All That's Forgotten {RIARKLE}

Chapter 28

"Hello Mr. Feeny."

He turns to look at me with sad eyes. It looks like the older man has aged even more than the last time I saw him; which was about six months ago.

"Farkle. It's good to see you again. Though, it's a shame the circumstances," he replies.

I nod. We are getting ready to go scatter the ashes around New York since the service just ended. Topanga explained that they had agreed before they would rather be cremated than buried.

"Things lately have been... messy?" I say before I fall apart yet again, lI'm not sure what word to use but everything is just all over the place and I can't seem to get my footing."

"I believe the word you're looking for is chaotic," he suggests. I nod and he continues, "Yes, I talked to Cory a week before his death and he explained parts of his situation."

"So then you know about everything that's been going with Riley and the rest of us?"

"I don't believe I do. I only know what Matthews knew, and if anything less than that. That boy was never good at informing me with what's going on."

I smile at that, but it begins to falter almost immediately with sadness.

We look around at people shaking hands and giving their condolences to the Matthews family. The three of them smile kindly and say the same things to different people.

"Thank you for being here."

"Oh, that means so much to all of us."

"Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.'"

I start to notice that Riley keeps looking around and for a second I think she's looking for me, but they scan me and move on. The others are not far behind me and in viewing range from where she's standing, so it's not them. I try to think who she would be looking for in a time like this, but no one that's already talked to her comes to mind.

"Mr. Feeny?"

"Yes?"

"Did Mr. Matthews tell you who he was crashing with because we know that he wasn't at motel since he didn't take money out and didn't pay for it through any other form of payment," I explain.

"No," he starts thoughtfully. "But let's be smart about this. It can't be anyone too close because they would've told Topanga, so it's probably not Shawn or any of your parents friends. It could've been his parents' place, but according to him, through the phone call we had, he was still in New York.

"Maybe he was at a homeless shelter or something of that sort, but knowing Cory and how he is he would've wanted to go to someone he knew he could lean on in a time of need."

"This person was close to him and probably wanted something from because anyone else that was close to him would've told Topanga where he was," I say feeling the gears turning in my brain. "They didn't want him to leave, at least that's what I'm guessing."

I look up and realize something. "It's the person we've been looking for. That's why every other person was a dead end. We were looking in all the wrong place. Our guy was under our nose this whole time by using Mr. Matthews as a shield."

Feeny looks slightly confused, but nods along anyways. "This person probably made Cory feel bad enough to... do what he did and must feel guilty about it. They obviously cared about him at one point, so they're not going to be here out of guilt. Who's not here Farkle?"

I look around again and notice a lot of people have already left to go to the first place to scatter the ashes.

I shrug. "I can't tell when so many people are gone already."

He shakes his head. "No, you know who it is. You knew from the second you got here because this person is usually always there, but isn't here now. The moment of need has arrived and they didn't even neither to say they cannot make it. Think son!"

I look again and see Auggie talking to his Aunt and I see my parents talking to Cory's parents. Turning towards my friends I see them talking to some police officer friends of ours and feel my stomach sink.

It can't be.

My knees tremble at the thought of this. They would never hurt any of us, no matter how bf things got. My gut can't be right.

I can't be right.

But I'm almost never wrong.

Feeny looks at me and nods knowing that I've figured it out. I look out to find Riley, but she's not here yet here mom and brother still are.

"Thank you Mr. Feeny."

He nods and I run to Topanga and ask where Riley is.

"She said she needed to check on someone who should be her and that she's worried about them," she says sadly.

My heart slams to a stop.

She's going to see him.