Purple - A Riff Lorton Love Story

The Truth

As I sat up in the bed, looking at Riff, my heart was pounding. I had been putting off telling him something for too long and it was eating me up inside. I took a deep breath and said, "Riff, I need to tell you something."

He hummed back, "Uh-huh," looking over at me with a curious expression.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I recalled the dreadful night. 

"The-the night that Papi died and the rumble happened. Tony and Maria were-they were running away together."

Riff nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I know, especially after what he did to-"

Interrupting him, I said, "They didn't run away together Riff." Silent tears began to fall down my cheeks.

"What do you mean? You just said-" he stopped mid-sentence.

"Chino shot Tony, Riff. He's gone, Tony's gone," I said, struggling to control my sobs.

Riff was silent for a moment, as if trying to process the information. I looked over at him to see tears brimming in his eyes. He quickly sat up, ignoring the pain it caused him, and pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his arms on them. I had never seen him in such a vulnerable state.

"Riff?" I reached out to comfort him, but he picked his head up and glared at me. "Riff," I said in a quieter, almost begging tone.

"Go," he said sternly but quietly.

I knew he needed his space to grieve, so I grabbed my coat, pulled on some flats, and left the apartment. As I walked down the street, tears streamed down my face. I couldn't help but wonder if he meant what he said. Was he mad at me for not telling him? Would he do something stupid? All the thoughts consumed me as I walked to Diesel's. I knocked on the door and was greeted by many Jets. 

"Jules?" they asked.

"Where's Deez?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. One of them stood up and led me to a room where we wouldn't be overheard. 

"Jules, what's wrong?" Diesel asked with concern.

I took a deep breath and said, "Diesel, I-I told him."

"Oh," he said, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"He took it about as well as anyone would, but he-he kicked me out."

"If he wasn't already hurt-" Diesel said, shaking his head.

"He's grieving, Diesel, just like we all did."

"Still, kicking you out?" he asked, clearly disappointed in Riff's behavior.

"Diesel, it's fine, but can I stay here for the night?"

"Of course," he said, offering a comforting smile.

"Can I ask you a favor? I know I've been asking for so many lately b-"

"What is it?" he cut me off.

"Can you tell them? About Riff, that he's alive."

"Yeah, and I'll make sure they know not to go see him yet." I felt a sense of relief wash over me as Diesel agreed to help. It was a small comfort amid all the chaos and grief.

As I sank into Diesel's bed, the sound of his voice carried through the thin walls, recounting a story about Riff to the Jets in the next room. Though the conversation was muffled and indistinct, I strained to listen, curious about the details. Time seemed to stretch as I waited for a response, and when the silence finally came, I was left feeling uneasy and uncertain about what was happening outside.

Suddenly, the door to Diesel's room burst open, and the Jets flooded in. Baby John led the charge, rushing up to me and wrapping me in a tight embrace. The others followed suit, each expressing their regret and solidarity in turn.

"I'm sorry, Jules," A-rab said, his face etched with concern.

"We all are," Tiger added, his voice low and serious.

"You should have told us," Mouthpiece chimed in. "We would have been there for you."

I nodded silently, tears welling up in my eyes. "I didn't want to give anyone false hope," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Jules, you're one of us," Balkan said firmly. "We've got your back, no matter what."

Feeling overwhelmed by their support, I managed a weak smile and nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate it," I said, my voice trembling.

"Of course, Jules. We're family," Baby John said, his grip still tight around my shoulders.

The morning sun shone brightly as Jules left Diesel's, thanking him for his kindness. She walked back to her apartment, knowing that Riff was in a fragile state. As she approached her apartment building, she felt her heart quicken with worry. What would she find when she entered?

As soon as she stepped into the apartment, Riff ran up to her, his eyes wide and bloodshot from crying. His body was shaking with anxiety, and his breathing was shallow and rapid.

"Where...don't...you can't," Riff stammered, his voice laced with panic.

Jules felt a wave of concern wash over her. She looked at Riff's trembling form, unsure of what to do. "Riff, are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice gentle.

Riff repeated his words, his voice growing more frantic with each passing second. "You can't."

Jules could see that Riff was on the brink of a full-blown panic attack. She knew that she had to act quickly to calm him down. "Riff, look at me," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "Take deep breaths, just like me."

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, hoping that Riff would follow her lead. But he continued to hyperventilate, his breathing growing more erratic by the second.

Jules felt a sense of desperation creeping in. She knew that she had to do something more to help Riff. So, she took his hand and placed it on her chest. "Feel me breathe in and out, and copy me," she said, her voice soothing.

Slowly but surely, Riff began to mimic Jules' deep breathing. His panicked breathing began to slow down, and Jules breathed a sigh of relief.

"I didn't know where you were," Riff said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought something happened to you. I couldn't...I...I didn't want to lose you too."

Jules felt a pang of sadness in her heart. "I was at Diesel's, Riff. I was safe. You told me to go, and I knew you needed time, so I stayed there. I didn't think...I'm sorry for scaring you."

Riff's eyes filled with tears, and he let out a sob. "I...I was just so scared. I thought I lost you."

Jules pulled Riff into a tight embrace, stroking his hair gently. She felt a sense of gratitude for being there for him, and she hoped that their bond would help him through this difficult time. him, brushing her hand through his hair.