Riley felt like she was choking, the doctor had said she could go back home within a few weeks and since it was a six weeks before Christmas they thought it would be best for her to spend as much time as possible with her family. She didn't want to go back, when she voiced her fear that she would be turned away they all tried to reassure her but she didn't listen. She couldn't listen. So she cried into Farkle's shoulder and listened as Josh argued that Riley should ultimately be the one to decide if she was ready. When she stopped she walked over to the kitchen leaving Farkle alone on the couch. He listened as the adults argued and went to find Riley but couldn't. He began to panic and walked over to the adults and attempted to get their attention. When they didn't listen he lost his patience
"HEY!" he screamed, the adults turned to him.
"Riley's missing" that got their attention and they began searching the house. After a while Farkle realised no one had checked the attic.
He climbed up the rickety ladder and heard her before he saw her, she was sobbing and clutching a small knife. He stood still for a minute, she never usually tried to harm herself with a knife. Slowly he eased himself into the attic and crawled over to her, trying to scare her.
"Riley?" he asked quietly. The girl jumped
"I… I" and then she burst into tears.
"Riley… honey why are you going back to this?" he said staring at her wrists and ankles. He couldn't see any blood but that didn't mean she wouldn't try.
"I… I'm not" she confessed. The boy looked at her confused, slowly edging himself towards her.
"Then why do you have the knife?" she looked down confused, almost as if she had forgotten she had the weapon. She gulped and held it out to Farkle who grabbed it and threw it across the room, then eloped her into a hug. Riley broke down on him and sobbed her heart out.
"I… I d-didn't even kno-o-ow I had it" Farkle didn't say anything, instead he just stroked her hair and whispered encouraging words in her ear. When Riley calmed down he helped her downstairs, she was swarmed by her family who all cried out in joy that she was okay, Farkle didn't mention that she had a knife, he only insisted that she still wasn't ready, he mentioned what happened to josh and he promised to keep an eye on her.
That night Josh wondered downstairs to get some paracetamol, he had the beginnings of a massive headache. Yet when he got to the medicine cabinet he didn't find any, his first thought was that maybe they had been misplaced but the things that Farkle had told him floated into his mind and he dashed upstairs to find Riley in the bathroom, the paracetamol box opened and at least half of it missing. He grabbed her and forced her head over the toilet, then he put his fingers down her throat and made her sick.
"How man did you take?" he screamed. Riley muttered about half the box. Josh spent the next five minutes making her be sick before he was satisfied he had at least gotten most of it out of her system. He then grabbed the box and popped the tablets into the toilet before flushing. He grabbed her and took her downstairs and wrapping her up in a blanket. He poured them both glasses of water and made her drink it.
"How could you be s selfish riley? Did you not think that we'd miss you?" and then Riley saw the one thing she never expect. He Uncle Josh began to cry, Riley frowned.
"It's just… I know you'll miss me but my head tells me that I would be doing you a service if I left you all behind." Josh sighed and wiped away his tears
"Riley you have plenty of people who care, Farkle, A.K.A mister genius is skipping school so you are okay. Auggie cried himself to sleep because he misses you, Topanga read his Christmas list and it only had one thing on it, to bring his sister home. Your father adores you and your mother well you gave her the light she needs and she loves you so, so much Riles. Zay skypes you every Saturday and mum and dad have opened up their arms for you, Morgan visits every weekend and she misses out on a lot to do so. Eric skips half the stuff he needs to do as senator to make sure his nitch is okay. As for I, well you're like a little sister to me Riley and I know for a fact I would break without you. Look I know it isn't easy and I'm not going to pretend that I know how your brain work because I can't but you know we care, deep down. I know you do."
Riley nodded, she did know it but she couldn't believe it, she couldn't believe that she had people to hang on to because it would make what she was doing wrong and she couldn't believe that. The things she did helped her right?.
"I won't tell mum and dad but you will check yourself into the clinic and you will accept the help. I'm leaking in a few days and I can't focus on college thinking you're going to be gone by the time I come back" Riley nodded. Josh smiled and pulled her up.
"Come on let's get you to bed" when Josh tucked her in he lay on the floor beside her, waking her up every few hours. He needed to make sure she hadn't actually overdosed. He thought back to when she was happy and promised he would help her get like that again. He was her cool uncle, he would not let her fall.