I'm Home

Chapter 10

By the end of school, I was feeling a little bit more like myself. I was talking to my friends and focusing on my classes. The only main thing was that I refused to go into the library. Every time I went in, my eyes always drifted over to the corner and caused a flood of memories to rush into my brain. Just before the final bell, I talked a little with Lucas while we packed up all our stuff.

"Lucas?"

"Yeah, Riley?"

"Can you promise me one thing?"

"For you, anything."

"Okay, so I know that ever since you found out about everything all you've wanted to do is beat up Charlie. I know he deserves that and worse, but can you please promise me that, unless I say otherwise, you will stay away from Charlie and not hurt him in any way?"

"I-I don't know, Riley. What if he sees me not doing anything and thinks that that means he can hurt you more? What if he hurts more girls? What if-"

"Lucas, trust me. I'm not going to let him do this to anyone else. I have my own idea of how I want to expose and stop him. But I need you to believe in me and promise to not hurt him?"

He took a deep breath before looking at me with those emerald green eyes. "I promise. But Riley, I've believed in you ever since that night in the library." He gave me a quick kiss before the bell rang and we headed off to the bakery.

Once we got there, I let the rest of my friends start working on their homework while I waited for Erica and Jaz. After about 10 minutes, they both showed up, looking extremely paranoid.

"Riley, are you sure we're safe here?"

"Yeah, what if he comes over and finds us? He'll be furious." Erica whispered, the terror extremely obvious in her voice.

"Guys, trust me. He won't be coming. He hasn't come here since eighth grade." At that, they relaxed a little bit, but were still fairly tense. I directed them over to the back corner. I sat in the window seat next to Erica, while Jaz took one of the seats right in front of us.

"Okay, girls. I think I have an idea of how we can not only get back at Charlie, but also make sure he is never able to do this to any other girls." They both nodded along with me, the enthusiasm building in their eyes with each word.

"That is the best plan I have ever heard." Jaz said, almost shocked that she hadn't come up with it earlier.

"When are we gonna do all of this?" Erica asked, still a little timid.

"We'll do Phase 1 tomorrow, Phase 2 on Sunday, and Phase 3 at school on Monday." They nodded in approval and hugged me before they left. I looked over at Lucas who had obviously been trying to hear our conversation. I walked over to him and wrapped my arm around his waist.

"Everything going okay?" He asked, trying his best, and failing, to cover-up the concern in his voice.

"If everything goes according to plan over the next couple days, then yes."