A/N: Just wanted to say that I absolutely loved last week's reviews. You guys are amazing and none of this would've been possible if it wasn't for your guys' support. I am so happy that people read this story and communicate with me and give me feedback that's so important to me. This chapter is intense and unexpected, I don't think I've ever written something like this in my four years of writing for FF. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
Hey: Extremely valid points, they all need to get their act together and focus on themselves before committing to a relationship. They're young and have a lot to learn, but they're in a serious situation that I feel like will transition effectively throughout the finale.
Sad: Thank you so much for opening up about your struggles. It means so much to me that you felt comfortable enough to share that with us. I'm glad you're okay now and happy, finding yourself after something so consuming and degrading is the best feeling ever. So happy to hear your story. Lots of love.
Curious: I have a few more GMW stories in mind, but I don't know whether I'll write them. The Rucas story is gravitating towards is called Messages From Her, but I really don't see it going anywhere. And if I do continue with it, it'll be posted on Wattpad, but that would for sure be my last GMW story. I feel like leaving this fandom with Lose You to Love Me as my final fic is a great way to end things. But I'm currently posting the edited version of Dangerous Woman and Where Love Blooms on Wattpad so go check them out.
Guest: I think Zay is a great friend. And I have no clue, but I really am gonna miss the GMW fandom. It was iconic.
Frey: Something unexpected happens in this very chapter. But I'm curious, how would you guys react if something special happened between Zay and Riley?
Wtf: Zay liked Riley first. I hinted at this in the very beginning of the series on Zay's backstory. I remembered writing something about Zay stepping back for Lucas because he's always been second best to him. And yes, Lucas knew that Zay had feelings for Riley. Even before he started dating Riley. That's why Lucas was so against their friendship because he feared Zay would act on those feelings. And everything about your review is geared in the right direction, it's there.
GuestEstelle: There's an opportunity for Zay and Riley that's coming, I can't wait for you guy to read that portion. I also wanted to say that Riley's closest friends don't know about their situation, Maya has been suspicious in the past but it never lasted because Riley and Lucas were at a good point in they're relationship. Also in the previous chapter, Victoria said something about Riley being the toxic one. Lucas' closest friends have an idea of what's going on because they know how reckless Lucas can be, Riley's friends don't know that side of him. They just know he parties. Think of it this way: Lucas' friends are popular. Riley's friends are not so popular and they hang out with different cliques. The drama about Lucas only exists in his friend group, the news hasn't trickled down to Maya or Isadora which is why they don't know. And Riley also keeps it from them, she doesn't want them to know.
Chapter 20
Lose You to Love Me
ooo
I'm outside, read the text on Riley's phone.
As soon as the notification popped up on her screen, the brunette hopped out her bay window, climbed down the fire escape, and circled her apartment.
She occasionally turned around, hoping no one in her family had seen her sneak out, but when the coast was clear, she opened the door to the car that was waiting for her. "What the hell happened to your face?" she asked, alarmed by the driver.
"Uhhh," Zay stammered, not knowing what to tell her. It wasn't like he could just tell her that her boyfriend had beat him up. "I, um, it was actually a...um… you see it was a dirt bike."
"Well, did it land on your face?" she asked, getting inside the car. She was concerned about her friends bruising. "It fucked you up. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, you don't need to worry about it. Did they see you?"
"No," she shook her head, "Both my parents are heavy sleepers, I don't think they heard me."
"Okay," he nodded, "Ready?"
"Ready."
By the time Riley's stomach had been filled with the food he bought, Zay parked his car on a hill that overlooked the city.
"Okay, okay," she said following his movements, but once the gesture became too confusing she felt like giving up. "Zay, charades in a car is so stupid, how am I supposed to guess what that is?"
"It's Kobe," he answered.
"What?" she laughed, "Why didn't you just mimic his signature throw? That would've been so much easier."
"Exactly. That's why I didn't. I wanted to make it difficult. I wouldn't be having fun if it was easy. Riley?" he called out noticing that she had fixated on something, "Yo?"
"Sorry," she was brought back to reality, "It's just that those bruises on your face look bad. Look they're yellow."
"Yeah, I know. I, uh, I fell pretty hard."
"Does it hurt?" she tried touching his face, but he jerked his head away.
"A little. Now can we get back to the game?"
"In a minute, I just want to know how - "
"Riley," he scoffed, "We were playing a game not looking at my face."
"Okay. Fine," she gave up. "My turn."
She adjusted herself on the seat to face him and held out four fingers.
"Four words," Zay guessed and she nodded.
Riley thought for a second, trying to figure out how she could make him guess the idea in her head. She began to point left and right, confusing Zay.
"Uhh... you?" he guessed and she nodded again.
She looked around his car before picking up his keys and pointing to them.
"Keys."
She gestured for him to continue. "Silver…?" She shook her head no.
"A car?" Once the words left his mouth, she clapped her hands, happy that he was understanding her. She then went on to continue with the gesture, drawing a square with her hands.
"Box…?"
No...
"Rectangle…?"
No...
"A picture frame…?"
Not even close...
"A TV," he finally guessed correctly. "So a car, a tv, and... you?" Zay questioned. "What the hell is even that?"
She stared at him before placing a hand over her forehead, disappointed that he wasn't catching onto her gesture. That's when she lit up with an idea. Riley began lip-syncing what seemed to be high notes, but to him, she looked crazy. "What are you doing?"
Riley pointed to the window.
"What the fuck? I - "
She grew frustrated. "Guess again…"
"Opera singer!" Zay said with complete confidence and she nodded with excitement. She then reenacted her movements, only this time she was pointing at the two of them.
"Uhhh, okay so a TV, us? We saw it together...?"
She nodded.
"Yeah, but we didn't watch any operas together."
She shook her head no and gestured to the keys.
"Oh wait, I'm get it now. It's Oprah saying You get a car! to her audience."
"YES!" she cheered before hugging him. "Finally, he gets it."
"Okay…" he said before turning to look at her, "Now, can we talk about what we're really here for?"
The smile on her lips died down, she had been having so much fun with Zay that she forgot about what they were really there for. She turned to her friend, the only person she felt comfortable confessing her struggles to, "Lucas and I got into another argument."
Zay wasn't surprised. "What happened this time?"
"What didn't happen?" she sighed. She felt that by this point in their relationship they had argued about everything. "This time part of it was about you."
"Me?" he asked, quizzically. "What about me?"
"I honestly don't really know. I never do, but I think he might be jealous of you."
"Of me?" If that were true, then beating him up wouldn't make much sense to him.
"Or of us?" she suggested.
There it was. That must've been it.
"He wasn't happy I hugged you at the show. And it makes no sense to me if I'm honest. It's so dumb. You guys are like best friends, brothers even, he's known you before me so he should know better, don't you think? I mean this is why I don't feel sorry about dropping his grade. I'm so glad his parents got him in trouble too. Did you know he snitched me out for getting high? Lucas," she emphasized, "Lucas did. Can you believe him?"
Listening in on their drama Zay realized that her arguments with Lucas were only getting intense, worse even.
"I think I'm just gonna keep doing that to him. Every time he messes up, I'm just gonna get him back ten times worse. Until I make him cry again."
"And then what?" he asked. "You're gonna do it again? And again? Until pretty soon you're just like him?"
Riley opened her mouth to speak, but there must have been a circuit shortened between her brain and mouth because nothing came out. She hadn't thought about that and the weight of realization came barreling toward her, knocking her senseless.
"I'm not trying to say that you are - " the dark-skinned teen felt the need to add.
"I get what you mean. I just… I didn't realize I was acting just like him all this time," she confessed brokenly.
There wasn't a way to measure exactly how much the eccentricities of Riley's personality could have led to this repetitive cycle she didn't realize she was creating with Lucas. She couldn't even tell how much of those eccentricities emerged like rock formations on the sediment of those early hideous arguments that, from there, set the stage for the ravages of their future toxicity.
She turned to look out his window. Suddenly feeling like crying and she wasn't sure she would be able to maintain herself. She hated herself for stooping so far down at his level, the thought of it broke her heart for not realizing that she had become everything she didn't want to be.
Zay placed his hand over her shoulder as she crumbled in his embrace. She clutched him tighter, burrowing her head into the safety of his shoulder. She'd been shamelessly hurting Lucas, trying to climb inside that place where her thoughts always ceased, but it wasn't in the burning intensity she found comfort. It was in his patience and his effort to lure her back to reason.
But as the topic continued and Zay was beginning to hear everything that had happened between them, he started to think about Lucas; and what he said to him when he was hitting him.
Lucas told him to stay away from Riley and he was doing the exact opposite right now. He had become the person she went to whenever things in her relationship got difficult and he wasn't sure it was such a good idea anymore.
"Riley, this might sound stupid, but I think I should tell you something."
"What? What is it?" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.
He took a deep breath. He wasn't sure this was the best time to tell her since she was crying, but it needed to be said, "Have you ever considered apologizing to him? You know so that you guys can just move on from it and not argue about it?"
"Why would I apologize for something he did, though? Only some of this was my fault, but he's the reason things are the way they are."
"And I know that, but sometimes you just gotta be the bigger person."
"The bigger person?" she questioned, "I'm not gonna apologize for something I didn't do. And I had every right to act the way I did. Everything I did was to get back at him."
"Okay, okay," he said, hoping to lighten the issue. "Then I don't think this is gonna be such a good idea."
"What's not a good idea?"
"This," he gestured to the space between them. "At this hour, especially. Look, this was good at first, but... "
"Wait, hang on. What?"
"...you and Lucas have issues and -"
"Woah, Woah - "
"Look, Riley, I didn't mean it like that. I promise," he said, wanting to calm her down. "I just think that I'm not the guy you should be telling this to. You should be telling this to Lucas so you guys can work out your issues and not me."
Riley couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. She was completely confused about his decision especially when they had talked to each other about this various times before. "Did he put you up to this?"
"No, he didn't. I just think this is the right thing to do. That way you and Lucas don't have to argue. You said that the argument happened because of me, so I'm suggesting we don't hang out as much."
She stared at him for a few seconds. Reflecting on what he had just said. "I fucking knew it!" she said to herself before unbuckling her seatbelt, "All of Lucas' friends turn out to be assholes."
"Hey," he said, noticing she wanted to leave his car. He tried to stop her, but she slapped his hands away. "Riley, that's not what I meant. C'mon."
"Then what did you mean?" she questioned, raising her voice at him. It had been the first time she'd ever done that. If it wasn't for his remark she would've felt bad and apologized, but she didn't. And she had no intention to.
"I just meant we shouldn't talk so much about you and Lucas, anymore. Riley, that's… that stuff is personal and it… it… it just doesn't feel right."
She scoffed. If it didn't feel right he would've said that the dozens of times she spoke with him about it. He used to be so attentive and so wise with the advice he would give, but now he had stopped. He didn't want that anymore.
"No I get it," she said slamming his door shut. Zay stepped out as well trying to convince her to go back in, but she didn't give him time. "You're tired of hearing me complain to you about my fucked up relationship."
"That's not it," he revealed. "Get back in the car - "
"I'm not getting back inside- "
"Riley, chill! You're yelling. You're gonna wake - "
"I don't care if I'm yelling!" she snapped, wiping the tears from her face. His words hurt her feelings. She never thought that the person she needed the most right now would abandon her. The feeling alone began to wake others that she had buried deep down. "Zay, don't you know what this means? I thought I could trust you with this."
"And you can. I've always been there for you, I just think we should stop - "
She turned away from him and continued to walk in the opposite direction. "Fuck you!"
He brought his arm out to stop her. It was night and cold and he didn't want to wake the entire block. "Riley - "
"Don't touch me!"
She inhaled deeply, trying to process everything. The reason she was so hurt by this was that she trusted Zay with everything, she told him things about her relationship with Lucas that even her best friends didn't know. So telling her that it was time they stopped, hurt her. It made her think that he finally got tired of it or that he never cared at all.
"Riley, can you please get back inside the car?"
She shook her head no.
"Riley. Please!" He wanted to be calm and keep his patience, but she was testing him. She was throwing the biggest tantrum in the middle of the night and he needed to take her home.
"All those nights…" she began, trying to catch her breath. All the yelling, crying and walking had caught up to her and she was having trouble breathing. "Did you even care? At all?"
"Of course I did. And I still do, but talking to him...telling him what's bothering you first is what you should be doing. I shouldn't be your go-to whenever things get hard, Riley. It should be him. He's your boyfriend!"
He had a point. In any other logical world, Riley would've listened, she would've realized he was right and talked to Lucas. They would've worked their problems out and things would've gone back to normal.
But that wasn't their dynamic. She never talked to Lucas about this because there wasn't a way to do it, they would never reach an agreement. They would only keep their distance until one of them couldn't take it anymore and decided to finally break the unofficial distance barrier. But even then, they didn't talk about it. They would "make up" without addressing the issue.
And to Riley, it felt like she had just lost the only friend she could trust when it came to things like this.
"Can you please get back in the car?"
She shook her head no. She didn't want to be around him. "I'm walking home."
"Riley, we're a long way from your house. If you walk you won't make it till morning."
She didn't care. She wasn't thinking clearly. She just wanted to get away from him and cry, it had been all she was capable of recently.
"Why can't you just listen to me, okay? It wasn't - "
"It wasn't what?" she questioned, staring straight at him. "A big deal?"
He stayed silent. He didn't know what to tell her. "Can you please just get back in the car? You can yell at me all you want on the way to your house and tomorrow when you calmed down we can talk about this."
She didn't want to. "That's if you care."
He scoffed. She was angry he could tell, but he didn't want to leave her. It didn't feel right.
"You should've told me if it bothered you this much. I told you things, Zay. Personal things and all this time… it annoyed you."
"That's not true. Riley, I care. And I still do and if you talk to Lucas and things don't work out again, you can come to me. I'll always be here, I'm just trying to tell you that he should be the first person you work things out with."
"You should go back to your car, I don't want to talk to you."
"Riley - "
"Go!"
"I'm not gonna go."
"I'm not gonna talk to you."
He took a deep breath, his patience wearing thin. He was seconds away from picking her up and throwing her into the backseat of his car. "Get back in the car."
"No!"
"Get back in the car."
"No!"
"Get back in the car," he pressured.
"No!"
"GET BACK IN THE FUCKING CAR!"
"NO!"
Just then a siren went off on the opposite end of the block, a a police car parked right beside them. The officer stepped out of the car and immediately walked towards the weeping brunette, "What's going on here? Is everything okay?"
Riley froze at the officer in front of her, she didn't expect for this to happen. "Y-yeah," she stammered. "Yeah, no everything's fine, officer."
He turned to look at Zay. "Is he bothering you?"
"No. No, he's not. He's my friend," she revealed, "Sorry, we were just in the middle of an argument. There's nothing wrong."
He shined his flashlight at him. "What's up with your face?"
Zay didn't answer him. He knew the officer and he knew about the things he had done, even news of policemen circled the streets where he lived. His cousins spoke about him many times and they had nothing good to say. Which normally meant the cop that was standing in front of him wasn't a good cop.
"You got any weapons on you?"
"What?" he asked, offended by the question. "No, I don't got any weapons on me."
"Spread your arms out," the officer demanded.
Zay looked at him, "Why do I need to spread my arms out?"
"I said, spread your arms out. Feet apart."
He turned to Riley, who was staring at them not knowing what to do as he did what he was told. When his arms and legs were apart, the officer patted him down; as if he was searching for something.
"I'm gonna need to see some ID."
"Why do you need to see my ID?" he questioned, upset about the unnecessary search.
"Officer, he didn't do anything," Riley tried to intervene, but he waved for her to stop. She quickly started to realize what this could potentially escalate to.
"...so you could search it up in the system and see if I have any priors?" Zay questioned.
The officer eyed him, "What's your name, kid? And tell me where you got your bruises while you're at it?"
"Why do you need to know, Officer…" he looked at his nametag. "Stone? I haven't done anything wrong?"
"We have a teenage girl over here in tears, trying to get away from you at... one in the morning. Do you know how that looks?"'
"I already said, he's my friend. He didn't do anything - "
"I'm not talking to you," he yelled at her, "And aside from that, your face is all bruised up, do you know where I'm going with this…?" he asked, stepping closer to Zay. "I asked for your name, boy."
"I'm out of here, I didn't do anything wrong. C'mon, Riley."
When he turned to walk away, Officer Stone pulled his arm back and pushed him up against his car, bringing out the handcuffs from his pockets.
"For what? For what, officer?" Zay questioned him, tugging at the cop's grip. "Why am I being arrested?" When he managed to break free, Officer Stone pushed him against the car, arm on his chest to prevent him from walking away. "Don't put your hands on me. Don't put your hands on me."
"Zay, please," Riley said on the verge of tears. She could see the officer's gun from the corner of her eyes and she was scared he was going to bring it out.
"What am I being detained for?" he questioned him, watching him mutter something onto his radio. "Answer me, what am I being detained for? I haven't done anything wrong!"
Riley thought about recording what she was seeing in front of her. She'd seen this happen many times on TV, but never in real life. She just couldn't believe that she was witnessing something like this at a time that was so unexpected. Zay hadn't done anything wrong, yet Officer Stone insisted on arresting him.
"...I'm on the corner of Maryville and Stanton," he said, bringing the radio closer to his lips. "Requesting backup."
"Bro," Zay called out, it was obvious he was frustrated from the way he was breathing, the muscle in his jaw tightening as his eyes glared on the policeman. "Backup for what? I'm not even fighting you? I'd like for you to take your hands off me."
"Give me your hands…"
"Officer I ain't giving you shit. I haven't done anything wrong. Why am I being arrested?" he turned to look down at his badge, but this time he noticed something else, "Your camera's not on."
"I said give me your hands…"
"Why? You haven't told me why you're arresting me and your camera's not on. This shit ain't right and you're not doing your job correctly - "
"You're resisting arrest and you're being aggressive, that's grounds for arrest. Now put your arms behind your back - "
"I'm not the one being aggressive," he said gesturing to the officer's hands on him.
"Kid, it's gonna go really bad for you, if you don't turn around," he warned.
"Officer, please. He didn't do anything wrong, he's a good person, please - "
"Why am I being detained?" Zay continued to question him. "I'm not the one being aggressive."
Just then, he slammed him down on the ground, wrapping the handcuffs around his wrists.
"No. Stop just let him go!" Riley yelled at him. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, she was frightened and didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
Another siren approached them and an officer came running to her. "Ma'am - "
"No, this was a mistake!"
"Take a seat," he said gesturing to the sidewalk, "Ma'am, take a seat."
"We were just talking and -"
"I need you to take a step back and sit down -"
"Please, I just need to talk to him. None of this was his fault, please! He hasn't done anything wrong and he's being arrested!"
"SIT DOWN!" he yelled.
Riley was caught off guard. Just when she thought someone could step in and help, she was proven wrong. "Officer please - "
"SHUT UP! AND TAKE A SEAT!"
Watching Zay get pushed into the car against his will didn't feel right. It left her feeling guilty for being so loud in the beginning and she hated herself for it. All of this was her fault and she didn't know how to fix it.
But she knew someone that could.
Bringing out her phone and clicking on her contact, Riley brought the phone to her ear, waiting for her to answer, "...mom?"
ooo
Movie night with Farkle and Isadora was a difficult concept.
Both Farkle and Isadora being highly intelligent and academic, preferred documentaries that were rich with information and theories about the future whereas Maya preferred horror films. She liked ghosts, serial killers, monsters created in labs that hunted their creator down and exacted their revenge, but the two of them would never let her watch it.
"We agreed it was my turn to decide," the blonde reminded as she watched Farkle and Isadora debate over the movie they wanted to watch.
"But we all want to see a different movie," she protested.
"Doesn't matter. I sat through a three hour documentary about fish last time, the least you guys can do is sit through an hour and a half movie with me."
The two geniuses exchanged looks, "But we don't want to."
"That's so not fair. I constantly agree to watch movies with you guys even though I know we'll never end up watching a movie I like. I've seen documentaries about every single thing In existence I can afford to miss at least one. So can we please just watch a scary movie for once? Farkle I'll let you hold my hand because I know you get scared. It's the least you guys can do."
Movies where no one died, especially when the main heroes had done everything right, sat well with Farkle. He liked them as a second option to docs because everything went well in the end. Sure a few people had to die, but the ending always resolved on a positive ending.
Isadora, on the other hand, could tolerate sci-fi movies. She liked the visuals and plot and engineering behind it. She liked their futuristic clothing and makeup, the action and suspense, and the change in laws and economy because they were a break from normal reality.
Maya however wasn't much a fan of a plot or the symbolism behind a movie, she loved the thrill, the adventure, the adrenaline, and the horror of it all. Things she didn't need to pay attention to, but things she needed to see and feel. Those were her favorite parts.
"Okay, fine," Farkle caved. "What scary movie is it gonna be this time?"
The ends of her lips curved upwards. "Have you guys seen Verónica?"
"No," Isadora answered, timidly. She hated horror movies and her best friends knew that. "And I don't want to."
"Well, ladies and Farkle," the blonde sat in the middle of them and flipped through the various movie options on Netflix, "Verónica is a Spanish horror movie based on a true story. It's about this fifteen or sixteen-year-old - I honestly don't remember - who decides to summon her father's spirit using an Ouija board during a solar eclipse. And guess what, my friends?"
"What?" Isadora asked, fear evident in her voice.
"It's not her father's spirit she summons. So what do you say? You guys interested?"
"No," they both added, shaking their heads.
"I heard Dora's really popular with young adults," commented the brunette.
"And so is Diego. Why don't we just watch that?"
The blonde laugh. Even though her friends were almost eighteen, they simultaneously hated horror movies. And it made sense, they did hate each other for a year. "Perfect, Verónica it is!"
ooo
Riley had never been inside a police station before. She'd seen it in movies, but never in person and it was exactly how she pictured it to be.
She imagined it to have a distinct smell - which it did - an angry receptionist, and a lot of police officers on their respective desks. She just wished her first time was under a different circumstance.
"Try again," Topanga suggested.
"I already did, they keep saying now."
"Yeah, but they switched him. There's a different one there."
She turned to look at the guy at the front desk, he wasn't the same guy from before. Jumping at the opportunity, she got up from her seat and walked towards him.
"Can I help you?"
"Do you know when Zay Babineaux is gonna be released?" she asked.
He rolled his eyes, "Can you spell his last name for me?"
"Uh, it's B-A-B-I-N-E-A-U-X."
He typed away, "Well, we can hold him for twenty-four hours. I would suggest you come back tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," she questioned. "Look, there's been some misunderstanding. He didn't do anything wrong - '
"I'm sorry, but I won't be much of a help. "
"Well, do you know who will?"
He shook his head, "Just come back tomorrow."
She turned back around and sat next to her mom. "He said we should come back tomorrow."
Topanga sighed, "Okay, I know the basics, but you must tell me everything that happened, okay? And start from the beginning. Every detail is important."
"Okay," she breathed, running a hand through her hair, "Well, Zay and I were in the middle of an argument - "
"Another one?" she asked, interrupting. This had been the second argument she told her about on the same day and she was starting to get concerned. "Riley, what's going on?"
"Nothing, mom. That's not important right now. Point is, I was walking away from Zay because I was upset and that's when the police showed up. He asked him a few questions - "
"What's the officer's name?"
"Officer Stone."
Topanga nodded.
"Zay wasn't bothering me like they think he was. He wasn't hurting me or anything like that, we were just caught in a misunderstanding. The officer asked for his name and about his bruises, but Zay refused to tell him. He hadn't done anything wrong so he didn't feel the need to. And then he started asking him for his ID, Zay said no, Officer Stone got impatient and arrested him. But none of this was Zay's fault, he didn't do anything wrong."
"Anything else? Anything important."
"Ummm…" Riley thought back, as much as she wanted to forget everything she knew thinking back at the moment everything happened was crucial. "His camera wasn't on. And… he wasn't Mirandized."
"He wasn't Mirandized?"
"No. They just put him in the car and drove off."
"Okay. I'll be right back."
"Wait, mom, where are you going?"
"I'm gonna get Zay back." She walked towards the guy her daughter previously talked to. "Hi, good morning Officer...Randall, is it?"
He nodded.
"My name's Topanga Matthews, I'm a lawyer at the Blanch Law Firm and I'm here to represent my client, Zay Babineaux. It's come to my attention that one of your policemen, Officer Stone, has wrongfully arrested my client without his rights being read to. There's also no proof of this because his camera wasn't on. Now, I know you're familiar with the law since your job is to enforce it, so you know that any action like that is grounds for dismissal, correct?"
Officer Randall nodded once again.
"I'm gonna need you to remove my client. 'Cause if you don't, the next time you hear from me is gonna be in a court office after I slap a fat lawsuit on one of your officers and the precinct. Release my client."
In less than ten minutes later, Zay had been released from his cell. He walked out from inside the station with his things on his hands and all Riley could do was walk up to him. She hugged him tightly, refusing to let him go, scared that they might change their mind and take him back in.
"We're not done," Topanga said, turning back to the officer at the front desk. "I want Officer Stone fired. Or on suspension for wrongfully arresting my client."
"C'mon, we should go," Riley said to Zay. "My mom handled everything, she got you out of here."
"Riley," he said, removing her hands that had wrapped around his neck. "This wasn't a good idea."
"Zay," she knew what he was referring to, he was talking about the very thing that started their argument.
"I mean it, Riley. I mean look at where we're standing. We're in the middle of a fucking precinct at three in the morning."
She felt her eyes water, "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for this to happen."
"But it did," he thought back at everything that happened. "Arguing with you today, taught me something."
"What?" she asked, feeling the need to break out crying in front of him.
"That if you'd taken any of the advice I'd given you, we wouldn't be here today. And I had to learn that when I was being searched for drugs stripped naked. Just stay away from me."
Topanga had heard the entire thing from where she stood and seeing her daughter so broken and in tears, made her wonder what had happened that night. She knew almost immediately this was something she'd have to sort out with Riley before telling Cory about it.
She walked towards her daughter and wrapped her arm around her shoulder, "Come on, sweetie. It's been a long day."
oOoOoOoOo
A/N:I wanted to wait until the end of the chapter to address a very important issue happening not just in the U.S., but around the world. On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd (black) was murdered by Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin (white). His arrest has sparked a lot of controversies and has reopened the #BlackLivesMatter discussion and numerous protests around the country. I wanted to say something to my readers and to just say something in general as this story tackles important issues. Racism was built in the DNA of America, it was here during slavery and it continued to be here even after the Civil War. It existed during segregation and it existed with Jim Crow laws. The systematic oppression of blacks in the country has NOT gone away and we CAN'T turn away from it. We must help people those whose voices are not heard and those who fear for their lives because of the color of their skin. This movement is important and we must do something. If you have, thank you, you're doing amazing, if you haven't please sign the Justice for George Floyd petition at or encourage others to speak out against racism. There are other ways to help and to be involved and no effort is too small. This is a broader discussion that you guys can discuss in the review section and if there are any of you with controversial opinions or those who side against the movement please keep those opinions to yourself, I can't stop you from voicing your opinions, but I'd like for this to be a safe place for you guys to speak.
I wrote this chapter a month ago and Zay's arrest had been planned since January before any of this happened, but I'm glad it lined up. This happens to a lot of POC's and we can't let this slide under our noses. We can't negate the statistics and the thousands of those that have been murdered by police officers before Floyd.
Black Lives Matter today, tomorrow, and any other day after that.
Please be kind, be respectful, and support those around you. Thank you.
Follow, Favorite, and Review