Chapter 15

Riker POV

In front of us, on the ground, was a note. I felt kind of sick, just standing there, looking at it.

"Well?"

I looked over at Riley, who was staring straight back at me.

"Well what?" I asked.

"Read it."

I squatted down and picked up the note.

"You guys are smarter than I thought. I give you credit for sticking together. But you won't be able to do that for much longer. Dylan"

"Ok, that's it! I don't care if I'm really scared about this, I'm going to the police tomorrow, and we're figuring something out to finally capture Dylan! This has gone way too far, and I'm sick and tired of being scared all the time!"

I looked up at Riley. I was honestly really shocked.

"Stop staring at me…"

Riley pushed me over.

"Do you want to talk about this?"

"No."

"Riley."

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Riley, seriously. I think it would make you feel better."

"I don't care! I don't want to talk about it, and I'm not going to!"

"Ok, ok. Calm down."

"I can't calm down! Have you been paying attention to what's happened all day!? Riker, tomorrow I'm going to talk with the police. I don't know when I'm doing their little plan thing, but I'm so scared to do it! All I ever am, is scared! I'm always scared that Dylan's going to do something to you, or me, or someone else I know! You can't just tell me to calm down!"

"Ok, ok. I get it. You're scared."

"Riker, I'm beyond scared!"

Riley started to cry, and I just wanted to tell her everything would be ok, but I honestly didn't know if that would be true. But I gave it a shot, comforting her.

I pulled Riley onto my lap, and slowly rubbed her back.

"Riley, I'm sorry you feel so scared right now. But after you help the police catch Dylan, you won't ever have anything to worry about."

"What if he sneaks out again!?"

"They'll be more careful! They obviously know he's more dangerous than they thought, and they'll probably put him in jail this time, not a mental place."

"Why did this have to happen to me?"

"I'm glad it happened to you."

"Riker! How can you say that!?"

"If it weren't for Dylan upsetting you that one night by demanding you give him back his stuff, I wouldn't have seen you down at the beach! Don't you remember? I saw you down at the beach that night, and you were crying. I kind of made you tell me what was wrong, and ever since then, I've been in love with you. If you never met Dylan, I would've never gotten to comfort you that night, and I wouldn't be with you right now."

Riley looked up at me.

"So because of Dylan, I met you?"

"Yeah."

Riley took Dylan's note, crumpled it up, and threw it at the wall.

"Riley."

"What?"

"Let's get some sleep, ok?"

"I'm not tired."

"Well tomorrow we're going to have a very long day."

"What do you mean, we? I'm the one going to the police."

"I'm coming with you."

"You are? Why?"

"Well I'm not letting you do this by yourself! I knew you'd be scared, and I want to be there with you."

"What if the police don't want you there?"

"Why wouldn't they want me there? Dylan wants to kill both of us."

"Good point…"

"Come on, Riley. Let's try to get some sleep, ok?"

"Fine…"

Riley basically cried herself to sleep. But there wasn't much I could do about it. I wanted to tell her everything would be ok, but I wasn't sure if it would. I didn't even know if this whole plan was going to work!

Morning…

Riker POV

Sitting at the kitchen table with Riley for breakfast was really making me worried. She was all jittery and she just couldn't sit still!

"Riley?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh… Is something bothering you?"

"Oh, no. Just thinking about the fact that I might get murdered today."

"So that's why you're all nervous."

"I am not nervous!"

"Then sit still."

Riley sat still for about 10 seconds while staring back at me. And then she exploded out of her chair.

"Ugh! I'm freaking out, Riker! I'm freaking out!"

"Shhh! It's ok!"

I pulled Riley over to me and hugged her tight.

"Riley, I know you're really nervous. I am too. But you need to try to calm down. This is the police we're talking about. They'll have a plan, and they will make sure you're not in any danger."

Riley just stared back at me. I sighed.

"Riley everything's going to be ok."

She didn't look like she believed me. I wasn't surprised. I didn't really believe me either.

"How do you know everything's going to be ok?"

"Well…"

"You don't know!"

"Ok, I don't. But Riley, we need to really try to do our best to stay calm, and do what the police tell us to do, ok?"

"I'll do what the police tell me, but I don't know if I can stay calm."

"Try. For me. Please?"

Riley hugged me again.

"Riker, one of us could die. Actually, both of us could die. How are you not freaking out!?"

"Riley, I know we could die. But we can't think about that right now. And there's also a chance everything will go as planned, and we'll be fine."

"I know… But guess what? I haven't been very lucky lately! I almost died twice!"

"No. Riley, you have been lucky. You almost died. But you didn't. I'd say that's pretty lucky."

Riley looked like she was going to burst into tears any second. But I couldn't do anything. She was letting this get to her! And she shouldn't, but I can't control that.

"Ok, when do you want to go to the police?" I asked.

"Now. We need to just get this over with."

"Riley, we probably aren't going to catch Dylan today. The police are going to need a little time to think of the whole plan and everything."

"So I'm going to have to be stressed about this for even longer!?"

"Riley. I need you to calm down. You can do this, ok?"

I took Riley's hands in mine.

"Close your eyes, and just breathe, ok? Just take some deep breaths."

Riley did as I said, and then opened her eyes again.

"Feel any better?"

"Kind of…"

"Ok, well do you still want to go to the police and tell them you want to help them catch Dylan?"

"Yes."

Hours later…

Riker POV

"I hate the stupid police."

"Riley, they didn't even know! They just picked a random day!"

"Well why'd they have to pick my 18th birthday?"

"Riley, I'm sorry."

"I might die on my 18th birthday! You might die on my 18th birthday! That'd be the worst birthday ever!"

"Ok, we need to talk about something other than this. Like… What do you want for your birthday?"

"Our safety."

"Riley, seriously."

"If I'm still alive on my birthday, all I want is you. If we make it through this, I just want to spend the night with you, and relax, and finally not be afraid anymore."

"Riley, come on. Seriously, what can I get you?"

"I don't want anything! I just want you!"

"Fine. I can arrange that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."