Flashback

It was a hot morning in the summer of 2005 in New York City. School was starting in mere weeks and this was Noah's last day before going back to Lima. Riley was in her flat. All her parents stuff was still there. Family photographs in various styles of frames were hung on every wall as well as movie and music posters. The living room, with its two couches that didn't match, was lit up from the sun shining through the 3rd story window. Golden rays lit up the wall, which had been painted by Riley's mother with colorful flowers and green vines. Since her parents died a couple months ago and Clark's family, who were supposed to be her guardian, had left for Canada; Riley was left alone in her apartment and her neighbor was assigned to look after her over the summer. It was working out wonderfully. She spent most of her time with Noah and the neighbor, who was a woman in her mid-20s.

Riley was in the kitchen, making a monumental mess. Bennie and the Jets was blaring in her flat and she was dancing, singing, and sliding around on the tile floor in her socks, short shorts, and t-shirt. She was making waffles. She wanted Noah to have the greatest, and most fattening, final breakfast before going home. There was a knock on her door. She was expecting Noah. "It's unlocked!" she called out over the music.

The door opened "Hey, so I made pancakes, bacon, eggs of all sorts, hash-browns, and I'm making waffles now. Sound good?" She turned to look at Noah, but instead Clark was standing in her doorway. He had on his puppy dog look. Riley hated that look, but at the same time couldn't get enough of it.

"Hey." Clark said quietly.

'Hey'? That's all he has to say to me? After he just left? How dare-

"I'm sorry. I know it isn't enough to make up for what I did. And I know your probably feeling a lot of things right now, mostly anger, but all I can think to say is 'I'm Sorry'." Clark meant it. Riley could tell just by looking into his blue eyes. He always meant what he said. That was one of the best things about Clark, he was so real.

"You left me. I was so alone and you just left. I cried, every night. I still do. My parents are dead, Clark. I needed someone to be there for me and you went off on vacation. How can you expect me to just forgive you for that?" Clark could barely hear Riley over the music. She was whispering, which is not something she did often.

"I don't. I don't expect you to love me like you did before. I don't expect this to be one of our regular fights that we get over in an hour. But I want us to go back. I want us to still be best friends. I'm not gonna let you toss me away because I screwed up. I'm gonna make this right. You can't get rid of me." His words were strong. His voice did not quiver, but it was in no way a rehearsed speech.

"I never wanted to get rid of you. You left me, remember?" Riley's voice was raised now. She was shaking. Clark had no idea how much pain she was feeling. "I needed you so bad, Clark. I still need you." She was crying softly. She turned and slid down the cabinets, sitting on the floor with her back to the cupboards. Clark walked towards her and sat next to her. He slowly put his arms around her, waiting for her to push him away. But she didn't. No matter how much Noah did for her, he never filled the emptiness like Clark did. "Never leave me, never leave me." Riley just kept repeating this between sobs into Clark's shirt.

There was a light tap on the door, which Clark had left open. Noah walked in and heard music, but not Riley singing with it. This worried him. "Riley?"

"Who is that?" Clark looked at Riley. He wanted alone time with her and now some other guy was barging in on their reunion. Clark let go of Riley and stood up. "Who are you?" he asked, this time directing the question toward Noah. Riley stood up then. Her eyes were puffy; Noah knew she had just been crying. She held onto Clarks arm, as if holding him back.

"I'm Noah. You must be Clark." He was monotone as he said this. Noah was doing everything he could to suppress his anger.

"Well Noah, what are doing here?" Clark had serious irritation in his voice as he said this.

"I should be asking you the same thing." It was getting harder for Noah to hold in his emotions now. Things were about to get ugly.

Clark scrunched his eyebrows together and looked at Riley. "What's going on? Why is here?"

Riley shifted her weight from one leg to another trying to avoid answering.

"Riley?" Clark became concerned.

"He's here because you weren't. I needed someone and Noah was that someone: a friend. He was here to fill the void, the one you left." Riley was trying to choke back more tears. She knew she was hurting them both. Noah cringed at her use of past tense and Clark winced at her clear disappointment in him. They didn't know Riley was lying, or at least to some extent. Yes, Noah was there to comfort her; but no one could take Clark's place. Not even Noah could fill that void.

"Oh." That was all Clark could manage out. He glared at Noah. He was jealous. He never understood why but every time Riley got close to another guy he was filled with envy. But, Clark wasn't about to make things worse with Riley by fighting with her 'new friend'. "Look, Noah, thanks for taking care of her. But I need to talk to her now so if you could just leave."

"You want me to leave?! Why do I have to be the one to go? You should be the one to leave. It should be easy, you've done it before!" Noah was no longer holding in his fury.

"Look man, it's none of your business!" Now Clark was yelling, "This is between Riley and I and you need to just GET OUT!"

"No! You don't deserve to be here! You don't get to stay and talk to Riley when it's convenient for you! Why'd you go, huh? Were you scared? Afraid you might not be able to handle it?" Noah was screaming so loud that the neighbor, who was supposed to be looking after Riley, came out to see what all the yelling was.

She was stunned to see 14-year-old Clark jump across the apartment and start punching 13-year-old Noah. Riley heard Noah say something about a "selfish bastard" and Clark say something about a "punk-ass bitch". Both Riley and the neighbor yelled for them to stop. When Noah finally broke away from Clark, his face nose was bleeding and bruises were beginning to form. Noah was a scrawny kid and he was no match then for the athletic older boy. Clark turned to the neighbor "It's all right Kathy. Go back inside there's nothing to worry about." He tried to sound as calm as possible. He failed but Kathy gave up and walked back to her own flat.

The three were left standing in the doorway, all trying to catch their own breath from all the yelling. Finally, Riley turned to Noah. "You should go." She refused to look in his eyes.

"Wha-Riley?" Noah was stunned. How could she be choosing that guy over him?

"Thank you Noah, for everything. But you need to go." She still looked at her own feet. Noah mumbled a goodbye and left Clark and Riley in alone in the apartment. That was the last time Noah and Riley had spoken to each other before Riley went to Lima. She never understood why, no matter what he did, Clark was always her number one. Why, even when she knew Noah was the better choice, did she run back to Clark?

So I know I promised a bunch more stuff for this chapter but finals are next week which means this week all my teachers have realized they don't have enough assignments in and so they are piling in the homework this week. Plus I've got Physical Therapy, and I had a tournament (2nd Place!) and I have dance rehearsals and art classes and Key. 'sigh' Let's just say I've been busy. But I'll try really hard to post what I promised. For now, I hope you enjoy this and aren't too disappointed. Please Review!

Love, Layla.