
Riley was sitting by the exit to the compound yard, braiding a strand of her damp hair. She had been too afraid to eavesdrop because Ian had an uncanny sense of hearing. She stood up as the pair approached, Ian producing a neatly folded square of paper from his back pocket and handing it to her. She shoved it in the front pocket of her jeans, and fetched her rain jacket and rifle from their hooks on the cafeteria wall. The jacket was a thin, raggedy thing, but it was better than nothing. It's not like she had another one.
As she and Noah headed out into the rain, Ian stopped her by gently encircling her upper arm with his spidery fingers. Either his fingers were so long or her arm so thin, they overlapped easily. "Do I still get that kiss?" Ian whispered eagerly, low enough so Noah wouldn't hear. He couldn't help his old habits from resurfacing.
Riley gave him a playful smirk, tugging her arm out of his loose grasp. "Maybe." She answered teasingly, trotting off after Noah. Ian watched her go with a hopeful half-smile on his face, leaning against the concrete wall. It wasn't a no. If Noah didn't make a move, he would have no problem taking his place.
As usual, Noah didn't talk as he and Riley strode along on their way to Wall Market. Riley had never been there herself, but her father had once told her where it was with the curt warning that she was never to go there. She had no idea what to expect, but she felt slightly safer going there with an armed Cobra. Elena bounced where it was sheathed at Noah's hip, and his rifle swung from his shoulder. They walked in silence, hopping over puddles and tiny gurgling rivers formed by the roadside gutters.
Soon they passed by an empty checkpoint that marked the end of District 2 and the beginning of District 1. The gate had been blown open so that it resembled nothing more than a twisted hunk of metal lying where a soldier used to stand in a booth to check passes. Riley and Noah skirted around the dilapidated fence, glass crunching under their boots as they walked. Riley spied makeshift homes composed of metal sheets poking out from narrow alleys, their unseen occupants leering at them from inside. Riley shivered, turning her attention to the road ahead.
She saw more huts down the street, hidden out of view of the checkpoint. Although, they looked more like stands. Some vendors eyed them suspiciously as they passed, hoping and not hoping at the same time that they would buy something. Each seller had an assortment of different items, ranging from clothes to tools to fried rats on a stick. Riley had no idea how currency worked here, as the ration stations were closed more often than not now. Would they even take ration cards now? In any case, she didn't have any. She wasn't a soldier anymore, and the Fireflies fed her.
Riley glanced around for the bald, cataract-sporting man Ian had called Patrick, but none of the vendors matched his description. They all wore the same dark brown or blue rain jackets, had hair, and none had cataracts. She wasn't even sure if this Patrick was expecting any messengers. She looked to Noah for advice, but then realized he was gone. Riley sighed quietly in frustration. Stupid boy… She was also covertly looking for a familiar dark-haired boy, but just like Noah, he was nowhere to be seen. She began to think Ian had lied to her.
"What'cha lookin' for, girlie?" Asked a burly man with a mop of dirt-coloured hair. He had as many scars on his face as Uncle Tony, but looked about ten years younger. His tone was rude, as if he had a reason to sneer at her, which he didn't. He was leaning against a brick building, smoking a cigarette. Riley could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath and his poor hygiene from ten feet away.
As much as his nasally voice reminded her of Jerry, Riley figured asking someone from the area couldn't hurt. She wished Noah would reappear, it would make demanding answers a lot easier if she had someone with a belt leaden with daggers and grenades backing her up. "I'm looking for a guy named Patrick. You know him?" Riley tried to sound confident and strong, but the way the man was lazily eyeing her up and down unnerved her, as if he thought she was a piece of meat for sale.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Depends what you're willing to trade for the info." The dirt-haired man drawled, puffing on his cigarette. He seemed pretty coherent for someone who was obviously drunk.
Oh, fuck you old man. Riley wanted to spit at him. She held her tongue, instead nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders. "I got a few things. 9mm bullets, some rifle ammo. A bottle of water." To shave your wolf-man beard with, you filthy bastard. She added mentally, crossing her arms and leaning on one leg.
The man flicked the butt of his cigarette away, watching as it sputtered out in a puddle. "I'll take a couple o' those 9mm bullets." He decided, holding his fingerless-gloved hand out. Riley felt around in her back pocket for the merchandise, but didn't give them to him.
"You first. Where's Patrick?" Riley stared him straight in the eye, and he chuckled like he expected nothing less from her. Her father had taught her never to seal a deal with a smuggler without getting answers first. These types of people loved to weasel their way out of any and all obligations, but couldn't resist a good haggle.
"See that gray building over yonder that says 'Carleton and Co.'? Patrick's in there, at the very top. What kind o' business you got with Pat? You too young to be a Firefly and you sure as hell not a Cobra. You're too pretty to be hangin' 'round in Wall Market." The drunkard slurred, pointing to the three-story, graffiti-decorated building across the street.
Riley tossed him the bullets, grumbling, "None of your business, asshole" as she spun on her heel, stalking toward her new destination. She was starting to get a bit concerned about Noah, despite reasoning with herself that she didn't care about him. He could take care of himself.
"Watch your back, darlin'! Ain't ever day we get sweethearts like you 'round here!" The man called after her, loud enough for the whole block to hear. Riley inwardly cringed, but kept walking. If that didn't alert the whole of Wall Market to her presence, she didn't know what would. For the third time she found herself wishing Noah hadn't gone and disappeared on her.
As Riley reached the door to Carleton and Co., she glanced around for Noah one last time before heading inside. At least she was out of the sheeting rain. She wrung her tangled hair out, adding to the growing puddle her dripping clothes created. Her jacket was already soaked through and she wouldn't be surprised if she ended up with a cold after this. Riley sniffled, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. Too late.
She trudged up the concrete stairwell, her boots slapping against the steps and echoing off the spray-painted walls. People had moved their graffiti indoors too, it seemed. The dingy stairwell was lit only by naked light bulbs at regular intervals, casting elongated shadows on the walls. When there were no more stairs to climb, Riley pushed the heavy metal door in front of her open and stepped into an equally bland hallway, with about six doors in total and a window at the very end. It looked like it used to be some sort of office building.
The girl sighed, wondering which one Patrick was in, if he was here at all. Suddenly she heard a muffled, angry shout from the last door on the left. Intrigued, she crept towards it, listening hard for anymore sounds.
"I told you, we don't have anything ready yet! Nothing's worked with Marlene's little experiments, and we're having trouble keeping the hospital in check as it is! To top it all off, Rowland's threatening to take back the hospital if we don't produce anything useful soon. He's been waiting for too long, Mirkov! I don't want another bloodbath like the one that happened last week!" A gravelly, male voice hissed. Then there was silence. Riley wondered if there was anyone else in the room. She pricked her ears as she heard a faint crackle permeate the quiet, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.
"I don't fucking care if Marlene's getting antsy! The research on Infected here isn't doing squat, and it's not like she has any more immune motherfuckers to play mad scientist on! The last one died last month, and guess what? No fucking vaccine! It's a waste of time, I tell you! There ain't gonna be no cure!" The man shouted again, this time giving an aggravated sigh. The crackling came to life again and to which the man responded in a somewhat calmer voice, "Right. Rowland hasn't sent me any news yet on the takeover. God knows those candy-ass Cobras can't show their faces around here anymore, not after what they did. Slaughtered the whole lot of those poor bastards, almost burned Wall Market to the ground. Yeah. Crazy son of a bitch…Take care, Mirkov. Say hi to the wife and kids for me. Patrick, over and out."
Riley let out the breath she had been holding, her mind whirling. She had suspected the experiments on the Infected in the prison had been some sort of extension of whatever was happening at this hospital, but she had never heard of immune people. It was plausible that some were immune to the infection, but were the Fireflies really using them to engineer a vaccine? She was no biology buff, but she gave the idea the benefit of the doubt. And why were they being killed? An immune person was no use if they were dead, were they?
She waited a good two minutes before knocking on the door, and by then her thoughts had quieted enough for her to think clearly. A short, scrawny man with a shiny head opened the door. It looked like someone had played Tic-Tac-Toe on his face with a knife, he had so many scars across his gaunt cheeks. The milky blue of his left eye unnerved her and she couldn't help glancing at it as he glared at her with his clear, brown right eye.
"What do you want, girl? I'm busy." Patrick barked, jolting Riley out of her momentary stupor.
Riley fumbled around in her pocket, producing the folded letter. "I have a-a m-m-message from Major Rowland, Sir." She stammered hastily as Patrick snatched the paper out of her hand, unfolding it and skimming it over.
"Hmm. I see. Well, Marlene won't be happy, but at least there's a bit of good news." The scrawny man muttered to himself, glancing up when he noticed Riley was still standing at his door. "Get outta here, your job's done, ain't it? Dumb brat…" Patrick scoffed, turning around and slamming the door in her face. Before he closed it, Riley spied a radio, like the ones used for transmitting messages, on a stainless steel lab table amid a chaotic sea of disorderly papers. This man was as rude as he was messy, Riley noted as she made her way back down the stairs again.
As she stepped reluctantly back out into the rain, her mind returned to Noah as she scanned the pitiful stands through the downpour. Thunder boomed overhead, only adding to her misery. If Cobras weren't welcome here as Patrick had mentioned, then he was in trouble. But it was no use looking for him if she could barely see the other side of the street. Riley sighed, deciding to make her way back to her dorm. Noah was a tough kid, he would be fine, she reasoned. That didn't stop the seed of worry from spreading inside her head. He had left without a trace, and if he had been caught and beaten by someone, he couldn't call for help.
He'll be okay…I hope. Riley thought as she adjusted her rifle strap. She was through the destroyed checkpoint when she happened to glance over her shoulder in the hopes of seeing some sign of Noah. Well, there was definitely someone following her, Riley noticed, but he looked too broad in the shoulders and torso to be Noah. Her blood ran cold and she quickened her pace, her mind starting to panic. Fucking drunkard and his fucking obnoxious warning. Riley cursed, darting down an alley she knew to be a shortcut to her dorm. She considered telling Ian that she had delivered the letter safely, but he probably would have gone back to sleep by now.
I can handle this bastard myself. It wouldn't be the first time. Riley reminded herself as she came back out onto a main street again. Glancing behind her, she swore under her breath as the stranger was even closer, just a block away. She resisted the urge to break into a run, as that would just entice him to give chase and waste her energy. If he was going to do what she thought he was going to do, she wanted enough energy to fight him off. Where the hell is Jason when I need him? And why hadn't he shown up, just like Ian said he would? Riley groaned internally, knowing deep down he wouldn't be there to save her this time.
Only a couple more streets to go, Riley counted as she checked on her pursuer. He was half a block away now. She wondered how he was gaining on her so fast, and fought the urge to run again. She could shoot him, but that would lead to more problems than solutions. Plus, he hadn't even done anything to her yet. Killing an innocent wasn't something she wanted on her conscience. After a few more minutes, Riley finally decided enough was enough. She whirled around, cocking her gun.
"Come any closer and I'll shoot!" She yelled at the stranger, who halted abruptly. He raised his hands in surrender and for a moment Riley felt silly, getting herself all worked up because of a passerby. But he hadn't passed her by, and he had been following her for at least five minutes. That was suspicious enough as it was.
The man slowly reached behind him and Riley trained her rifle on his chest. Before she could shoot, a bullet glanced off the wet, slick pavement with a ping, startling her. She fired a warning shot, fear gripping her body. The man shot another bullet at her, and it whizzed by her head as she instinctively bolted in the opposite direction like a spooked horse.
Lightning flashed brilliantly overhead, briefly illuminating Riley's path before everything faded into darkness again. She heard the man's footsteps thud behind her, getting closer with every step. Her limbs burned from running and trembled from the cold, her thighs prickled like a thousand pins and needles had been stuck in them. Riley quickly decided it would be safer to run for the compound, as there weren't any armed Cobras to protect her at her dorm. She darted into another alley, only to come to a dead end. Her lungs and limbs seared with exertion as she spun around, but her pursuer blocked her only exit. She was trapped.
Riley held her gun up with shaking hands. She fired, determined to end it once and for all, but then she heard a sound every victim dreaded and every attacker relished: the click of the hammer, signifying she had no ammo left.
The man laughed, a low, guttural sound, and Riley whimpered. He yanked the gun away from her, tossing it aside so she couldn't use it to bludgeon him. She wished she had brought a knife, but her pockets were empty. She hadn't even brought her handgun, though she had forgotten to take the bullets out of her pocket. She could see the man clearer now, and recognized him as the drunk who had told her where Patrick was.
The stench of alcohol on his breath made her want to gag as he pushed her to the ground, and though she tried to fight him off, she wasn't strong enough. The running, cold, and rain sapped her strength to almost nothing as he ripped her thin jacket off, exposing her equally pitiful soaked tank top. "That's it, sweetheart, easy now." He crooned, running her hands over her shivering body as she stood stock-still. She gritted her teeth, longing to punch him or kick him, but Riley knew it would only make him mad. He slipped off the straps of her tank top and she flinched, whimpering.
Then his rough, groping hands disappeared, replaced by only the rain pattering on her skin. She backed up until she felt the wall, gazing in horror as a black figure rose from the now dead body of her attacker. He held in his hand a dagger she somehow knew wasn't dripping with just water. Recognizing green eyes under his hood, Riley let out a low hiss.
"Where the fuck were you, Noah?" Riley shrieked at him, seething with fury. He didn't answer, wiping his dagger clean and sheathing it. "I was getting fucking shot at and groped by this dumb bastard! What the hell took you so long, you stupid ginger?" Her voice cracked, but she didn't care.
Noah flinched, looking for once apologetic. He averted his gaze, biting his lip. He looked like a kicked puppy, his expression a mixture of hurt and remorse. But Riley wasn't done with him yet. "You think you can just go gallivanting off on your own, leaving me behind to fend for myself? Don't you understand that actions have consequences? I could've died back there, for shit's sake! What's wrong with you, dumbass?" Riley resumed berating him, and when she was done she sank to her knees, sobbing. It was all too much, losing Jason, hating Noah, almost being raped again. Before she knew it, her world turned sideways and she was consumed by darkness.
When she awoke again, her head was aching. Riley slowly realized that she was in her dorm room, and sunlight spilled through her dusty window. Her entire body was sore, and she guessed Noah had carried her back to the school after she had passed out from exhaustion and stress. At least he wasn't all bad, Riley sighed as she slowly sat up. Her body protested, but she managed to get into a sitting position. Her blanket fell away from her, leaving her shivering.
It was then that she noticed something peculiar on her desk. It was a singular topaz-coloured rose with crimson tips, the thorns snipped off. It was a bit crushed and wrinkled, as if someone had jostled it too much. She breathed in its sweet scent, a tiny smile playing on her lips. She vaguely knew different colours of roses had different meanings, but it was such trivial information that she didn't bother to learn them. Roses were precious, and came at a high price. Whoever got it must have had to trade something valuable. Riley then saw the note that had come with it, written on a ripped piece of lined paper. She read the elegant cursive to herself.
I'm sorry. Can we start over? Forgive me.
-Noah
Tossing the paper carelessly on the floor with a non-committal snort, Riley placed the rose on her desk and curled up under her blanket again.
That kissing lesson from Ian sounded great right about now.
