Can't Blame a Girl for Trying

Chapter 8

          When Riley arrived to Austin, she was not the same Riley. This Riley jumped when anything fell, had panic attacks, and saw no hope in the world. Rileytown was destroyed and the only people left who could fix it was Farkle and I. Riley has always tried to be there for me, so I knew I had to do the same. We loved each other so I could not think of anything else I could do besides be there for her during every panic attack. Farkle finally talked his father and mother into staying with us for a while too, they knew Riley needed him. As soon as he got here, things looked slightly better for her. There was another person to hold her and repeat "I love you" over and over again until she believed you.

         It was heart-breaking to see the person who has always been so positive, go through something so tragic... Farkle and I could only hope she got better, even though a part of her that will never be the same. Lucas tried what he could to help, but there wasn't much he could do. Farkle and him hit it off well though. They were pals with in a week. Riley did not feel it in her to start school yet nor make friends so I decided to take off a week with her. My teachers understood so I was given homework to do at home. Farkle signed up at the school on his second day here, his parents couldn't stand the thought of him not attending and neither could he.

        Eventually, Riley was able to go outside my bedroom without bursting into tears and had to sign up for school. It was a struggle that I could hardly understand, having your parents die then almost immediately have to go to a new school. I could tell she was healing slowly, but it would take a lot of time for her to be herself.

       On Monday, a week after Riley arrived, we had to go to school for the first day together again. In a way it was exciting but it also scared me because I did not want Riley to be separated from neither Farkle nor I. Thankfully though, Katy talked to the councilor about make Riley have the same classes as I and she agreed.

       About halfway through the day, Riley handled as much as she could and had to excuse herself so she could go to the bathroom. I could tell by the look on her face that she was about to panic so I excused myself too. When I walked into the bathroom, I panicked when I saw Riley curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor, bawling. I ran over to her, sat on the ground next to her then started playing with her hair. Eventually she calmed down enough to sit up straight so I could hug her properly. As soon as I started hugging her, she caved in on herself and let loose, hugging me as tightly as she could.

        "Riley," I murmured after the bell for the next class rang. Luckily I brought both of our stuff with me to the bathroom. "We have to go to our next class. Do you think you can handle it? I can call my mom and tell her to pick us up if you can't." As I said that, I brushed her hair down until it looked relatively normal and less messy.

      Riley stood then faced a mirror, seeing how she looked. "I think I need to go back to your house... I don't need you to come to, Maya. You need to go to school. You can't always protect me, sometimes you need to do whats right for yourself." Riley smiled slowly at me, clearly broken. I slowly nodded then called my mother and told her Riley needed to be picked up.

          I hugged Riley goodbye then told her to go to the office and wait to my mom to pick her up. I hugged her once more then ran to my next class.