Wait For Your Love - Troy Otto // FTWD

7 - ❝ 𝘪 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. ❞

riley laid motionless in bed. her eyes kept themselves planted to the bare chipped wall as she played last nights events over and over again. her mom dying, riley trying to bring her back, riley having to put her down and then riley having to break the news to her siblings. lucas, having always been a mommas boy, angrily stormed out the cabin, going off to probably get wasted. valeria, was inconsolable, instantly breaking out into hysteria. riley's heart ached as she tried to soothe her.

after awhile, valeria harshly pushed her sister away. she wasn't sure if it was because she wanted to be alone or if she was angry at her for putting their mother down but either way, valeria was still in bed, crying her eyes out, refusing to talk to riley. alicia felt bad for the siblings, she shed her own tears for them before going off to find nick. after she told him, she went over to jake's. not only did she find comfort in the boy but she wanted to give the flores's space as she knew what it was like to grieve a parent... two actually.

valeria soon passed out from exhaustion, riley barely noticed as she had blocked out her surroundings. she wanted to cry but nothing came out, her mind wouldn't allow it. just then, nick quietly sneaked inside the cabin. he wasn't surprised to see riley was still awake. he thought about giving her more time before trying to talk to her but knew he couldn't allow her to slip back into her depressive episodes, not when she was doing so well.

"riles." nick bent down to riley's level. "hey," he carassed her cheek. she was so still. the last time he saw her like this, he was on drugs, too high to do anything for her. he's failed her so many times before, he owes her this. "riley, look at me."

the girl lazily turned her neck. her bottom lip quivered at the sight of him, a boy she's know since childhood. despite her parents being gone, she still had him and her siblings and madison.

"have you showered?" nick asked, spotting the dirt marks covering her body.

the girl could only shake her head. riley could not bring herself to shower after having to put her mom down. riley couldn't bring herself to do anything but play dead. "come on, then." nick helped riley up. he gathered some clean clothes, a towel and her toiletries before they left

riley winced as she came in direct contact with the morning sun. nick noticed just how deep and puffy her eyes were. he empathized with riley, remembering how horribly he reacted when his father died. nick actually came to riley when he learned about his father death. they didn't talk much, they mostly just sat on her bedroom floor, watching their favorite childhood shows until he was ready to talk about it out. riley was who he clung to. riley was who he opened up to, riley was who he felt comfortable with. riley was also the first person he ghosted when he relapsed.

his chest tightened at the memory. never again. he thought he to himself but in the back of his mind he knew that shit happens. there is no controlling what's meant to be but he will, for the sake of riley, try his hardest to not disappoint her, not again.

once the two arrived at the communal bathrooms, nick assured her that he'd be waiting outside. riley didn't want to be alone, afraid of what she might do and nick could see that.

"do you want me to go find, alicia?" nick asked.

riley shook her head, not wanting to bother alicia more than she feels like she already has. "no, it's fine. thank you, nick."

before the boy could respond, riley disappeared into the girls bathroom. once she was behind a curtain, she wearily took her clothes off. she did everything in her power to keep herself up.

as unsanitary as the floor was, she just wanted to collapse on to it.

after her shower, riley forced herself to brush her teeth. her reflection almost startled her. she analyzed her features, not being able to recognize the girl staring back at her. she forced her eyes away and stumbled out of the bathroom in a hurry.