Mr. Lucas Friar, a junior high English teacher, finds himself dealing with a trouble making student. The more he learns about her the more he realizes that she's not really a trouble maker, but just a troubled child. She reminds him of a girl he use...
It all seemed to happen so fast and they were still getting used to it, but Riley was happy to have Emily living with her even if she wasn't the young girl's mother.
Sometimes Emily would throw it in her face. "Leave me alone! You are not my mom!" She would cry out before slamming the door to Riley's guest room. It always made Riley want to cry, not because she wanted Emily to see her as a mother but because she wanted Emily's mother to be in her life. She missed Maya and wanted her to come back, to meet her own daughter, to live with them.
It had been two weeks since Riley took in Emily and in that time she learned three important things about the small blonde girl.
1. She is allergic to nuts. She figured that out after baking her some cookies that sent her to the emergency room when her throat closed up and she stopped being able breathe. She actually got into a fight with Lucas because he blamed her for being too careless to ask Emily if she had allergies.
2. Despite her age she sleeps with a night light, well a glow in the dark skull, but it's the same thing. When Riley asked her if she was afraid of the dark she just replied "No, but I don't like when things creep around in the dark." That comment was unsettling to say the least but when Riley tried to pry some more she was met with hostility and a slammed door.
3. She always locks the bathroom door when she showers. Riley of course respects the rule of knocking when a door is closed, but sometimes when she has to pee and the door is locked it leads to an argument between the two.
At this point Riley was practically walking on eggshells around the young girl trying not to upset her with too many questions or rules. Basic rules apply, but Riley was sure if she was too strict that Emily would rebel.. just like Maya.
"Can you tell me about her?"
Riley looked up from her plate of steamed vegetables and chicken. She noticed that Emily was trying to not make eye contact with her while stabbing her fried chicken.
"Only if you eat." Riley lectured with a small smile.
Emily started shoveling the pieces of butter parsley potatoes into her mouth one by one making Riley giggle. "Now will you tell me."
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Riley tried not to laugh so that she would sound more stern. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Emily swallowed, finally looked up at Riley, and addressed the elephant in the room. "Why did she give me up?" She swallowed again, but this time it wasn't because there was food in her mouth. She was just anxious.
Riley shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't know the answer to that. I didn't know she was pregnant."
Emily frowned. "Oh.. Okay then, what can you tell me about her?"
Riley gave her a soft smile. "Well I already showed you pictures so you know that you two look alike, and you know she's been my best friend since we were five, you know she was a bit of a trouble maker in school.. Let's see what else?" Riley thought for a moment then she grinned. "I know. Your mom was a very talented artist."
Emily made a face. "If she made that weird looking purple cat on your wall then I have to disagree."
Riley pouted. "I made that."
Emily shrugged it off. "Yeah, I stand by my comment. It's bad."
"Everyone thinks I suck at art, but I'm not that bad!" Riley exclaimed.
"But that's really bad!" Emily let out a laugh. "I mean where is the tail?! It looks like it has five paws!"
"Okay!" Riley pushed out her chair and stood up. "I've heard all these insults before from your mother!" She left the room for a moment while Emily enjoyed her fit of laughter at Riley's expense. "Here! This is something your mom did!"
Riley leaned the painting against her chair with the bottom on the table for support. "Do you like this one?!" She asked in a huff.
Emily looked up at the canvas in amazement. "My m-mom painted that?" She smiled widely. "It's-It's amazing! It's so beautiful!"
Riley let a smile take over her face. "I know. It was the last thing she painted before she ran off." Riley sighed. "I lost all contact with her so her mother gave me the last thing she painted."
Emily stared at it for a minute, then her smile faded to a frown. "I thought you said you didn't know. You don't have to lie to me."
Riley blinked in confusion. "Um, what are we talking about? I didn't lie to you. Maya painted this before she ran away, at least that's what her mother told me."
"You said you didn't know she was pregnant, but the proof is right there!" Emily snapped. "Why do I even try to trust you?! Trusting people is as pointless as hoping for something good to happen!" She yelled slamming her hands down on the table. "You could just tell me why she gave me up?! You didn't have to lie and act like you never knew about me! Why am I even staying with you?! My mom didn't want me so why do you?!"
Riley was utterly confused. "E-Emily, I honestly don't know what you're talking about! I didn't know that Maya was pregnant when she left! I'm telling you the truth! I had no clue!" Riley shouted back.
Emily stormed over to Riley and yanked the painting out of her hands. "You had a clue! Right here, you liar!" She yelled shoving the painting at Riley. She left the kitchen, ran up the stairs, and then Riley heard the sound of the slamming guest room door again.
She sighed and looked down at the painting trying to see what made Emily so upset, then for the first time she saw it. She saw what it was a painting of and she understood why Katy said it would explain everything when she gave it to her. "Oh my gosh."
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*That painting was found online and does not belong to me. I do not know the artist, but just pretend it was Maya lol thnx 😉
