Back To Basics

Chapter 14 - "Significant Things."

Seeing the typewriter and note Lucas left sent Riley over the edge. She was flooded with emotions. She didn't know how to feel or what to think. Part of her was still in shock. He left her 6 months ago, basically told her she wasn't worth fighting for that what they had wasn't worth fighting for and yet here he was leaving expensive gifts and ambivalent notes. Suddenly she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to confront him and there was only one place she could think to look.

She grabs the first thing she could find. She throws on a tank top, distressed shorts and slips on her converse before running down her fire escape. She didn't bother taking her phone or grabbing her handbag, all she cared about was finding him.

She arrives at the Antique Store, where Lucas used to work, 15 minutes later, hair still wet from the shower. She stands outside the door trying to convince herself to open it. It hadn't occurred to her that confronting him would require her to come face to face with the guy who broke her heart. But she's determined, so she reaches for the handle and pushes through.

The store is almost empty apart from a few boxes on the floor and some books on the shelves. There were signs posted up on the wall that said 'final sale everything must go.' She quietly moves towards the back but is greeted by a familiar face. It was the older man who woke her up that morning she stayed the night here with Lucas. He must have recognized her because he greeted her with a warm smile before holding his finger up to excuse himself. As he walked to the back room she heard him say, "You have a visitor."

In a panic she turns her back to them and tries to compose herself before he walks out. She can hear his footsteps approaching from behind her. She takes a deep breath and then hears his voice for the first time in six months.

"Riley?" His voice is gentle and almost quizzical like he either didn't recognize her or was surprised she was there.

She braces herself before turning to meet his gaze. The one thing she didn't anticipate was how much it would hurt. How much looking at him, would hurt. She lets out a shaky breath. "Lucas."

The light-haired boy moves closer but that only causes Riley to step back. He could see in her eyes that she was angry and he didn't blame her. He would be angry too. In fact, he was angry. He was angry at his father for forcing him to move to Texas, he was angry at Charlie for driving them apart but mostly he was angry at himself. When things got rough he ran. He should have fought for her but instead he made excuses and ran.

"Riley, I –."

"Why are you here?" She cuts him off. "Why'd you come back?"

"You wouldn't answer any of my calls and I need to tell you—." He pauses, carefully thinking of his next words, "I need to tell you how I feel."

"I don't care." Her tone was cold and he could tell that she meant it. "I don't care about how you feel."

"Then why are you here?!" He snapped back.

"Because I get home from Europe to find an antique typewriter sitting on my bay window." She hands him the note that she grabbed. "Any ideas where it came from or who might've put it there?"

"Like I said in the note, it always belonged to you." He doesn't back down.

"Well I don't want it." She folds her arms across her chest.

"Yes you do. You told me you wanted one of those since you were 10 years old. You want to hate me? Fine! Hate me. But don't try to act like that typewriter doesn't have significant meaning to you."

"At one point a lot of things have significant meaning, but that doesn't mean they always will..."

He steps closer, this time placing his hands on her arms. "Riley, please I just want to talk to you."