Never Too Late | Grey's Anatomy AU

31 | Parallel Lines

Riley POV:

After being in therapy for a few months, I was finally able to go back to my life, except that everyone was hovering. By everyone, I mean almost every single person that I happen to know.

I know that they all love me and care for me, but sometimes it's so bad that it feels like they're suffocating me. I don't like to be forced to talk about my feelings all the time, I already have to do that in therapy and Wyatt is annoying enough.

Although it hasn't been my favourite, I think that therapy has been helping me. I haven't had any nightmares since in a while and I've been eating better. I've been taking better care of myself and I've found a new passion of mine, which is riding motorcycles.

I had recently bought one a few weeks back and since my old car was destroyed, I was going to have to find a new ride sooner or later. I've been hiding it in the side garage that my car used to be in.

It's been such a blast riding it and once I start, I can't stop. However, I'm sure that my parents will think that I'm out of my mind. When I mean parents, I mean Dad.

School has been fine for the most part, I've made some friends here and there, but nobody can ever compare to Rachel, Chris, or Matthew.

Speaking of Matthew, we've been hanging out a lot more since the accident happened. Dad still hates him, but he's able to keep his composure when he's around and he acknowledges that Matthew is my person. He's like my Cristina.

Or maybe he's like my Alex because now Cristina has moved to Switzerland. Freaking Switzerland of all places in the world! Anyways, now Mom's new person is Alex and she and Dad have been butting heads lately and I can't figure out why. It feels like almost every day they are at each other's throats and when they're not fighting, it's extremely awkward and tense. We can't even have a normal dinner together with one of them excusing themselves and then everyone ends up leaving the table and somehow I get stuck with the dishes. It sucks that Aunt Amelia has come over less since she's had her baby boy, Scout. She was good at being a mediator between Mom and Dad.

The yelling gets so loud that I sometimes take the kids out for a drive if it's not too late. I don't like them being left in the house when there's so much tension and it can sometimes be scary. It reminds me of a foster home I used to be in. The foster mom wasn't bad, she'd actually spend time with me, but the foster dad would always be drinking and he'd abuse her and eventually start hitting me. I know Mom and Dad would never let it get that far, but kids don't deserve to see their parents fighting, whether it's physical or just arguing. It puts a lot of stress and anxiety on them and things can get ugly pretty quickly.

So, the last six months seem like it's been chaotic, to say the least, but thank God for Wyatt and Matthew.

As I head back home from campus I see him calling me and I answer.

"Hey, Matt." I smile

"Hey, whatcha doing?" He says

"Just walking home, how about you?" I ask

"Just helping Addie with some filing, I'm still missing you here, Ry. We both are." He sighs

"I know, I miss you too. I think I'm gonna tell them about the motorcycle today." I chuckle

"Hopefully they don't kill you. Don't be reckless on the roads, there are some crazy people out there. I miss riding, I used to be a pro." He says

"Oh? What happened to it?" I laugh

"I got into a little accident and I promised my Mom and Aunt Sidney that I wouldn't get on one again." He explains

"Oh, God. How little?" I worry