"Where were you?" Lucas demanded, cornering her in the hallway after everyone had left.

Riley shrunk back, fear pulsing in her fingers and with every beat of her heart. With what she had just learned, she didn't want to be anywhere near her boyfriend. That was why she had skipped class - to avoid seeing him.

He was moving closer, closer to her, and she couldn't back up anymore, there was a wall of lockers. "I know about the kidnapping," Riley rushed out, and Lucas jerked back, eyes going wide.

He turned around, rubbing a hand over his mouth before turning back to her and asking, "How could you know about that? Legal proceedings for minors are sealed under the law."

"My friend is…" Riley swallowed. "Has connections in the judicial system. He told me." She stared at him, as he looked at the ground. She could almost see the thoughts running through his mind. "It's true, isn't it?"

Lucas looked back up at her, quickly, his mouth opening and closing for a few moments before he got out, "Yes."

Riley nodded slowly, staring at him as fear shot through her stomach. She hadn't wanted it to be true. She had wanted him to deny it.

She turned away to go, but Lucas grabbed her arm. "Wait, please, I need to explain," he begged, and something in his eyes made her stay.

She tugged her arm away from his grasp, and crossed them over her chest, looking down at the floor even as she knew he tried to grab her gaze.

"Zay and I had another best friend in Texas," he began when he seemed to realize that he wouldn't be able to get her to look at him. "Her name was Grace. Her mom… her mom was addicted to heroin and oxy. And her dad, when he showed up, was abusive to both her and her mom." He dragged in a breath, rubbing a hand over his mouth again, his voice coming out muffled. "After she showed up at my house one morning at just after five, with a black eye, bloody lip, I think she had a few broken ribs and her wrist was sprained…" He closed his eyes. "I had to get her away. So I took her and we ran."

"You kidnapped her," Riley clarified, feeling tears come to her eyes.

"Kidnapped implies that I took her against her will," Lucas countered. "I was taking her to live with my aunt in New Mexico. I knew she would be safe there. It was eight hours away by car, but it was across state lines."

"So?" Riley said, finally looking up.

"So her mom reported her missing and told police she thought Grace had been kidnapped, and when we were stopped at the state border, they recognized her from the report filed and took her into custody and arrested me for kidnapping her." He looked up to the ceiling. "And right after that, my dad's work got transferred and I had to tell her I was leaving. I was," he grunted, punching the wall, "her only safe place. And two days after we left, she died."

Riley could see the tears running down his face, and she moved forward, but stopped.

"They never told me how," Lucas whispered. "Either her father killed her, or she killed herself, but it wasn't an accident."

Riley stayed silent, watching him. He turned against the wall of lockers across from her and slid down it, pressing his face in his hands as his shoulders shook.

"Every time I forget it, it comes back to my mind," he forced out, muffled. "I could have done something. It's my fault Grace is dead."

Riley moved toward him, sank down next to him and put her hand on his arm. "It sounds like you did everything you could."

"I should have done more."

A/N: This is a one shot, I feel like it's a little vague but I liked it so I wanted to put it up. I should probably be working on Chrysalism or Fanaa, but inspiration struck :)

Leave reviews! There's always a chance I can turn it into something more, if I get enough people who want me to.

Kisses,

C