How Do We Do This?

Thirty Two

"She okay?" Hailey asked as Jay finally came into their room after getting Riley to relax and go to bed.

"Yeah, just got a little worked up. Passed out quick though, she was tired,"

"After all the crying, I bet she was. I just don't know what happened, he seemed like such a good kid for her," she sighed, sitting up as Jay was changing into his pajamas.

"They always do at first Hail, look at me," he joked, putting a shirt over his head.

"Oh yeah, you were something," she chuckled, rolling her eyes as Jay joined her in their bed.

"I'm sure Ri will be fine. She's made it through a lot worse than this,"

"You're right," she nodded, both of them drifting off to sleep.

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Riley smacked her phone as the alarm went off, not wanting to wake up and go to school. She hit the right button but didn't expect the phone to go clattering to the floor. She hadn't slept the greatest as she'd tossed and turned all night.

"Riley, up kid! You got school," Jay said as he knocked on her bedroom door.

"I'm up," she mumbled, picking her phone up off the floor and jumping off her platform.

She got dressed in a simple outfit and threw her hair in a very messy ponytail before she went downstairs and sat at the island counter.

"Baby, did you brush your hair?" Hailey asked, coming around as she saw a big knot in the back.

"Mhm," Riley mumbled, laying her head on the counter.

"There's a big knot back here sweetie. I'm gonna get it," she sighed, grabbing Paislee's little brush and starting to brush out Riley's ponytail. "How about we do braids or something other than your normal ponytail?"

"I don't care mama," she sighed, keeping her head down.

"Then I'm doing it, sit up sweetie,"

Riley groaned and sat up, letting Hailey pull the ponytail holder out and run a brush through her hair.

Hailey quickly separated Riley's hair into 2 sections and started to French braid her hair into braided pigtails.

"Thanks, mom," she smiled a little, grabbing her bag and keys.

"Love you, honey,"

"Love you guys too,"

Riley headed to school and didn't wait for Bristol at the door like usual. She just needed to get to practice, take her anger out on the ball, go home, and go right to bed. She didn't speak to really anyone all day, just did her work and kept her head down. Keegan approached her a few times but she managed to avoid speaking to him every time.

She'd made it through the day and finally pulled up to the soccer center where she'd have a quick few hours of practice and then go home and head to bed.

"Riley, can we please talk? You've been avoiding me all day," Keegan asked, stopping her on her way to the locker room.

"There's a reason for that Keegan," She said as she pushed past him and pushed the door open to the girl's locker room. Somewhere he couldn't access.