Run Away; C.R

(twenty-one)

riley:

I wiped the last of my left over tears with my sleeve, my cheek a burning sensation from all the rubbing. I hoisted my black backpack, that I've had since the beginning, over my shoulder and gathered every fiber of courage I still had in me to ring the doorbell at the familiar house that was zack's.

it wasn't longer than three seconds before the door was flung open, revealing a smug looking zack, wearing a smirk that I was just barely resisting to smack off his face.

"you made it. i'm so glad to see you." he cheesed, smiling like an egotistical psychopath. I scowled, pushing past him and not forgetting to plunge my shoulder into his on my way through the door.

"you're such an asshole." I muttered not so much under my breath, taking in the cringe-worthy mess that was his house.

he sighed, clicking the door shut and slowly making his way towards me. his footsteps became heavier and heavier to my ears with each step. his voice sounded equivalent to a ringing bell, and the rest of the world was silent. my senses were on high alert.

"riley, i'm not the asshole here. I don't know what they've drilled into your head, but it's a lie. and everything will make sense if you just give me an hour to explain." he pleads, surprisingly in a completely honest tone of voice. but that doesn't lower my guard.

I simply nod, watching as he takes a seat on the couch and I sit on the love seat farthest from his position.

he taps his foot against the tiled floor and fiddles with his fingers to the point where I can't take it anymore.

"you have two seconds to start fucking explaining." I spit, obviously bluffing because he's got information on me that my friends back home cannot find out. at least, not yet.

"this is gonna sound screwed up, but I used to be in your little clique of friends ever since junior high. I bet you chandler didn't tell you about that." he paused to chuckle at the memory, something which left me trembling.

"all the way up until last year, when they all had sudden changes of heart, and none of them wanted me anymore." he said solemnly, but I wasn't buying it.

"that can't be what happened, i'm not an idiot. you did something to break their trust."

he pondered my accusation which I knew was correct. I may not know everyone in that group completely, but I do know they aren't like that.

"okay, it was about emily."

I paused, sucking in a quick breath
of air when the room seemed to be at a loss of oxygen for me. this was all too much for me, and I didn't want to know anymore. I wanted to go back to my sleeping group of close friends that have helped me beyond what I could ever ask for and curl back into chandler's chest and for brandon to leave us all alone for good.

but that wasn't going to happen, and I knew it.

"w-what do you mean, it was about emily?" I choked out, peeling at the skin around my finger nails as a nervous habit I've picked up on as a small child with anxiety.

"I mean, I loved emily." loved. past tense. "and it was like everyone knew except her, and chandler was pissed about it because he knew that I was a shitty person, like we all were, but emily was sweet and, almost innocent. I wanted her more than I wanted the bond of the rest of my friends."