All That's Forgotten {RIARKLE}

Chapter 27

She's a complete train wreck, and I don't blame her.

It's her dad after all. If anything happened to either of my parents I would fall apart in an instance. I don't think I could take it.

The other four plus some of our parents are in the living room waiting with Topanga to hear from the police. They're looking for the Cory's body, or possibly not dead body since we didn't see him shoot himself.

I know. Hopeful thinking, but someone has to do it since, right now, Riley can't.

She's staring out the window and I'm sitting beside her holding her hand. She's still in pjs and her hair is in a very messy bun. There's a waterfall of used tissues all around us and a blanket sheltering us from the cold.

For whatever reason they don't want turn on the heater, so it's really cold. 

Riley hasn't stopped crying since I got her and right now it's three in the morning.

I got here at two-thirty, right after school.

I'm about to try talking to her again when Maya comes in the room.

"An officer is here with some news," she solemnly states.

I nod and look at Riley who just grabs my arm and follows me.

The three of us enter the room and Riley sits next to her mom on the couch. Auggie is next to Riley and I'm at her feet. On the other side is Katy and Shawn along with my parents standing next to the couch. The four others are sitting near me on the floor.

We wait for the officer to speak.

He takes a deep breath. "We are sorry to inform you that we found Cory Matthew's body in a hotel about an hour ago. He wasn't identified until we ran dental records and we just got the confirmation. His autopsy should be done soon, but right now it looks to be a suicide."

It's almost as if the air in the room is sucked out all at once.

Everything moves in slow motion.

Topanga slips off the couch and Shawn right beside her.

Lucas and Smakle hold August while he sobs, kicking and screaming.

That's when I realize my world is falling apart. I look at her and she can't even move. She's not crying or falling. All she's doing is trying to keep herself together.

But I can tell it's not working.

I see the way her hands are trembling.

I notice that her bottom lip is quivering.

I watch her take a deep breath to compose herself.

Then she looks at me and calls to me, and thought my ears are ringing from the news I kneel in front of her. I hold her in my arms while she falls apart.

My whole world is falling apart and I'll I can do is try to be there to keep it from breaking too much.

Through all of that I can hear the officer saying that he's very sorry and he'll do everything that he can. He says that he we should notify his parents and any siblings as soon as we can and that he'll come to us immediately is they are any updates.

We don't even notice when he leaves because we're trying to comfort one another.

By this point we're all crying, even my parents are in tears next to Katy.

It's crazy to think that the man that's taught me so much about the world and myself is gone forever. I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to him.

I guess I'll dedicate this moment to him.

Thank you for everything Cory Matthews. May you rest in peace and stay in our hearts.