"Ryan, you said it yourself. I can't stay here."
"You can stay here in the pool house. I mean, stay for tonight, they won't be home till late anyway. Tomorrow we can figure things out."
"Things.?"
"Well, I don't know. What are you going to do for a job? I mean, you can't just go off on your own again Riley. That was no good last time."
She sat on his bed and began untying her shoes, "I don't have much of a choice Ryan. I don't have some snazzy rich people to take me in like you. No one is really excited to take in a coked teenager anyway."
"Ex coked Riley."
She rolled her eyes, "whatever. Can I take a shower? I mean, is it alright?"
"Yeah sure." He grabbed a towel from the hall closet, handing it to her.
"Thanks." She whispered. It was the first time since he saw her that he got a good look at her. She was the same Riley. The one that maybe once upon a time he loved. Maybe. Riley wrapped her arms around him quickly, "I've missed you kid. I really have."
He too tightened his grasp on her. She was on his thoughts a lot. There was no doubt about that. He worried for her safety. He worried that she would never be clean. But here she was, and she was.
Instinctively, Ryan pressed his lips softly to her forehead, not even realizing he had done so. She was a good two inches shorter than he was and her face pressed right into his neck. Her arms tightened their hold. She hadn't held him in a long time.
Finally, she broke away and stepped into the bathroom to take her shower.
Ryan had known Riley since he was twelve, they had lived in the same apartment complex. She was in the same situation as Ryan if not worse. Riley's mother, Leila, was home sporadically, leaving a young Riley with her alcoholic step father, Jake.
There were times when Riley would sneak out and meet Ryan on the roof and they would get high when they were both thirteen. Trey would give them the weed that never sold. They could stay up on that roof for hours at a time, never caring about a thing in the world, including their alcoholic, and abusive parents.
Freshman year came and went. They barely separated, but the party scene differed between the two. She began Cocaine, something he never thought of doing (but had done before) and he could never, ever leave her alone at a party in Chino or Long Beach. The thought of the things that Jake did to her alone made him want to hurl. He couldn't picture anyone else taking advantage of her without his shield taking over. It was his duty.
They had finally lost themselves in each other summer going into sophomore year. But nothing ever changed. They stayed the same tight two that they were when they were twelve, all the way up until Riley had gotten sent to rehab. He hadn't heard from her since then. Except now.
"You can stay here in the pool house. I mean, stay for tonight, they won't be home till late anyway. Tomorrow we can figure things out."
"Things.?"
"Well, I don't know. What are you going to do for a job? I mean, you can't just go off on your own again Riley. That was no good last time."
She sat on his bed and began untying her shoes, "I don't have much of a choice Ryan. I don't have some snazzy rich people to take me in like you. No one is really excited to take in a coked teenager anyway."
"Ex coked Riley."
She rolled her eyes, "whatever. Can I take a shower? I mean, is it alright?"
"Yeah sure." He grabbed a towel from the hall closet, handing it to her.
"Thanks." She whispered. It was the first time since he saw her that he got a good look at her. She was the same Riley. The one that maybe once upon a time he loved. Maybe. Riley wrapped her arms around him quickly, "I've missed you kid. I really have."
He too tightened his grasp on her. She was on his thoughts a lot. There was no doubt about that. He worried for her safety. He worried that she would never be clean. But here she was, and she was.
Instinctively, Ryan pressed his lips softly to her forehead, not even realizing he had done so. She was a good two inches shorter than he was and her face pressed right into his neck. Her arms tightened their hold. She hadn't held him in a long time.
Finally, she broke away and stepped into the bathroom to take her shower.
Ryan had known Riley since he was twelve, they had lived in the same apartment complex. She was in the same situation as Ryan if not worse. Riley's mother, Leila, was home sporadically, leaving a young Riley with her alcoholic step father, Jake.
There were times when Riley would sneak out and meet Ryan on the roof and they would get high when they were both thirteen. Trey would give them the weed that never sold. They could stay up on that roof for hours at a time, never caring about a thing in the world, including their alcoholic, and abusive parents.
Freshman year came and went. They barely separated, but the party scene differed between the two. She began Cocaine, something he never thought of doing (but had done before) and he could never, ever leave her alone at a party in Chino or Long Beach. The thought of the things that Jake did to her alone made him want to hurl. He couldn't picture anyone else taking advantage of her without his shield taking over. It was his duty.
They had finally lost themselves in each other summer going into sophomore year. But nothing ever changed. They stayed the same tight two that they were when they were twelve, all the way up until Riley had gotten sent to rehab. He hadn't heard from her since then. Except now.