𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 || 𝟏𝟔 +

Chapter IV - Riley

My eyebrows drop when I read what she sent me. Sarcastic and crazy? Wonderful.

Casey Dayne. The most sarcastic, psychotic, but somehow...enchanting person I've ever met.

I think I hate her. I like to believe I do, anyway.

I hate it, because Jesse seems to think I'm in love with her—which quite literally couldn't be farther from the truth.

I rub my eyes, turning off my phone and sighing in disappointment.

I sit there for a while, contemplating whether to respond or not.

After a while, I decide not to answer, but for some reason, I can't seem to get her off my mind.

Even after what she did to Vanessa, even after how insane she's been, even after how much of an overall bitch she's been.

I try to shake her off as best I can, and I get another text from Jesse. Goddamn. Obsessed, much?

"Riles. Essie just woke up."

My face lights up as I finish reading the text.

"Oh, my God, I'm on my way to the hospital now."

My response just gets a thumbs up. I assume he is as well.

After Casey violated Vanessa, a few hours later, we got word that her neighbors found her blacked out and bloody in her house.

That's supposedly how they found her.

I rev up the engine of my motorcycle, the loud noise ringing throughout my ears as I put on my helmet and begin driving over to the hospital.

Further, once they brought Essie to the hospital, she was found with a broken nose, jaw, and a concussion—not to mention the multiple wounds on her face.

She was pretty fucked up.

As my mind blanks while driving, it takes shorter than I thought it would to arrive.

Parking my motorcycle, I jog lightly to the entrance, walking quickly when I get close.

I get in and look around before my eyes dart to the medical receptionist, the woman at the front desk.

We make eye contact as I continue walking over to her.

Once I reach her desk, I place half my palms on the edge and speak up.

"Hi, I need to see Vanessa Lora?" I tell her, but it unintentionally comes out as a statement and a question at the same time.

"Yes, she is in room 212." I nod in acknowledgement as I head for the room, my head turning left and right looking for the room.

I finally find it, it felt like a thousand years before I saw it.

My face lights up a little as I see the room, walking in eagerly and looking around.

Vanessa's eyes dart to me, unable to move on the hospital bed.

Sadly, there are only two other people in the room: Jesse, and...somebody else. My eyebrows slightly furrow as I narrow my eyes, trying to figure out who the woman is.

I look to Jesse in confusion, hoping he would know.

"Oh, um, Riley, this is Raya. She's a friend of Essie's."

My facial expression becomes normal again and I give her a small smile, shaking her hand and nodding a 'hello.'

"Nice to meet you." I say, trying not to sound disappointed or upset by her presence.