She nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone vibrated in her hands as a message bubble popped up. She did not expect Riley to message her so quickly as he had but she scrambled to get a good hold on her phone as she sat up, pressing the screen to watch the message panel enlarge. 'You got home safe Ma?' Her fingers froze. She wanted her answer to be short and simple but she also to explain that she indeed got home safely. Would he think she was weird if she answered in either of those routes? She had no idea how to text someone anymore. All forms of communication was cut off from her. Other than today at lunch, she really had no idea how to speak to another person anymore. Holding conversations with others was not her strong suit form the very beginning until him; around Riley she could not help but become tongue tied. There was just something about him that didn't even compare to what he had. What his family had. Riley was much more. She could still see his dark green eyes piercing into her own. She felt as if he could be able to swallow her whole. She had not realized it, being so deep in thought, she had sunk herself further into his large hoodie. His masculine scent calmed her in more ways than one. Her eyes had shut and she buried her face in the cloth. What she thought was her once dead, shattered heart thumped more heavily each time she breathed in. She was kicked out of her moment when her phone vibrated again. She looked to see that she had taken too long to answer. She couldn't have believed that over ten minutes had passed. And she saw that he sounded even more worried. 'Baby girl? You there?'
She hurried out a response. 'Yeah, sorry. I just...lost myself. I am home though.' She wanted to smack herself in the face. How embarrassing. Would he think she was weird now? Should she have responded differently? A groan bubbled up her chest. She looked around the room in confusion. It just felt alien to her. When was the last time she did stuff around her room? To study? To clean? To read? What was wrong with her? How had her father handle it? A large lump filled in her throat. She stood and cautiously walked towards the bathroom. When was the last time she really looked at herself in the mirror? Her chest felt heavy. She walked past the threshold of her door and faced the bathroom. The door creaked ominously as she pushed it open. Everything was just starting to look foreign to her now. She recognized the place but it just didn't seem familiar to her. It made her head hurt. Her footsteps on the tiled floor seem liked monster stomps. Her breathing became harsher as fear crept in when she came closer and closer to see her reflection. The woman staring back at her. Who was she? Her hand fell on the glass and she gasped, pulling back, covering her mouth as her eyes started to flood. That couldn't be her. It couldn't. Her face looked sunken in and there was dark circles under her eyes. Her cheeks looked sharper than they were. Her fingers looked so tiny. Stands of slightly greasy hair fell in front of her face. She could see them shaking. Or was that her? Her knees felt weak and her hand clutched against the granite counter to keep her upright. This woman, whose clothes looked way to big on her size, it was her. This was her.
Her hand slipped and she crashed on her knees, a violent sob fell from her lips. She felt her whole body shake as if she was falling apart. It seemed as if her wails could be heard by the whole entire neighborhood. Her whole entire being was being poured out. Everything flashed around her mind and stapled itself on the wall of her fore mind. Her emotions spread across the floor of her heart. Her heart tightened. Her throat was becoming raw from the pent up emotions she was screaming. She did not know how long she was on the floor. She did not know how much time had passed. She did not know that someone had called the cops. She hadn't heard the sirens, the door being slammed against the wall, and footsteps running around the house. Soon the rumble moved towards where she was and she felt hands all over her body, trying to pry her hands that somehow woven into her hair. Her eyes cracked open and her blurry eyes struggled to clear when she spotted her father in front of her with scared eyes. There were a couple people behind him as he brought her into his arms.
Her arms wrapped around her dad as if he was the life line to keep her from drowning. She did not want to drown again. She did not want to be what she was when she was abandoned. She only wanted her dad right now. And he was here. For her. She did not want to let go. Her mouth opened and her voice came out on its own, raw and scratchy.
"Daddy, I'm sorry! I'm a bad daughter, I'm sorry! It's all my fault. I'm a bad person. I let you down! I'm being punished! I shouldn't have become anything with any of them! I'm ruined. I'm broken. I'm nothing! They didn't love me, I was just a pet!" She cried in his chest. The badge pinched against her skin and she dug her nails into his shirt. "I'm just a toy. A broken toy! They threw me away and I still loved them. I hate it! I'm such a failure."
Her father rocked her back and forth, holding her tightly. His own eyes stinging with tears as his seemingly dead daughter came back to life. All the numbness he saw, all the emptiness he'd seen in her eyes. When he gotten a call that there was screaming coming from his home, he had thought the worst. And all he wanted to do was make it to his home to see if his little girl was okay. To see her thrashing on the floor, trying to pull her hair out of her scalp, it scared him. When she started speaking, her voice that he so longed to hear was raw. He felt ashamed, he should've pushed harder to keep her away from Edward. He could've saved her from this. Now she was back, but she was in pain.
She could do nothing but cry. Being in her dad's arm made her feel like a little girl again. She wanted to become smaller and just stay in his arms forever. A flash appeared in front of her eyes. Riley...'What's your name beautiful?' 'You're strong...' 'I'll make you flourish...' His green eyes pierced hers when he first came up to her. She remembered the feel of his hand over hers, how small she seemed next to him. How his warmth seeped into her skin whenever he touched her. "Riley. I'm not strong. I'm so weak." she wailed. She didn't know why she'd say those words out loud but what she didn't expect was a reply from the man himself.
"But you are, baby girl."
She flinched in surprise. In a snap, she pulled back from her father's embrace. Her eyes stung as the air made contact with her puffy eyes. The man that was stuck in her mind since he introduced himself was standing in her bathroom, watching her. His brows were pinched together as he stared down at her with worry, his mouth marred in a frown. Her thought process was blank but she couldn't help but start to relax steadily. She sniffled a couple times, frantically wiping at her eyes before she pulled her fingers from her dad's shirt and scrambled up to clutch on him this time. She forgot how really small she was to him. Her head only came up to his chest. She buried her face into his warmth, she couldn't help but inhale all of what he was. She vaguely payed attention to what everyone was talking about around her or how they seemed well acquainted to each other. All she focused on was the way his fingers combed through her hair, how his other hand rubbed her lower back, and how the way he tightly held her to him. She couldn't help but woozily blush at the feel of his sculpted muscles under her touch. He was warm. So warm…so warm. Her conscious started to go black and her body collapsed in exhaustion. But a tiny smile graced her face was left on her face before she succumbed.
She had no idea on how long she was out for the count. When she woke she was in her bed with the covers up to her chin. Her bleary eyes slowly looked around the dark room. How long had she been out? Throwing off her comforter, she slightly shook as she moved to stand up. She felt drained. Her face strained as she tried to remember how she ended up in her bed. Last thing she remembered was…a blush threatened to take over her whole body as her face heated up. She clung to Riley like a newborn when she broke down and poured her heart out to her dad. She was surprised to see him there. When did he know where she lived? She walked out of her bedroom, finally hearing the voices coming from downstairs. Her eyes watched her feet as she made her way downstairs. Last thing she needed, was to tumble down the stairs and lay flat on her face. She turned towards the kitchen and found no one there. Moving a couple of steps, she peeked into the living room to find her dad speaking to two other people. Baby steps, she thought to herself, baby steps. Her body seemed to tremble as she trotted forward. Her dad was the first to spot her.
"Bells," He called to her, causing the two other face to turn towards her. Riley and Huey Freeman were in her home. She would've thought Riley would have left by now. And she did not remember Huey being there. Then again, she couldn't see anyone but her father…and Riley. "You alright now, kiddo?"
Her eyes down casted as she nodded shyly. Tired as she was, she felt strangely better. If only slightly. Someone stood up, causing her to crane her neck upwards when Riley came to stand in front of her, gently grabbing her chin to move it side to side. He seemed to be looking for something. She blinked rapidly. His hand was warming her up. Her gaze became confused when he nodded.
"Sleep was good for you." He stated. "The bags under your eyes are starting to clear." Her jaw would've dropped if he didn't have his hold on her still. She felt like her blush would become permanent the more she hung around this man. What was he doing to her? His hand dropped and she felt strangely disappointed from the loss of his warmth. "You need to eat though." He continued before guiding her to where they all sat. Boxes of pizza and wings along with some drinks were sitting on the coffee table. He made her sit on the couch he was occupying and grabbed a paper plate from the table. She watched him put two slices of pizza and a couple wings on it. "You want ginger ale or just water?" He turned to look at her. She opened her mouth a couple times before slightly clearing her throat.
"Ginger ale please," She said softly. He handed her a plate and sat a bottle of ginger ale by her. She couldn't help but look at him through her hair when he stared at her. He seemed to be waiting for her to do something.
"Eat, baby girl. Stop if you can't eat anymore but you need to eat." He urged her with a shake of his hand towards her plate. Her eyes moved to the pizza and she lifted a slice, taking a bite out of it. He looked satisfied at seeing her eating. She felt too shy right now at seeing the amused look on Huey and the raised eyebrow from her dad when they watched them both silently. Soon the conversation picked back up and during that time she cleared her plate. Riley asked her if she wanted anymore but she shook her head no before taking a sip of her drink. He had took her plate out of her hands and gathered the garbage. She wanted to protest but he gave her a look and she quieted down. She couldn't find a way to argue with him. In her mind though, he's done so much for her. A girl he just met. It seemed too good to be true.
"Well Chief. It's about time we get on home. Our grandfather is starting to wonder where we are." Riley said, as he came back in the living room. Her heart squeezed into itself at the thought of him leaving. But she knew he had to go home.
"Alright boys, let's go. We can pick up on our tour again if you'd like," Her dad stood up, putting down a can of beer.
"Thank you sir that would be nice." Huey smiled. She couldn't help but see how much he and Riley resembled each other.
She stood up shyly and went over to Riley. She fidgeted as she tried to think of way of how to say goodbye to him. He ended her dilemma by pulling her into his arms tightly. "I'll see you tomorrow alright." She nodded and slowly hugged him back. He pulled back and gave her the most delicious smile she's ever seen. Can a smile be delicious? She did not think so until now.
"Thank you Riley." She whispered. He gave her one more smile before heading out the door. Huey ruffled her hair a bit and gave her a smile, following after his brother. Her dad gave her one of those rare hugs before kissing her forehead.
"I'll be back soon Bells."
"You guys be safe alright?"
"Always am, Bells."
She watched them all after the door shut, filing into Charlie's cruiser before they pulled away. Pulling away from the window, she sat back down in the living room and rubbed her eyes. What a day…
A/N: Disclaimer - I do not own Twilight nor The Boondocks.