Riker's Depression

Chapter 26 : Late night thoughts

Chapter 26

Later...

Paige POV

By the time my siblings and I got home, it was almost midnight. I quietly went downstairs, and saw the bathroom light on. I saw a blonde laying on the floor in the bathroom, and the first thought that came to my mind was that Riker committed suicide.

I ran over, and the boy looked up at me. But it wasn't Riker. It was Ross.

"What the hell are you doing in my house!?" I shouted.

"Are you Paige?"

"Yeah, I met you a few days ago! What are you doing here!? Where's Riker!?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying! Tell me where he is right now, or I'm calling the cops!"

"Paige, look. Riker told me he told you about what I did to him. It's all because of my girlfriend. She put me on drugs, and Riker was helping me like... get off of them or whatever."

"Wait! Tell me what happened from the beginning!"

"My crazy girlfriend got me addicted to drugs, and Riker met me under the bridge last night, and took me here. I was a complete mess, like I was sweating and shaking and throwing up... It was awful. Riker made me drink all this water to like get everything out of my system, and I actually feel sort of better now. And a few hours ago, I asked him if he could stop by home to get me a change of clothes, and he hasn't come back. I don't have a phone, and I can't call him."

I sighed.

"Do you swear you're telling me the truth?"

"Paige, I swear! I've thrown up more than 10 times today!"

I sighed again.

"Alright, I believe you. You do look pretty sick..."

Ross gave me a weak smile. He looked different than he did the time I met him. There was a warmness to his eyes, and he looked friendly. Not mean at all.

"I guess I'll try calling Riker," I said, pulling my phone out of my pocket.

"Wait."

"What?"

"I thought Riker said you were coming back in a few days."

"Oh... Yeah, I was supposed to, but everything went a lot quicker than we thought."

I dialed Riker's number, and a few seconds later, heard it ringing a few feet away.

"Ugh," I groaned, hanging up.

"I feel sick..."

Ross turned, and threw up into the toilet. I rubbed his back, feeling kind of awkward. I barely know him, and he's been hurting my boyfriend. And now all of a sudden he's just a different person. I do believe him though.

When he was finished, he just sort of looked up at me, embarrassed.

"Hey, it's ok. Do you want anything to feel better?"

"Aren't I just going to throw it back up?"

"How long is it in between the times you throw up?"

"I don't know. It's random..."

"Do you want something?"

"Sure... I might as well try..."

I ran upstairs, and got Ross some medicine. I gave it to him.

"Alright. I think I'm going to go to your house, and see if Riker's there, ok? Do you need anything else?"

"No... But thanks... Oh and um... If you could just not mention to my parents or anyone like... anything that happened to me... I'd appreciate it."

"Yeah, I won't say anything. Don't worry."

I put on my jacket, and then went back upstairs. I left, and walked over to Riker's house. When I knocked on the door, Riker's mom answered.

"Hi! You're Paige, right? Riker's friend?"

"Yeah."

"What are you doing here? Riker isn't here."

"Oh. Um. I know. He asked me to grab something from his room for him."

"Oh. Go ahead up to his room then."

"Thanks, Mrs.Lynch."

I ran up the stairs to Riker's room. I opened his closet doors. He wasn't there. I opened his bathroom door, but he wasn't in there either. I did see a bag on the ground, and it had clothes in it. They didn't look like Riker's. They looked like Ross's. I figured I'd bring the bag back with me since I told his mom I had to grab something. And Ross could probably use a new change of clothes.

I grabbed the bag, and left, thanking Mrs.Lynch on the way out. I went back to my house, and gave Ross the bag.

"Wait. Did you find Riker?" Ross asked.

"No..."

"What should we do?"

"Um... I don't know... Do you have any ideas of where he could be?"

"No... He said he was just going to get me some clothes, and he said he'd be back in like 10 minutes. But then he never came back."

"Ugh... I feel like something's wrong. Why would he just not come back here?"

"I don't know..."

I sighed. I hate feeling like something's wrong. And I hate not knowing where Riker is. It's late! He should be here, cuddling with me.

Another thought crossed my mind. What if Ross is lying? Not about the drugs and everything. But what if he's lying about Riker going to his house and stuff? What if he hurt Riker, and what if this is all an act? What if he's plotting to hurt me!?

But then why was there the bag of Ross's clothes in their room? Obviously Riker went there to get the clothes. So that was true. But why did he leave the clothes there, and why wasn't he there with them?

So he left without the clothes then? Why would he leave, and where'd he go?

Alright. Knowing Riker, what if he got scared of something? What if he got depressed, and he let his thoughts get the best of him? What if he tried to kill himself!?

I should have just taken him with me to Florida. Now he might be hurt or dead!

I sat down on the edge of my bed. Tears filled my eyes, but they didn't fall. I bit my bottom lip hard.

"Paige?"

"Yeah?"

"You ok?"

"I think Riker's hurt," I whispered.

"Wait. Why?"

Ross came over, and sat down next to me.

"I'm positive he has depression, Ross! I think he tried to hurt himself or something!"

"Wait. What!?"

I started to actually cry now.

"H-he starves himself, a-and he c-cuts! I-I don't know w-what to d-do!"

Ross pulled me into a hug. I completely broke down in his arms.

"Paige, what should we do?" Ross whispered.

"I don't know..."