Notice Me

By: Riley

Summary - Katie doesn't want anyone to notice her crying, but someone does. Prompt from tumblr.

Riley wasn't sure that anyone would've noticed. But it didn't surprise her, much, that she did. It was easy to notice the change in Katie's demeanor, to notice the crack in the tough exterior that could only stay up for so long.

It was a normal day at Rocque Records, a normal explanation of the tour that was going to come up. It was when they were talking about the tour dates that Riley noticed. Everyone else—the band members, Gustavo, Kelly, Mrs. Knight, and Ronan, were so concerned with the logistics of the tour that, they didn't notice.

But Riley noticed the door to the conference room open and close after the mention of the extra dates they were going to add to the tour, due to early sell outs of the first announced dates. Nevertheless, Riley noticed, knowing how much hard it was to be apart from the people you loved for so long.

She was lucky, she was going on tour with her siblings, with her best friends. With her…all the people she loved. But what was one supposed to think, supposed to feel if they were the one who was going to be left behind by everyone they cared about was going to be gone.

So, noticing the door open and close, Riley excused herself form the room and went after Katie.

Katie was the kind of girl who locked her heart, feelings, and emotions behind layer after layer of concrete walls. Unable to let anyone get inside. To protect herself even further, she made herself tough, forced herself not to care that her mother worked hard to provide for her and Kendall and so wasn't around when she needed her. Made herself take care of herself when Kendall was too busy at hockey practice and working at the grocery store to fix her up a snack or help her with her homework.

She forced herself to supplement her own means of making money when her mother couldn't spare an to give her an allowance.

But Riley recognized, noticed the walls the younger girl put up slowly came crashing down within seconds, the dam of hurt feelings buried too long much too strong to be held back. Noticed because she knew what it was like. Knew how much it hurt to protect her own heart and feelings as much as she protected her brothers and sister from the pain that'd been inflicted upon them unfairly. Knew how much it hurt to have the pain slowly but surely build until there was on way out except for some of the walls to come down.

Where, in Riley's case, it'd come out in an incredible feat of anger that she couldn't hold back, the fragments of the broken walls slicing into her target like shrapnel—her words vitriolic and poison as she continued to unleash her fury upon them. No one noticed the change within her until it was too late, and Katie was protecting everyone from that.

But Riley heard her crying, followed it all the way to the bathroom. She quietly pushed the door open just as Katie managed to choke back her sob, knowing someone had caught her. She was Katie Knight, she didn't cry. She didn't let anything get to her.

She sat curled in the corner of the couch that was set up in the bathroom—under Kelly's insistence—turned away, angrily brushing her arm across her face. Her sobs quieted to mere sniffles, hair hanging over her face so no one would see. Riley closed the door behind her, allowing it to swing shut with a muffled 'whump' and walked to Katie's side.

Katie brushed her arm over her face once more, then looked up at Riley, her hazel eyes wet with tears that wouldn't fall. That, probably, Riley realized, Katie was trying to hold back. "What?" She snapped, glaring up at her.

Riley's eyebrows lifted, partly in surprise, partly in offense and folded her arms. "You want to try that again?" She asked. She knew it probably would've been better to immediately console Katie, knowing it was the pain of missing her brother even more that was making her cry. But also knew how she would've reacted in the same situation.

Anyone who tried to comfort her would've received a tongue-lashing, it not a solid punch to the face. It was what they had in common and was hard for Riley to overcome. Her stage name wasn't 'Rage' for nothing. People didn't see all the negative sides to her before the positive, for nothing. They didn't see her strength, for nothing. She didn't want to open herself to any of the pain that was sure to come. Of the people that would continuously leave her when they got to know the truth. So, why let it get to that point, where she could keep them far enough away so the pain wasn't be as painful.

Knowing Katie and the guys had made the pain easier to bear, but it never fully went away.

Everyone had their own cross to bear, but Riley always seemed to be pinned to hers. And, she could see, Katie felt the same way, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

Katie continued to glare at Riley. But changed her words. "I'm fine," she said, turning away, turning to face the wall of the bathroom. "It's just another tour. I get it." But she brought up her hand and ran it around her eyes once more, as if trying to pluck an eyelash out, not pushing the tears away. "Kendall didn't notice," she mumbled. "Of course."

A motherly instinct, or, more accurately, a sisterly one, came over Riley. She'd quickly come to see Katie as a little sister, saw through her tough exterior to know there was a lot of pain, confusion, and…feeling of not being important compared to her brother within her. The same pain that was now inflicting her, she loved Kendall very much, would be fine on her own, but it was always hard to see him leave.

Riley sat down next to Katie and put her arm around the younger girl's shoulders. She turned, collapsing against Riley's side, twisting her hands in her lap. "You noticed," she mumbled.

"Of course I noticed you, Kid," Riley replied, the nickname that she'd given Katie. It made Katie smile. "How could I not?"

THE END

A/N: I actually had something that went along with this prompt as a deleted scene to a fic I finished a few years ago; so I just edited and re-worked it into a quick ficlet for this prompt. I was also asked to do this prompt with a Riley focus/from Riley's POV so I hope it doesn't turn you off too much. Hope you like it.

Cheers,

Riley