familiarity

this isn't goodbye

The next day Riley woke up to a laser being shone on her bed, she smiled and got up before walking over to the window and opening it, "hey" she smiled and leant against it.  Katy smiled, "hey, I'm gonna have to make a run for it now. My moms out and she won't know, not that she'll care much but..." she started but Riley cut her off, "you don't need to explain yourself, remember what I said? Don't look back" she smiled.  Katy nodded, "are you gonna be okay?" She smiled sadly. 

                 Riley smiled, "I'll be just fine, don't worry about me" she nodded, Katy smiled sadly, "this isn't goodbye. It's just a simple, I'll see you later" she nodded.  Riley laughed, "mmhmm, i love you. Please stay safe out there" she nodded.  Katy smiled, "I will and I love you too" she nodded before sadly closing her window for the last time.  Riley done the same thing and walked over to her front bedroom window where she watched Katy run down the street, and that was it, the last time she saw her only friend.

She didn't even have time to comprehend anything since her step dad barged into her room even though it was only 9am in a Sunday. Jay and hailey were parked up outside as they were startled by the bang that came from Riley's wire. Riley had the jumper on since she put it on when talking to Katy, "you stupid brat, why haven't you cleaned the place up?" He walked over to her, Riley stepped backwards and fell over something that was on the floor, "I-I was sleeping..." she started but he cut her off. "Sleeping? You ungrateful b*tch, you better have this place spotless by the time I get back" he slapped her across the face.

Riley clutched her cheek, "I will, sorry..." she looked away from him, Giovanni scoffed, "sometimes I wish your mother was on birth control, and you're not even my kid" he laughed then walked out of her room, slamming the door in the process. Riley just rolled her eyes but every single insult, every hit goes straight to her head, she huffed and stood up to go watch her dad leave the house from her window. She watched as he drove away in his car holding a suspicious package but she also saw jay sat in the front of the van for a change. She met his gaze as he put up his thumb then turned it downwards, she smiled and nodded with her thumb up to let him know she was okay.

                 Jay got back into the back of the van and sighed, "we should've moved in..." he shook his head.  Hailey sighed, "I know, but he already left by the time we could've got out of the van. It's the worst kind of lottery, the parents you get, the kind of love you get. She's strong..." she frowned.  Jay nodded sadly, he can see a part of hailey inside of Riley, the need to fight for something, the strength they both hold.

                 Riley made her way downstairs in a huff, she just wanted a lie in, now she had to clean the place.  Unfortunately for her, there were beer and vodka bottles everywhere so she got cleaning right away.  She started with the kitchen, cleared all of the trash from the sides which didn't take long and fired all of the dirty plates into the dishwasher.  Once the kitchen was all swept up she cleaned the living room which wasn't hard, first the trash then hoovering up.  The hardest part was her fragile tiny body trying to carry the trash bags into the garbage outside, but she managed.

When she got back in the house it was all tidy, but she was extremely dizzy and felt like she was gonna pass out. She walked into the kitchen but before she could get to the sink for a drink she just stood still in the middle of the floor waiting to collapse, "hey guys...I'm gonna pass out but don't come help me. It happens all...the time..." she managed to sigh before collapsing to the floor.

Jay and hailey were startled by her voice coming over the wire, once they heard what she had to say jay went to get out of the van, "jay don't, she said not to. She knows what to do" hailey grabbed his hand to stop him, jay looked back in confusion, "she could be hurt..." he tilted his head but sat back down. Hailey frowned, "she hardly eats jay, she's probably got low iron. She'll wake up in a few minutes" she sighed sadly. Jay nodded sadly, he remembers how small she was when he helped her into his truck on the way to the district.

                  Riley wasn't out long before she woke up again, "I'm okay..." she groaned and stood up.  She felt a little sick but nothing more than usual so she grabbed a glass of water and drank it before she heard the front door open.  "I'm back, you didn't go in my office did you?" Giovanni called out from the living room.  Riley walked out of the kitchen unsteadily, "no" she spoke quietly. Giovanni looked her up and down, "you look like shit" he scoffed. Riley just pulled a face at him, as if he was saying that when he's the rough one, "whatever" she mumbled under her breath and went to walk away but he stopped her.

She felt a hand on her arm maintaining a tight grip as she winced a little, "I don't like the kid you've become much, you used to be this obedient little angel but now you're just an annoying pain in my ass" he scoffed. Riley held back her tears, "where'd you think I learned all this shit from?" She wriggled around but that just made him angry. Giovanni pushed her down, "you don't know when to keep your trap shut, you're exactly like your mother" he laughed as she fell to the floor.

Riley shook her head, "don't say that!" She shouted but it was more of a cry, Giovanni folded his arms, "shut the hell up or you won't see the daylight of tomorrow" he scoffed. Riley shook her head but backed away from him, a few tears strolling down her face, "stop crying, only babies cry" he laughed but followed her across the floor.

Jay looked at hailey in worry, "I'm moving in" he shook his head and got out of the van. Hailey sighed but got out too since he needs backup, she followed him up the footpath as he knocked on the door.

Giovanni was about to hit Riley before there was a knock at the door, "get up" he snapped. Riley done as he said and wiped the tears away hoping whoever it is wouldn't see her so called weakness. Giovanni opened the door but scoffed, "no one called the cops" he rolled his eyes. Riley's eyes lit up, help? She stepped behind her step dad so she could hear better, "we've got reports of noice complaints" she heard jay say sternly. Giovanni huffed, "well I assure you everything's okay" he looked back. Hailey sighed, "is there anyone at home with you?" She tilted her head.

Giovanni nodded as Riley stepped into view, "everything's okay officers" the kids smiled weakly at them, her eyes still glassy. Jay looked at her sadly, he just wanted to snatch her and run so she could be safe, hailey nodded sadly, "sorry for any inconvenience sir" she nodded and tapped jays arm to leave. Hailey wanted to help the kid so bad but they couldn't exactly help if Riley said she could handle it, they need the case finished too.

                 Giovanni closed the door and turned to look at his step kid, "go to your room" he nudged her, Riley looked away and nodded as she trudged up the stairs and into her room.  Once she was on their bed she composed herself, "thank you" she whispered into the wire, if they didn't come and step in at that moment she would've taken a beating which she really didn't need today.

Hailey smiled sadly at jay, "good call" she nodded, jay smiled back thankfully since he was doubting himself about what he did. He also frowned, "we've still heard nothing from Giovanni" he sighed, hailey shrugged, "it'll happen soon, I mean we saw him carry that package today so maybe..." she sighed.