INFINITE (Eminem Fan Fiction)

Chapter 26: How Come

Chapter 26: How Come

Fourteen Years Ago…

Riley has scraped by for months, saving up every penny should could get her hands on. She’d even resorted to selling bags of cookie she’d made at school to make some more cash. But she’d finally done it. N.W.A’s new album, Straight Outta Compton, had been released two weeks ago and all Marshall could talk about was how bad he wanted it. She’d managed to scrape together eight dollars for the album and couldn’t wait to give it to him. She and Marshall had been dating for three months, exactly, and she thought the album would be the best anniversary present. Kim absolutely refused to talk to her and should couldn’t imagine the tension at home between her and Marshall.

Riley made sure she kept her head down and her hood up as she rode quickly through the Detroit neighborhood. Marshall had moved again and was jumped only last week and she was worried about the same happening to her. Luckily, a bike kept her out of most of the trouble. She had the album tucked into her jacket, protecting it with her life. She could imagine how happy he was going to be: his face would light up and he’d hug her… maybe even kiss her. Her heart fluttered just thinking about it.

As she rounded onto Marshall’s street, she decided to take the back door route. They always kept the front door locked but the back door was broken and you could get in without knocking. She wanted to surprise him. Dumping her bike in the bushes, where nobody would steal it, she could hardly contain her excitement as she approached the back door and pulled it straight off its hinges. Carefully, she slipped inside and replaced the old wooden door.

The house was dark and it didn’t look like the power was on. Riley could only guess that Marshall’s mother hadn’t paid the bill and they’d been shut off again. Last time that happened, he’d spent two days at her house, abusing her stereo. With only natural light from the few windows to guide her, she guessed that he wasn’t in the basement which would be pitch black without the light.

She headed down the hall towards the living room where she heard voices. It sounded like Marshall and Kim. Riley slowed down. They were talking again? It was probably a good sign. She’d missed Kim as a friend and she didn’t want to get between the two of them being friends either. Pulling the album out of her jacket, she held it as she slid along the wall, listening in, and waiting for a good moment to walk in.

Marshall sounded persistent as he spoke, “She’s nothing. I promise.”

Kim snorted, “I don’t believe you, Marshall. I’ve seen you with her. You’re happy.”

“Kim,” Marshall seemed to be more desperate. “I want you. I was just…” He paused and sighed. “I was just using Riley to make you jealous.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s you I really want.”

Riley’s breath faded away from her and she felt her heart drop. Staring at the floor she felt an explosion of emotions rush through her: anger, frustration, sadness and hurt. He… was using her? This was all just a trick? She tried to breathe properly but couldn’t. They’d gotten along so well. They hardly ever fought. He’d always taken care of her…. She couldn’t believe that he’d do this.

Forcing her feet to move, she stepped out from hiding and into the living room doorway. Hearing him admit that was like someone stabbing her in the chest, but what she saw, was like someone turning it inside her, carving a hole where her heart should be. Marshall and Kim were kissing on the sofa across from the doorway. They both noticed her standing there at the same time. Marshall pulled away from her quickly and jumped up.

“Riley! You’re here…” He seemed completely shocked.

The tears in her eyes blurred her vision and she slid down her cheeks as she stared at him. “H-how could you?” The pain she felt was like nothing she’d felt before. Her whole world seemed to crash around her. She’d spent months fantasizing what it would be like to be with him and when he’d finally asked, she hadn’t even stopped to think about the reason why, she was so excited.

“Riley, I-”

“You lied to me,” She choked, emotion cutting her throat raw. She realized she was still holding his anniversary gift in her hand. Looking down at it, she couldn’t believe how stupid she was for falling for his whole stunt. Lifting it up, she threw it across the room. It clattered against the old carpet and landed right at Marshall’s feet. “Happy Anniversary,” She said sarcastically.

Marshall looked horrified as he stared down at the album. It wasn’t the reaction she’d hoped for. “You brought me this?” He bent down and picked it up, stepping towards her. “Riley-”

She put her hand to tell him to stop but ended up catching her sob, “Get away from me. I never want to see you again.” Unable to bear the weight of her emotion, she stumbled out of the house, blindly and rode home, tears mixing with the light autumn rain.

 *****************************

Marshall hadn’t seen Riley all week, both and school or around the neighborhood. But it was hardly surprising after what had happened. He was so conflicted. What he had with Kim was so intoxicating and hard to resist but what he had with Riley was so real and honest. And he realized so quickly what he’d done to her. And if it wasn’t bad enough, the N.W.A album would have cost her a fortune and she did it all for him, knowing what it would mean to him. And he didn’t even had the guts to play it, he felt so guilty. He felt awful for what he did to her but he couldn’t repel his urges for Kim, either.

After not seeing Riley for a full week, he began to grow more and more concerned. She’d always been academic and for her to miss a whole week of school was unheard of. He’d told Kim he was hanging out with Proof, and that was his original intention. But as he jumped on his bike and rode through the suburb, he found himself heading down Riley’s street, pulling up to the large double story home she was staying in. It was in a nice part of the suburb and housed over ten other children. Riley had been saying how the foster parents weren’t coming with so many and some would have to leave again.

As he slowed down, he left his bike in the driveway, unsure if it would be safe or not. It didn’t matter, he couldn’t imagine Riley would even want to see him after what he did. Tucking away his Walkman, he approached her front door and knocked heavily on it, hoping that someone would answer and let him in and Riley would be forced to talk to him.

A middle aged woman answered the door, looking exhausted and covered in pasta sauce stains. She looked at him from head to toe and didn’t look impressed. “You were Riley’s friend.”

He shifted, feeling uncomfortable. “Yeah, is she home? I really need to talk to her.”

The woman rolled her eyes, as if his question was ridiculous. “She moved last Saturday. I had too many kids here and when the social worker came, she volunteered to move.”

Marshall’s jaw dropped. “She’s gone?”

The woman nodded, looked restless. “Yes, that’s what I just said.”

“Where did she move to?” Marshall asked, hoping it was just another home in Detroit.”

The woman looked annoyed, “Miami, from what I heard. Apparently found a good home there for her.”

“She’s in Miami?” Disbelief flowed through him. She didn’t even say goodbye…

“Look, I have a lot of things to do,” The woman said. “If there’s nothing else, I need to go.”

Marshall stepped backwards, almost tripping, unable to believe that she’d left so abruptly. As he turned away and headed for his bike, a sense of emptiness overcame him. If he could just forget everything, maybe it would take away this unexplainable pain… If he could just forget…