Guys Can Change

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Emma POV

I went down to the kitchen to grab a snack. Riker was down there already. I think he was making salsa. He was cutting up all these vegetables when I came down. I grabbed some pretzels and sat down at the table to see if he was going to try to talk to me again or something.

So far so good. I'd been here for probably 2 minutes, and he hadn't said anything.

"OW!"

I looked over in time to see Riker drop the knife on the ground and run to the sink.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"I cut my finger and it's bleeding like crazy!"

"Oh..."

I could tell from his voice that he was in a lot of pain.

"Emma, can you run upstairs to the bathroom closet and go get the first aid kit?"

"Uh... Sure."

I didn't exactly run. I walked. But I walked kind of quickly. I found the box of first aid supplies and brought it back down for Riker.

I was surprised to see him sitting on the floor in the kitchen, holding paper towels around his finger.

'Here," I said, handing him the box.

"Thanks."

"Why are you on the ground?"

"Blood always makes me... feel kind of dizzy..."

I watched Riker clean up his finger. I could see that he cut himself pretty badly. I finished my snack, and then headed back up to Rydel's room.

A little while later, I heard a knock at the door. I nervously called for Riker to come in. He shut the door, which made me a little worried, and then sat down on Rydel's bed next to me.

"Hi," Riker said, avoiding my eyes.

"Hi...?"

"I just... wanted to thank you for helping me earlier. I felt pretty dizzy, and I don't know if I could've made it up those stairs. So... Thanks."

"You're welcome...?"

He was doing his weird staring thing again, so I grabbed my phone and pretended to text someone. Riker eventually got up and left.

Weird!

I texted Rydel about what just happened. I also asked her if she could tell me what the thing was with Rocky the other day. I wanted to know why he rushed down the stairs, asking Rydel if she knew what was under Riker's... something...

Rydel texted me back and explained that Riker's been hiding beer bottles under his bed. She thinks he's trying to feel better from his break up. I didn't really care what Riker did to himself.

Later...

Emma POV

I heard a knock at my door again. What could Riker possibly want now?

"Come in," I said, a little nervous.

"Hi..." Riker said, walking in and shutting the door.

What's he doing here!? What if he wants to hurt me!?

He sat down on Rydel's bed, and I sort of inched away from him.

"Emma?"

"What!?"

"Are... Are you scared of me?"

"Yes!" I shouted, grabbing a pillow and holding it in front of myself.