Ch.8 Confessions

Rating: PG

Emma gasped as she looked at Rick. Blood-red paint and tampons had dropped from the ceiling and landed all over him.

The whole auditorium burst into laughter. Emma looked around horrified. The teachers weren't laughing; they were just staring at Rick in shock. Alex was almost rolling around the floor in laughter. Marco had been sprayed with the paint, but he didn't seem to notice. He just looked around in disbelief.

Rick looked out into the crowd of his peers. He shoved his hair out of his face and ran off stage. He made a beeline for his chair, grabbed his backpack, and darted into the hallway.

Afraid that he might do something stupid, Emma followed him. "Rick?" She burst out into the halls and saw nothing. Cautiously, she walked around the corner.

I cannot believe that someone did that! Emma shook her head in frustration. Is that how Degrassi deals with abusive people? They're abusive right back? How ironic. Where's Rick? He shouldn't have gotten too far.

Emma suddenly heard sobs coming from around the corner. "Rick!" She found the boy sitting on a bench with his head in his hands; he was crying. "Rick…" Emma's voice was filled with sympathy as she inched over towards him.

"Leave me alone." His voice was shaky and emotionless. It scared Emma.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay…"

Rick put his head up and looked forward. "Do I look alright? Is being covered in paint and feminine products alright to you?"

"Look, whoever did that just showed even more how immature they are."

"Emma!" The girl jumped at the volume and sharpness of his voice. He was freaking her out. "Drop it!"

Going against her better judgment, she pressed him further. "Fine, just answer me this. Why did you come back to Degrassi? I mean, you had to know you weren't going to be very well liked."

"My mother." Rick gave a hollow laugh and shook his head. "She said "Ricky, go back to school. Show them you've changed." Please, reformed or not, nobody cares. Besides," he leaned back, "it should have been over last night."

"What are you talking about?" Emma advanced towards him.

"Nothing." Rick stood up and started to walk away, his backpack slung over his shoulder. Suddenly, he stopped. As if he had a change of heart, he walked back towards Emma. "Since you'll probably find someway to learn my secret anyway…" He handed her a letter.

"What's this?" Emma looked it over.

"Read it." Rick tapped his foot impatiently as Emma read it.

"Oh my God, Rick…" Emma looked up horrified. "You were going to-"

"Am and don't try to talk me out of it." Rick ripped the letter from her hand.

"You can't commit suicide Rick! What's that going to solve?!"

"Everything!" He looked into her eyes. "No more Rick. Terri can come back to Degrassi. No more Rick. Spinner and friends can be satisfied knowing they won. No more Rick, no more problems." He looked away ashamed. "I'm never going to hurt anyone again." He started crying.

"Rick, people change. You've changed." She put her hand on his shoulder.

"No Emma. They don't, especially people like me. My father showed me that years ago."

"What do you mean?"

"Like father like son." He turned around and started to walk away.

"You mean… he hit you?" Emma barely spoke above a whisper.

Rick turned around. His face was drenched in tears. "Yeah. He did. Unfortunately for everyone, he's no longer around to use me or my mother as a human punching bag."

"Rick…" Emma started crying as well. This explained everything. He wasn't violent by nature, that's how he was taught to deal with women. "That only proves you can change!"

"No I can't!!" He screamed at her hysterically. "I can't!" Seeing the look of fear on Emma's face because of his outburst, he ran down the hall. In an attempt to hide, he ran into what he thought was an empty classroom.

"Richard?" Mr. Simpson was sitting at his desk. He looked at Rick, puzzled by the paint.

"Sorry Sir." He darted out of the classroom.

Okay Rick. It's now or never I suppose.

Ooo! Suspenseful! Keep Reading!