Pictures Last Forever

Chapter 6

-Ella's P.O.V-

Riley has been acting weird all night. I don't understand why. It has just been the two of us all day, and we have had a great day together. His mom has been out all day and-wait that's it. Riley's mom was only supposed to be a little while at the store. She has been gone almost 12 hours.

"Ry...are you okay baby?" I asked rubbing his back gently while he sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands.

"I'm fine...but I would like to know where my mom is" he sighed

"Have you tried calling her?" stupid question Ella of course he has.

"Yes, but it goes straight to her voice mail. I will try one more time though." he said

"okay" I said as I watched him dial the number. Riley sat there anxiously waiting for someone to pick up. I saw his face light up for about a second and then go back to the way it had been for the past few hours.

"Hello, who is this? Where's my mom? What happened? This isn't funny! Stop lying. Yes you are this can't be happening! NO!!!" I heard Riley say into the phone. I noticed a few tears fall from his eyes, as he listened to whoever was on the other line. "O-okay thanks" he said hanging up.

"Riley...what's going on?" I asked him hesitantly.

"She got into a nasty car accident...she is in the hospital on life support. El we have to go now."

"Riley it's almost midnight. We have no way of getting to the hospital. Why don't we just wait until tomorrow? Maybe you should get some sleep. We can get the bus first thing in the morning." I told him.

"Ella, you don't understand. My mom is the only family I have left. Everyone else is gone. I want to be with her right now...even though she is asleep I still can't sit at home knowing that I should be there" He tried to reason with me.

"Hey, I know you want to be there babe. I know this is hard. But you need to understand that we have no way to get down there. You still don't have your full license yet." I said moving closer to him.

He looked into my eyes and I could tell that he was going to break any second. I could see the pain and worry in his face. He wants to be right beside his mom telling her that everything is going to be fine. Riley wants to hold her fragile hands in his strong protective ones and tell her that she is going to get through this because she is strong. I pulled him close to me and wrapped my arms around him, giving him a hug. He hugged me back like he has never hugged me before. It was like he was holding on to me so that I didn't get into an accident too. He didn't want another persons life on the line. I could feel him begin to cry, the pain in his heart flowing out through tears.

"Shh its okay Riley. Everything is going to be ok. I'm here for you." I said softly

He let go of me and sat back down on the bed pulling out his phone. I watched as he dialed another number that I didn't recognize. Riley pressed talk and put the phone to his ear waiting patiently for whoever he was calling to pick up.

"Hi Nick. Ya its Riley...listen I need a favor, can you drive me and Ella to the hospital. Ya, my mom was in an accident and I kinda want to be down there. Thanks buddy" Riley said hanging up.

"Why did you call Nick of all people. He's bad news Riley. Don't you remember what he did to me?" I said

"I know Ella and I'm sorry I called him, but he has a car and he is the only person I know right now that will bring us down there." He said calmly "Don't worry. I will make sure that he doesn't lay a finger on you. I promise" Riley told me kissing my forehead gently.