BROKEN SILENCE

Chapter Seven

A crowd of teenagers surrounded me and I tried to keep my head down, but it was too late. Marina had me cornered. 

"I, I seriously don't.. I don't know what I ever did to you." I tried to speak, but it really didn't work that well. What came out was basically just mumbles and stuttering. 

"Don't act dumb, Riley. Everyone here knows what you did in sixth grade." She crossed her arms and I looked around as everyone agreed. My vision started to get blurred, but I wasn't going to let that stop me this time.

"Look, c-can we just please start over? I really don't like this, and you shouldn't either.. but I guess it's some way to feed your huge ego. You need positive attention because all the attention you get at home is negative." I knew what I just said, and I wanted to take it back so bad. It had already come out of my dumb big mouth that I couldn't control. But it just kept coming.

"When did you get so popular anyways? You ask me if I remember what I did to you in sixth grade, but all I remember is you stuffing cookies down your throat everyday at lunch. Guess it was practice for the dicks you get now. And two years ago, that was definitely not the case." I finally stopped myself.

Marina faked a laugh, "Have you been in the grave with your sister for the past five years Riley? Everyone here knows how popular I am, and always have been. And if you aren't staying in that grave yet, you probably will be tonight because if I were you I would have already killed myself."

Before tears could explode from my eyes, Parker ran through the crowd and stepped in front of me. 

"They should make a horror movie about you Marina. Wanna know why? Because it's scary to think people like you are allowed to breed." He said to her with the most pleased look on his face. 

"Wow, you're even dumber than you look. Did you get this way when you're alcoholic dad threw you down the stairs as a baby? Or was it when your suicidal sister brainwashed you?" She scoffed.

"You really shouldn't try to talk about things you don't understand." He hissed through his teeth, looking as mad as ever, I took a step back. 

"If I give you some Midol, will that shut you up?" She replied inplying that he was on his period.

"And if I put my dick in your mouth, will that shut you up? You know, all that makeup will only get you so far in life."

"It's gotten me this far." She said proudly, but I don't think Marina realized how dumb it sounded.

"You better hope you marry rich." Parker yelled, ending the argument and violently pushed his way out of the crowd. By this time, all the sound and sight had blurred together and I was on the edge of passing out.  My family and I don't know why this happens, it just does in situations like this. Especially when Hannah is brought up. We've  always assumed it's my anxiety. 

Before I collapsed onto the ground in front of everybody I ran to the restroom, but I couldn't make it. Right outside of the ladies room, I fell to the ground with my back against the concrete wall and burst into tears. This crying wasn't the kind of silent crying you do at three in the morning. It was the crying that screamed "help". The crying where you held your chest and choked on your tears. The crying where you couldn't breathe and everything was getting too much. I just couldn't help it. 

Parker heard me and he appeared at my side. 

"Riley, oh my god, are you okay?" He yelled.

I couldn't answer him, I tried to shake my head but it just got more blurry. My eyes started to roll back but I wouldn't let them. I wasn't going to let him know how messed up I really am. And I definitely wasn't going to let Marina know.

Suddenly, I was put back in that moment. My back against the church wall, staring into nothing while Coleton violently shook me. I noticed something I never noticed before. I noticed what I was looking at. A little boy.. a little boy in a grey hoodie. The same grey hoodie Parker was wearing right now as he kneeled in front of me. 

I snapped out of it, but did I really? 

"I need my sister, I need to see my sister!" I screamed as I stood up. Parker held me against the wall but I still struggled to get free. I turned my head from side to side and felt hot tears covering my face. I didn't even know what was going on, I just needed to see my sister. 

What seemed like the whole school was watching me, but at this time I didn't notice. At this time I didn't even care. I kept trying to escape from the pin Parker had me in. But it wasn't happening. The principal and a few teachers heard my screams and ran to see me against the wall with a male in front of me, his hands on me, holding me there, while I screamed to be let free. I knew what they thought at first, what they thought until they heard me yell, "Let me see my sister!" And that's when they dodged for the nurse's office, and the others went to go call my parents. 

The sounds and everything around me started to become recognizable as I calmed down. All I heard was mumbled talking and Parker screaming, "Riley, calm down! Riley, you're okay." But the thing was, I wasn't okay, I'll never be okay. I finally stopped resisting his hold on me and breathed very heavily. I looked at him, and he looked at me. The look on his face was I look I'd never forget. It was the first time I saw him truly hurting. He looked into my eyes with a look of confusion, concern, and pain. I guess I was looking at him the same way, but just a little more so. There were black lines from my mascara running all the way down my cheeks and sticky tears all over me. But he hugged me anyway, he held me so tight. As if he were afraid that if he dropped me, I'd crumble to pieces, which I'm sure I'd actually do. A single tear slipped off my cheek and onto Parker's shoulder but he didn't seem to mind. He still held me firmly.

That was when I saw my parents and younger sister entering the school through the front glass doors. Parker let go of me and I ran for my mom, who welcomed me into her arms. My father and Mia watched and waited for their hugs which were soon given to them. 

"Mom, I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.. I just.. I freaked out.. and.." then I heard something, I heard something I thought I would never have to hear again after that night. The sound of an ambulance. 

Fear flushed my face, "Wait, mom is someone hurt? What happened?" I looked at my family and their faces weren't as near as shocked as mine.

"Riley, you're gonna have to go to the hospital, what just happened is considered harmful. They just need to make sure you're all okay, and you are sweetheart. It'll be fine." she rubbed my forehead with her thumb and pushed back my hair. 

"What do you mean? I have to get in that thing?" I watched my parents as they nodded, knowing what was coming.

"No, no, no please! No! Just take me home, c'mon lets leave now." I went to walk out the doors but no one followed. I then turned to my mom and quietly said to her. "I'm scared mommy, please don't make me do this." 

"Honey, if you don't go, you know what they're going to do? They're going to put you on more medicines than you're already on. Do you want that?" My dad looked at me.

Overwhelmed with everything, I said with my tear-filled voice, "I just wanna go home."

Then the paramedics entered the building. I took a deep breath and let them lift me onto the gurney. While laying down with my family following to the ambulance I just kept rambling. 

"I'm not hurt, I don't know why you're doing this.. I can walk perfectly fine. I don't know what's going on, please just let me go home. I'm not crazy, I really don't know how this is gonna help me in anyway." and I couldn't help feeling like Hannah. But I remained calm. 

The three men lifted me into the back of the ambulance and only my mom got in, my father and Mia had to drive to the hospital seperately. As soon as they closed those two huge doors is when I couldn't contain myself anymore. 

I began to scream, "Don't do this to me, I haven't done anything wrong! I'm just scared, okay? Please! If this is what you did to Hannah I understand why she's dead now! And if you're trying to make me feel like I'm her it's working and I hate you for that!" I yelled at the woman asking my mother questions and ran to the two doors, I banged on them. "LET ME OUT, I WANT OUT!" I hysterically cried.

I threw stuff, I screamed, one thing led to another and a needle was being shot into my arm. Everything went black.