Ambition Is Bullshit

Chapter Ten

I wake up to a metallic chemical smell, yep you guessed it folks I'm at the hospital. But the real question is why? I'll give you a hint, it's the psych ward. Oh and before we go into some crazy flashbacks, you lazy readers who don't vote on this story, my story, a story where I literally have to tolerate the most annoying person on this planet, talking about you Modori, either vote or get out. Because it is so frustrating when you add me in your reading list but don't vote. I'm struggling here. Anyway, I guess it's flashback time.

"Hey," I felt someone nudge me. Begrudgingly, I got up from my desk, finding my left cheek numb and wet (ugh, I hate drooling) and myself in philosophy class. I looked to the right and see Riley, who handed me a napkin.
"Thanks." I wiped the drool off my face before realising something. "Crap. I completely forgot to ask him."
"Well, since we're in your philosophy class, I'm guessing this is a Chris thing." Riley said getting up, I followed her.
"So, why're you here?" I asked as soon as we were out of that retched place, no offense Mr. Lau.
"You forgot this again." She handed me my tablets, I quickly hid them in my bag. "Oh come on, we're in college, where kids are literally smoking meth around every corner and taking caffeine pills for breakfast." She had a point but I still didn't like waving around the fact that I literally set a building on fire and almost got charged for arson at the age of fourteen. Good times, I know but that kind of stuff will only get me attention. And unlike the attention seekers I have for friends, talking about you now Alex. "You do realize I won't always be here to bring them for you everytime you forget." That made me freeze up as Riley continued to walk only for her to stop and turn around.
"Why the hell not?" I gave her an incredulous look.
"Because Keira, while I might love you, I have my own life to live and it doesn't consist of constantly making sure my best friend's sanity is still intact."
"Aww," I cooed. "You love me!" Riley gave me a flat look.
"Do you have selective hearing?"
"Oh, sorry, did you say something?"
"Well that answers that." I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"What?" Riley rolled her eyes and yanked me forward.

"So what's this Chris thing?" Riley asked as she sipped her latte, we were in Starbucks with busying and rather loud students in the background, feeling rather nostalgic. For all of you slackers who didn't bother to read the first book, for good reason, Riley and I would ditch class and got Starbucks on a constant basis. My school didn't notice, and even when they did they couldn't do anything about it; since Riley was one of the top students while I suffered from a mental illness that couldn't be debilitating, or at least that's the excuses we came up with. We had a really weird and two-faced principal that was hard to get a read on.
"He has a brother." I remembered Jordan's perfectly structured face, strong jaw and symmetrical features with those beautiful crystals for eyes. I wondered why Chris didn't have those eyes, his were more like dark blue orbs. Also, why did Jordan have a British accent while Chris didn't.
"Keira." I heard Riley call out.
"Hmm?" I raised an eyebrow.
"What brother?"
"His name is Jordan, he's friends with Rami."
"Huh, small world. Anyway, why did you need to tell Chris that he has an older brother? Doesn't he already know?"
"Yeah, but his brother asked me to tell him something." Riley raised an eyebrow. "To drop the act, to put it in his words."
"Hmm, this actually makes sense in a way."
"How??"
"While, it sheds some light onto the "mysterious Chris"."
"Mysterious? Are you kidding me?" I snorted.
"He got into college when he was sixteen, he's smarter than anyone I have ever met but for some reason fails his classes on purpose, and his personality completely changes when he's around you."
"Wait, he's SIXTEEN?!"
"You didn't know?"
"Oh god, now I regret the whole making him my slave thing. Wait, what do you mean smarter than anyone you've ever met? What about me?"
"No offense, Keira, you're too lazy to be considered smart." I narrowed my eyes at her before finally shrugging.
"Eh, fair point."
"You know it's kind of hard to insult you when you accept your limitations so easily."
"That's because I love myself too much." I smirked.
"Same as ever." She smiled, she seemed so much better now, although I still have to check on her after midnight to make sure she's not crying herself to sleep again.
"So, how are you?" I put my coffee down.
"I'm alright." She shrugged, avoiding my gaze.
"Riley?" I persisted softly.
"I just wish they told me sooner." She sighed. "Maybe, I wouldn't be so confused." 
"Riley, come on, we both know it wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Look, let's say my parents got me help sooner than they, do you really think it would've made much of difference?"
"You wouldn't have set a building on fire."
"Yeah, but even so I would've felt the same pain I did then, the only difference, other than arson felonies, is that the pain would've been gone earlier."
"A-are you still angry at them?" She asked, taking me by surprise. I looked at her, silently contemplating the answer, before finally sighing.
"I admit back then, I was so angry at that them, all the time, I was hurting so much and they didn't notice, I didn't think I could ever forgive them, I think a part of me still doesn't. But when I saw the way they looked at me after the whole ordeal, all that concern in their eyes, I realised that despite all the problems they caused me and their highly questionable parenting skills, they cared and I wasn't angry anymore. Listen Riley, I don't really know what you're going through but you need face the facts; you're parents were lying to you for your entire life but they aren't anymore." She furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. "They could've taken this secret to the grave and you wouldn't have ever found out but they loved you to that extent that they were willing to tell the truth and face the consequences. So when you talk to them, keep that in mind."
"How do you know I'm going to talk them at all?"
"Because you're you." I smiled, Riley stared at me blankly for a few long seconds before softening her expression.
"You know, I'm suppose to be the one who's looking after you, not the other way around."
"Friendship is a two way street, Jameson..." I trailed off as I caught something in the background.
"What?" She followed my gaze, her eyes landing on none other than Phoebe Hales. "Oh, is that squeaky voiced girl from your psych class?"
"I'll be right back." I smiled, getting up and walking to Phoebe and her friends. "Hey," I tapped her shoulder. She turned around only for her expression to drop.
"Oh," she looked at me like I was a piece of gum that was stuck on her shoe. "It's the girl that sleeps in class and talks to herself." Her background character of friends chuckled at her comment.
"The one and only." I took the insult in with pride, accept your limitations and love yourself. The way of life. "Anyway, I wanted to talk about the recent test. It sure was hard, right?"
"I don't have time for this." She turned her back to me.
"Is that the excuse your friends used when they asked for you help." I retorted, causing her to freeze up before doing a one-eighty and looking me straight in the eyes.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She hissed.
"Then you must have dissociative personality disorder, you're alter must've taken over during the test and helped your friends cheat." She rolled her eyes.
"I think you should go back to your little girlfriend." She retorted, gesturing towards Riley who was texting away on her phone. "And while you're at it, tell you're other weird friends to go f**** themselves."
"Wow... that was completely unnecessary. Maybe I should tell on you and see how you and you're two-faced nature fare with the disciplinary board."
"You can try. But you'll be dragging yourself under the bus as well." Oh, she's using that argument. "The only way you could've found out about the cheating is if you were looking at us, which is as you know not allowed during exams." This is too easy.
"Maybe so, but the difference is I didn't confess to cheating."
"Whatever. Who's going to believe anything you say."
"They don't have to, they just need to listen." I took out my phone, revealing that it was recording the whole. "Listen here, you cheating skank," I inched closer to her face making sure she was the only who could hear. "You're grades might be better than mine and I might fall asleep during class, but I'm still smarter than you so next time you decide to insult me or my friend, think twice." With that I offered her my best smile before abruptly dropping it. "Idiot." I muttered, leaving a disheveled Phoebe.
"What was that?" Riley asked as soon as sat back down.
"Oh nothing, she just thinks we're dating." I said.
"Seriously?" Riley raised an eyebrow.
"Well, she called you my "girlfriend", do we really act like a couple?"
"No. People are just quick to judge, I mean I thought Alex and Ashley were dating before I found out that "shrimp" was a girl."
"The phone call?"
"The phone call." She nodded.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

I woke to obnoxious ringing, I searched around my bedside, rather sloppily, for my phone. I put it to my ear, not bothering to check the Caller ID.
"Keira, finally." My eyes widened at hearing that voice.
"Demetria?"
"Nice to see your mind is as sharp as ever." Was her sarcastic reply which I decidedly ignored. I looked outside my window, the sun shining brightly.
"God, what time is it?" I groaned.
"Like seven thirty."
"And you're just calling to check in?"
"Oh god no, I couldn't care less what you and that friend of yours, you're only friend, are doing." Annoying as ever, I see. Someone people never change, it's almost shocking.
"Great, then I'm going back to bed."
"Wait!"
"What?"
"I need you help."
"Now that's a surprise." I retorted dryly. Dem might not be as big of an ass as she was back then but she's still Dem.
"Please, Keira." She pleaded.
"Fine." I gave in, I REALLY need to get rid of my conscience. "What do you want?"
"Well, I don't know how to say this so..." she trailed off, making regret asking her.
"What?" I asked the dreaded question.
"I'm coming to visit." Came the dreaded answer. I held the phone to my ear silently.
"Oh hell no."