Chapter 3: The Art of Self-Sacrifice

Riley went backstage after the show as fast as she could to congratulate Matt and Jeff. She ran around the corner and bumped into something rock solid. The impact knocked the wind out of her and she fell to the floor. She groaned as she sat up and found that she had run into none other than John Cena.

He reached down to take her hand and she brushed it away as she regained her footing.

"You know you could watch where you're going," she said as she brushed herself off.

"Well, you could try not running all over the place. You could knock someone over."

"The only person I succeeded in knocking over was myself but I had some help considering your body is so hard it can serve as a brick wall. I guess you can say the same about your head."

She continued her path to the Hardy's locker room

John watched Riley walk away and thought, 'that girl has some issues,' before heading in the opposite direction toward catering.

Riley finally made it to the locker room and knocked feverishly on the door.

"Jeffery Hardy, would you hurry and open the door?"

Jeff sure enough opened the door and he gave her an unexpected bear hug.

"Gross, Jeff you're all sweaty!" she squealed trying to wiggle out of his grasp.

"You know you love me. Are you going to congratulate me?"

"If you would get off of me then I would, but if you don't let go in 5 seconds I'm going to hurt you."

He let her go and got his bag out of a chair.

"Come on Matt, we're going to be late for out flight!"

Matt and Jeff had gotten some time off and decided to take a flight back to North Carolina with Riley.

They got to the airport that was surprisingly deserted and got on the plane without any problems.

"So, how is everything back home?" Riley had begun to fall asleep on Jeff's shoulder but sat up and proceeded to glance out of the window.

"Well I'm working as an intern and correspondent for two newspapers while going to school..."

"Considering MY half of the inheritance was suspended and won't take effect until I'm married, in that case I won't get it."

"Chris is still himself driven for success, working to become a partner in his law firm..."

"While in the process trying to get me to quit doing the motocross thing completely"

"AJ is a student at NC State..."

"AJ, my constant partner in crime when you're not around. The "powers" of a twin to sense me have never worn off"

"Everything is the same," she said with a sigh.

Jeff noticed a tone in her voice that he hadn't heard but he couldn't tell what it was. "You're saying this like it's a bad thing," Jeff said with a look of concern. Riley just continued to stare out of the window and sighed.

They landed at the airport around 6:00 a.m. "So Ry, who's picking us up?" Jeff asked taking her backpack from her

"AJ should be waiting for us near baggage claim. Has anyone noticed this place is basically deserted?"

"Of course kid, you didn't think a lot of people took a red eye to North Carolina did you?"

Matt laughed as he grabbed his luggage.

"Could we stay with you? SOMEONE lost the spare key to our parent's house the last time we were here and our house is being remodeled," Jeff said making an unmistakable glare at his brother.

"Sure, as long as you follow my list of rules."

Jeff remembered her list of house rules which ranged from reasonable to ridiculous by number 45.

"Whatever you say RyLynn", Jeff said in a sing song tone.

They found AJ and drove toward Riley's apartment. AJ was driving, Matt was in the passenger seat sleeping and Jeff was in the back next to Riley sleeping. Riley leaned over her brother's shoulder.

"So, did Chris call?" she asked speaking slightly above a whisper.

"You know he did. I told him you were visiting some friends so he called Angie, Ashley, Lauren, and Harmony. Guy's dense, never thought you'd be visiting the Hardy Boys in another state."

"Lynn are you sure he's your boyfriend and not a stalker?" The voice caused Riley to hit her head on the roof of the SUV.

"Jeffery Hardy, I thought you were sleeping."

"I have very sensitive ears. Oh, and why not the use of my middle name honey?"

"Well, I don't know why your parents gave you the name. Yes, Nero was a great emperor but he was nuts. He killed his mother by having someone stab her in the womb from which he came, he killed his first wife, his second wife and eventually himself."

"Note to self, change my middle name."

AJ laughed, "You really should hear the phone messages you got Lynn. Guy is the most perfect when it comes to having his life in order but he can be such a wacko."

Riley dialed her voice mail on her cell phone and put it on speakerphone.

"RyLynn it's Christopher. Your brother said you'd be gone for the weekend. I'm sure that it just SLIPPED your mind that our ANNIVERSARY is this weekend. I just thought I'd take MY girlfriend out to dinner but she had to go out of town without notice. I worry about you RyLynn. I tried calling your cell phone but it was off. I'll be substituting dinner plans for working late, I have a big case but maybe we can reschedule. I love you, Bye."

"I knew there was a reason I never liked the guy. He's such an ass." This voice was that of Matt.

"You guys, he just worries about me and I didn't tell him I was going."

"But didn't you say you needed a mini-vacation? I mean since you don't do traveling and motocross anymore you've been a workaholic," AJ said pulling into Riley's apartment complex.

This caught Jeff of guard. "Whoa, Riley you didn't tell me you gave up motocross. That's been your life since for the past five years and...."

"Jeff I don't feel like talking about it, I just want to go to sleep."

The trio got their bags, said good-bye to AJ, and went up to Riley's apartment.

"Ry...." Jeff continued to pound on her bedroom door. "Riley open up, I need to talk to you!" The pounding got louder.

"Jeff, let the girl sleep!" Matt said throwing a pillow at his younger brother. "RyLynn Amber..."

The door opened to revealed Riley standing there in a t-shirt and boxer shorts with hair tied in a disheveled ponytail.

"Jeff Hardy, what don't you understand about 'leave me alone I don't want to talk about it?' Riley leaned against the doorframe and yawned.

"The part about not wanting to talk about it," he responded.

Before she had a chance to protest he pulled her out of the door way and down the hall toward another room.

"There's something I want to show you." He tried to turn the doorknob but found it to be locked.

"Where's the key?" Riley pointed above their heads where a chandelier was hanging.

Jeff fished around the top of the chandelier and found the key. He unlocked the door to reveal a room full of assorted pictures and boxes. He was shocked and motioned for her to sit down in the room. He followed her and did the same.

"RyLynn Carter, what happened to all of your trophies?" Jeff asked raising his voice a little. Riley just sighed and looked away from him.

"In the closet, packed away in boxes, places where I never look. Why?"

Jeff stared at her blankly. "What do you mean why Lynn? This has been your life. The one thing you fought your father on tooth and nail..."

Riley still looked away, "I still don't get where you're going."

"How could you give up the one thing that you love and pack it away like it was nothing?"

This hit a chord in Riley and her expression changed from barely there to angry and upset as if to say 'NOTHING!' Riley said nothing. She couldn't find the words to speak and stormed out and back to her room leaving Jeff sitting there.

He couldn't understand what had caused the change in Riley so quickly. Several months before, she had been fighting an injury to her leg and back in order to ride in one of the most important races of the year. True she hadn't won like she wanted to but she was happy with coming back and that was all that mattered. He had left a happy and content Riley; the girl he had known for what seemed like forever. Now as time passed he felt as if he didn't know her at all. She had given up the first thing she had fought for in her life. Well maybe not the first but the first that she had succeeded in. The first being her father's love but that was mission impossible all its own. He didn't know what he would do if he gave up the one thing he loved to do.

Jeff entered the Carter's yard to see A.J. sitting on the porch "Hey AJ, have you seen Riley anywhere?" AJ had grown taller and was about 6' 2" due to growth spurts the previous year. "Uh, last time I saw her she was working in the garage." Jeff said thanks to AJ and went to the Carter garage. He found Riley hovered over a blue and white dirt bike. She had grown out of her prissy dresses and curly hair and now was wearing a pair of jean overalls and had her hair straight and in a long ponytail. She was also taller standing at 5'6 1/2" 5' 7 or 8" in heels.

Jeff knocked on the wall causing Riley to drop the wrench in her hand.

"Oh, it's you. I'll be ready to go in a minute."

Jeff walked in a little further and surveyed the bike. "So, this is your super secret project. Trying to fix it up?"

Riley saw the smile on his face and frowned. "You think it's stupid?"

Jeff shook his head, "of course not. I think it's cool. What do AJ and your dad think?"

"AJ is a little thrown by the idea of me doing this but being the great brother he is he's helping me fix it up. A blessing because I don't have the slightest idea of what I'm doing."

"What about your dad?"

"He says that and I quote 'it's ridiculous. A girl your age should be painting her fingernails and having parties, not fixing bikes and being a tomboy. You're a lady, act like it. Whatever phase you're going through it better be over quick. No boy will even look your direction if you keep this up.' End quote. I don't know what his problem is. He lets AJ try out for sports and indulges him in whenever venture suites him, knowing Lex that's every two minutes. I go after the one thing that I want and he can't support me in my decision, ONE THING. I've been the perfect little model that he's wanted me to be but right now I want to find who I am at the moment, not who he wants me to be."

"Why don't you just tell him that?" Jeff had begun to adjust the handlebars on the bike figuring this would take a while. Once Riley began to vent she really didn't let up.

"I tried Jeff, that's thing. His only response was, 'you're only 14 years old RyLynn. You don't know what you want or who you are. It's my job to look after you and not let you make FOOLISH mistakes that will get you hurt in the end. I know what's best for you.'"

Jeff laughed, "Oh that was priceless. He ends the speech with the 'daddy knows best bit' huh?"

"Of course, my point is that I don't know who I am. I don't have my life planned out; I don't think ANYONE at this point does. All I know is that it's my time to find my ground and form my identity."

"Well said. One thing though," Jeff said standing in front of her with his hands behind his back.

Riley didn't suspect a thing. "What is that Jeff?"

"I know who you are."

Riley cocked her eyebrow.

"You're my best friend," he paused. "...Who is going to get hosed in 3, 2, 1..." Jeff pulled the hose from behind his back and sprayed Riley full force with the hose drenching her from head to toe.

"Jeffery Nero Hardy," she squealed trying to run away from the onslaught of wetness that seemed to follow her as she ran out of the garage.

Jeff turned off the hose and ran into the yard after her.

A very wet and pissed off Riley greeted him. "What? Its a hundred degrees and you were covered in oil so I thought I'd help you out."

"Is that so? Well I got a surprise for you too BEST FRIEND."

Jeff had a look of panic in his eye. Before he knew it Riley had a can of motor oil hanging over his head and he was being covered in black gooey oil. The sun shone off of it causing rainbow streaks to appear.

"You look good with rainbow hair." With that Riley ran in the direction of her room. A safe haven of which Jeff Hardy wouldn't be able to infiltrate mostly because she would be locking herself in for the next week.