Creating My Dreams•A BYE Fanfic

Chapter 52

Riley's POV:

That night, while the rest of the town is alseep, Grace and I make our way out into the darkness.

"Be careful, okay. And be back by tomorrow night or else I'm gonna hunt you down." Sam tells Grace giving her a hug.

She turns to me and I wrap my arms around her. She leans up and whispers in to my ear, "take care of her." I nod and tell her I will. I always will...

"You guys better get going. I don't want it to be light out when you get home. Someone might see you." Andrew says coming in through the door.

"Okay." I turn to Toby and Connor, give them hugs, and then turn to Rhian. I grab Lucy from her arms and give her a squeeze. Lucy is fast asleep and probably won't wake up for anything.

"Alright let's go." Grace says. She holds the door open for me, and for the first time, ever, were truely alone once the door shuts behind us.

"Thank you for coming Riley." She says. I look at her walking beside me with her eyes adverted down.

"I wanted to. I would've asked if you were going alone if I could come. Gives me a chance to know you better."

She let's out a small laugh. "Well there isn't much to know. You know all of it already."

"And so what if I do? Maybe I just wanna spend time with you."

"Well then there's a first." She smiles at something.

"See there. Right there. That smile. I know nothing about it and I wanna know it. We have a lot of discussing to do tonight."

"Oh come on Riley," she says as she opens my side of the door. "I'm not that interesting."

"Yeah you are. You just don't see it because everyone lacks-" I start to say before she rolls her eyes and shuts the door behind me. She gets in on the other side behind the wheel and I begin again. "Everyone lacks self confidence. I do. Like sometimes I can't stand my hair. Like I consider shaving my head some days. Other days I would marry my hair. See there's a problem right there."

"Riley, you either have too little self confidence or waay too much." She laughs and turns the key, starting the engine. "But, I'm the same way. So that's okay."

"Now what on earth could you possibly find bad about yourself?"

"Well, I have too much muscle. Like it builds up with volleyball workouts and I need it to play but its just not attractive at-"

"Its attractive. Next problem."

"Riley! Its not attractive!" She says blushing, trying to hide a smile. "Anyway, I don't wear makeup and-"

"Grace don't even go there. You don't need it. No one needs it. Your perfect the way you are, I promise." I tell her, this time seriously.

She takes her eyes off the road to look at me."Grace, your beautiful. Don't listen to anyone else."

She looks back at the road and thinks for a bit. "That's another problem. I listen too much to what people have to say about me. I never listen to myself."

"Well in this case, you don't find yourself beautiful. So listen to me. Your beautiful. Your perfect. Don't change for anyone. And next time anyone tries to tell you otherwise I swear to god I will come over there and-"

"Riley!" She says motioning to Lucy sleeping in my lap.

"Sorry, but its true!"

"Well thank you. I mean it Riley." She takes a hand off of the steering wheel and places it on top of mine, giving it a squeeze. Before she can take it away, I entwine our fingers together so she stays. And even though we're quiet for the rest of the ride, so many feelings are being shared through our touch.

***

Ten minutes later, we arrive in a small neighborhood just off of the downtown area. From what I can see in the dark, the town is on the smaller side but I can tell its growing quick.

We pull into a driveway of an averaged sized house with red brick and white siding. Then Grace turns the headlights and the engine off and were left in the dark.

"Hold on." She takes her hand from mine, and as soon as she does I feel empty. She turns around and reaches into the back seat. Shuffling around she comes back with a flashlight.

Turning in on she says, "I'll be right back." She slips out the door and I can't see her anymore. I can only see where she's going from the light.

She stops at the garage door and flips the light up, revealing a code on the side of the brick. She punches something in, and just like that, the garage door starts to slide up.

"I'm surprised that worked. I thought we wouldn't have power." She says getting back in the car. She pulls it into the garage and closes the door behind us.

"Feel good to be home?" I ask her after letting out a deep breath. She turns her head and smiles a little through the fatigue. "Come on your gonna fall asleep." I open the door and step out resituating Lucy, who's still fast asleep, in my arms.

"You know I might just crash on the couch. If I make it." She says yawning.

"You've been sleeping on a couch for the past week and a half. I think you can do better than that."

"Oh god, yes! A real bed! Hallelujah!" She opens the door and we step into her house. We walk through a few rooms in the dark, then she flips on a light and were somehow in the living room. I honestly have no idea where I am.

"Okay let's get her put to bed first." She motions to Lucy. I follow her up a flight of stairs then turn right down a hall. Then at the room at the very end, we walk through the door and enter a child's room. It reminds me of how innocent she is. And what she has to go through. What thousands of kids are going through. And for what reason?

I lay her on the bed and my arms feel free again. Grace pulls the covers up around her and then we leave her to sleep the rest of the night away.

Walking into the room across from Lucy's, I know its hers. All over the walls and shelves are volleyball awards, medals, certificates and posters of her achievements and dreams. To the right is the door to a bathroom and to the left is a closet.

"My room." She says introducing me. Then she collapses on her bed, half of her body not even on it.

"So your gonna sleep in your shoes?" She kicks off her shoes and they fall to the foot of her bed. "Your coat?"

"I'm cold."

"That's what blankets are for. And me." I take a seat beside her on the bed and I see her glance at me.

"And what about those clothes? The clothes you've been switching in and out of for a week and a half?"

"Hhhmmmmmm.... I need a shower..." She says half asleep.

"That's what the mornings are for. Now come here." I lean over her and take her coat off. Then I pull the sheets back and lift her bridal style and place her the correct way. Then I pull the covers up around her. For a second I admire how perfect she is to me. Even asleep.

I turn but before I can take a step, I hear her ask,"where you going?"

"Umm... I'm gonna sleep on the floor, or couch. Or something...."

"No. I refuse to listen to that." She pulls back the covers and reveals an open bed next to her. "Now get in."

"But-"

"Riley McDonough. As long as you are staying in this house you are not sleeping any where less comfortable than where I am sleeping. Now get in before I make you."

I smile at her remark and say, "your already making me." I kick my shoes off and take off my coat. Then I slide in next to her and pull the covers over us. I wrap an arm around her and pull her closer to me. "But I don't mind.." I whisper into her ear.

She turns towards me and within minutes, shes asleep with her head on my chest and my arms wrapped around her. I fall asleep after a while of just watching her sleep peacefully in this world that was falling apart only days ago.