Chapter 6

2 Days Later…

Riker POV

"Riker, close your door! We haven't stopped moving yet!" Rydel screamed.

"Riley's totally going to kill me! I need to get over there!"

The car finally stopped, and I jumped out, and sprinted over to Riley's so I could pound on her door. Nobody answered. I jumped up and down in front of Riley's window, trying to see if she was in her room, but I didn't see her. So she was just gone? Where though? What if Dylan got to her? Her dad's car is gone, but I don't think Riley went with them because she wasn't allowed to go anywhere. And then it hit me. When she's upset, she goes to the docks. DUH!

I started sprinting down the road to the beach, but I slipped and fell. And falling on a road made of rocks is not fun at all. But I got up, and kept running until I saw Riley sitting all alone on a dock. I ran out to her, and could see she was crying. Obviously.

"Riley, before you say anything, nothing in that article is true! I swear!"

"Riker, how could you!? Honestly, I thought you loved me!"

"Riley, I do!"

"Riker, I saw pictures! You and your girlfriend…"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Riker, just stop lying, and listen to me! You knew I had an awful time at your uncle's party. I embarrassed myself so much. And you know I'm dealing with Dylan, and it's so hard! I can't believe now you'd cheat on me with your secret girlfriend!"

"Riley, she's not my girlfriend! And yeah, I know about all the stuff you're dealing with, and I didn't cheat on you!"

"Riker, there's pictures!"

"Riley, that girl was practically throwing herself at me. I had nothing to do with it! I have no clue who she is!"

"You're unbelievable! You won't even admit to it!"

"Because it's not true!"

Riley just stared back at me.

"I thought you loved me."

Riley walked past me, and was obviously going back up to her empty house. I walked behind her, and went to my own house.

"Rydel!"

"What?"

"I need you to go over and tell Riley I didn't cheat on her! She doesn't believe me and she's furious!"

"Ok, I'll go talk to her."

Riley POV

I heard knocking on my door, but obviously I didn't answer it because I didn't want to hear Riker's lies. But I heard the door open anyway.

"Riley? It's Rydel! Can we talk for a minute?"

I didn't say anything. I just sat quietly in my room. But she found me anyway.

"Riley, can we talk please?"

"If it's about Riker, then I don't want to!"

Rydel sat on my bed and hugged me.

"Riley, I need to tell you this. I was there last night, and this girl was just throwing herself at my brother. The photographers just wanted to make a story out of it. None of it's true. I swear. Riker even yelled at her to leave him alone. And he never yells! It was really weird. But Riley, he loves you, and only you. There's no one else. I promise."

"You swear you're telling the truth?"

"I swear. Are you still his girlfriend?"

"I don't know. I'll have to think about that…"

Rydel left, and Riker came over. I could tell he'd been crying, even though he didn't admit it when I asked him. His eyes and the tip of his nose were pink.

"Riley, did Rydel explain everything?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe her?"

"Maybe."

"Are you still my girlfriend?"

"I don't know yet…"

"Riley, come on!"

"I'm so mad at you though!"

"Why!?"

"You didn't even text me and you knew about the article!"

"I didn't want to fight with you over texts! I knew you'd be upset!"

I shook my head.

"What?"

"You're so stupid, that's what!"

"How am I stupid!?"

"I texted you so many times! You should've answered! Riker, I even called you a bunch of times!"

"Riley, I'm sorry."

"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough!"

"But maybe this time it is!"

"Wrong!"

"Riley."

"I can't believe you!"

"Riley, I'm really sorry!"

"I bet you are!"

"Riley, please!"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"What do you want to do then?"

"I want you to get out of my house!"

Riker looked so hurt, but I didn't care because he hurt me first. I heard him leave, and I started crying again.

Riker POV

"Any luck? Rydel asked as I came in.

"No," I whispered as I started crying.

"No! You're not going to go cry in your room for hours! We're taking you out for pizza!" Ross said, pulling me away from the stairs.

I was dragged out to the car, and taken to a pizza place about 15 minutes away. Once we got there, I went and locked myself in the bathroom for a while. I didn't trust myself not to explode into tears. All I could think about was Riley. I needed her to believe me, and I needed her back!

After a few minutes, I went back out to my siblings and Ellington who had already ordered a drink for me. As hard as I tried, I couldn't stop the tears from constantly falling down my cheeks. But Rocky wouldn't let me sneak off to the bathroom again. We were sitting in a booth, I was on the inside, and Rocky wouldn't budge. I could see out the window it was starting to rain. Awful weather to go with an awful day I guess…

But my day was about to get a whole lot worse…

I got a call from Riley, and Rocky made me answer it there at the table.

"H-hello?" I said, trying not to cry even more.

"Riker… I hear…"

"What? Riley, I can't hear what you're saying! Why are you whispering?"

"I can hear… in the house… kill me!"

"What!?"

"Dylan… help!"

"WHAT!?"

"Riker, shush! We're in a restaurant!" Rydel said.

I completely lost it, climbed over the table, and ran out the door, while everyone followed me.

"Riley! Lock your door! Now tell me again what's going on! I need you to talk louder though!"

"I locked my door! Riker, I'm in my closet! I could hear someone come in the front door! I looked outside, and there weren't any cars! I already saw you leave, and I know it has to be Dylan!"

"Hold on, we're coming back!"

I got in the car after ripping the keys from Rocky's hands. Everyone just stared at me.

"Get in the freaking car before my girlfriend dies!" I yelled.

Everyone got in, and I started speeding back to Riley's.

"Riley? Are you still there?"

"Yeah… I can hear him walking around!"

"Riley, you need to get out of the closet, and push something in front of your door so he can't get in! Push your bed or your dresser or something!"

"I'll never be strong enough!"

"Riley, you have to try!"

"Ok… Hold on…"

I could hear her crying, and she sounded terrified. If only this pizza place was closer to my house!

"Riker, slow down! You're going 20 miles over the speed limit!" Rydel said.

"I'm doing 50 in a 30 zone. That's completely fine."

"I don't think the cops will agree."

"Well when I tell them my girlfriend's about to be murdered, I don't think they'll care!"

"What's going on?"

"I'll tell you later, but when we get home, Ross, Rydel, and Ryland, you all need to immediately go inside the house and lock the door. Do you hear me? And Ellington and Rocky, I need you to come with me to Riley's."

I turned for a second, and everyone nodded.

"Riley?"

"What?"

"Did you push something in front of the door?"

"Kind of."

"What did you do?"

"I pushed my dresser in front of it."

"Good. We're almost home. What's happening now?"

"I can hear him trying my doorknob! Riker, you need to hurry!"

"I'm hurrying!"

All of a sudden, I heard a loud thud, and then Riley's line went dead. I tried to call her again, but my fingers were shaking too much, and I couldn't.

"Rocky, dial Riley's number, and put it on speaker."

Rocky dialed Riley's number, but it just kept ringing and ringing. She never picked up.