Girl Meets Senior Year

Forgiveness Project: Volume 2

"What did you need, Dad?" Riley asked as she and Maya joined her father at the kitchen table.

"I need to tell you something. It's probably not going to be easy to talk about or for either of you to hear."

Maya's face turned white.

"What's a matter with Maya?" Cory leaned over and whispered to Riley.

"You don't want to know."

Cory stat back in his chair, "Girls, Missy Bradford has been released from police custody."

"What!?" Riley and Maya screamed in unison.

"They can't do that!" Riley yelled.

"Are they insane?" screamed Maya.

"I'm not done," Cory tried to stop them. "She has been admitted to a mandatory psychiatric facility. I've been told she will stay there for a minimum of three years. If the doctors find her competent at that time they will expunge her record since she was a minor when she - "

"Shot me?" Maya finished his sentence with a tone of frustration.

"Wait," Riley started. "A psychiatric facility? Like a mental hospital?"

"Yes, Riley," answered Cory.

"Why?" Riley asked him.

"They've diagnosed her with Narcissistic Personality Disorder and depression. Her parents are hoping that with proper treatment and some medication to treat the depression side she will be able to live a normal life."

"They want to unleash that monster back on society?" Maya was disgusted.

"Maya, she has a legitimate medical condition. An independent team of psychiatrists employed by the city confirmed it," Cory told her.

"I don't care. She tried to kill Riley!" Maya stood up from her chair and was getting louder with every word she spoke.

"And she almost killed Maya," Riley added looking from her dad to her girlfriend.

"I know, girls," Cory responded somberly.

-

"I can't believe this, Riles! This girl almost killed me. She tried to kill you! Now they are just going to release her?" She paces back and forth in front of the Bay Window, where Riley was sitting watching her.

"After three or more years of mandatory treatment."

"She should be locked up forever! She almost took you away from me forever. That is how long she should sit in a cell!"

"I think we should forgive her."

"If I could just get my hands on her, Riley! If I could get my hands on the judge who issued this stupid decision."

"We should forgive her, Maya."

"If I could... you, what?" Maya registered what Riley said and turned to her outraged. "You want to forgive the girl who brought a gun into school to kill you?!"

"If she is really sick then yes, I think we should."

"You've lost your damn mind, Matthews! She doesn't deserve to be forgiven."

"I don't want to forgive her for her. I want to forgive her for us."

"What are you talking about?" Maya sat down next to Riley at the window with a little too much force.

"You are so angry, Peaches. I'm worried about you."

"Riles, I'm fine," Maya insisted.

"You aren't. I think we need to forgive her, move on, and never think about her again."

"And now do you propose we do that, Honey?"

Riley stood up, crossed the room to her desk drawer, and pulled out something. She returned and handed it to Maya, who looked down to see two red envelopes, a few scraps of paper, and two pens.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Maya rolled her eyes, throwing her head back. "This again?"

"This again. Get to writing, Hart."

-

"Do you feel better?" Riley asked as Maya finished writing and capped her pen.

"No."

"Peaches..."

"Riley, I'm not going to ever feel ok about what she did. I don't think I will ever be able to forgive her. But I did write that I hope she figures things out and gets better."

"That's something," Riley said.

"There also may have been a threat relating to if she ever came near you again in there somewhere too." Riley gave her a disapproving shake of the head. "I do feel better after writing that all out though," Maya admitted. "Thanks, Riles. You somehow always know what I need."

"That's my job," Riley smiled at her.

"Riles?"

"Peaches."

"I actually came over today for a particular reason," Maya looked up at her.

"To see me," Riley grinned.

"No, to open this with you," Maya pulled a large envelope out of her bag and laid it on Riley's lap.