Oh, Brother!

Chapter 4

Riley woke up around 9:45am, after a very good night sleep. Robbie let her sleep in till late because he knew her body needed it. He felt like in the old times, when he used to babysit her.

Later, they ate breakfast together and Riley went to get dressed. She wore short jeans and a lilac tank top with a drawing of a black cat on it, white snickers and her known flowers hair bow. Robbie had replaced her bandages from yesterday with new ones, she wrote the number "10" on her wrist and went out of the liar to the fresh air.

*****

She saw the children playing in the playground, swinging, sliding or just chatting – all the things she did when she was in kindergarten. She missed to be a little child and play like this. She walked closer to them and smiled, watching them playing.

Stephanie noticed her and called her "Hi, Riley! Do you want to join us?"

"Um, no thanks, Stephanie. Maybe later." Riley smiled at her and was about to leave to somewhere else, not before Ziggy asked her "Oh, Riley, why do you have bandages on your wrists? Are you ok?"

"Y-Yes! Yes, I am! These are just some scratches." 'Some big scratches' she thought to herself and left.

"Guys, she's absolutely not ok. Something is wrong with her." Stephanie said worried.

"You really think so?" Pixel asked her.

"Yes. Something must've happened with her yesterday when she arrived, and that's maybe why Robbie needed Sportacus's help." The pink girl explained.

"Oh, my goodness! You're right! I say we should write Sportacus a letter and ask him." Stingy suggested and all the kids agreed.

*****

Sportacus was exercising in his airship, when he suddenly got a letter.

"I got mail!"

He jumped to get it, opened the capsule and read the letter:

"Dear Sportacus.

We need your help, it's about Riley.

We think something is wrong with her.

Please come and help us out.

Sincerely, Stephanie."

"Oh, no. They shouldn't know about it. Door!"

He pulled out his telescope and watched the town. He saw the kids are in the playground. Then he saw Riley just walking by herself with the bandages on her wrists. He saw she had something written on one if the bandages but he couldn't see what. He decided to go down and talk the kids first. He climbed down his ladder and ran to talk to them.

"Hi Sportacus!" the kids said in unison.

"Sportacus, do you know something about Riley? It seems like something happened to her yesterday." Stephanie asked the hero.

"Um... I... Robbie told me some very important details about her, but I can't tell you, at least not now, because these are very sensitive details. But I can tell you that he asked me to help her and I'll do anything to make her feel better, ok?" He explained and they nodded.

"Now, I need to go and find her, so if you don't mind..." he did his signature move and went to look for her.

*****

Riley was walking around the town, breathing some fresh air and clearing her mind when suddenly she heard some sounds. She turned around and saw a blue blur coming forward to her. He landed right next to her.

"This time you didn't surprise me, it's nice." She told him in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, good for me! How are you today?" He asked her.

"Pretty good, I guess. You?"

"I'm fine too. But are you sure you're good?"

"Yeah, why?" she asked him confused.

"Um, the bandages..." he pointed out.

"Oh, these?" she gulped, "Um, just some scratches, that's all..." she lied again.

"Oh, really?" Sportacus said in disbelief.

"Y-Yes." She hesitated to answer.

"Were you falling or something?"

"Yes..."

"Well, then why my crystal didn't beep?"

"You're what didn't do what?" Riley was totally confused.

"My crystal, right here." He pointed at the big 10 on his chest, then pulled the crystal out of there.

"You see? This is my crystal. It beeps and glows whenever somebody is in trouble. And it didn't beep because of you yesterday." He explained. He remembered what Robbie told him – this is not his everyday saving.

"Well? Will you tell me what really happened to you?" he bent a little.

"I cut my wrists." She blurted out, and quickly covered her mouth with her palms. Why the hell would she tell him something so personal? She was about to escape from the place, when Sportacus grabbed her arm not letting her go.

"I know that. Robbie asked me for help, and I couldn't say no. And I promised myself not to quit until you'll be happy again. I am not going anywhere." He explained as he stroked her head. He saw that her eyes are filled with tears. He smiled, and then noticed the 10 on her left wrist. He lifted it and said "Well, it looks like we match!" making her smile a little.