The Long Road Home

Chapter 12:

~Peter's POV~

         Ned walks into class complaining about how we ditched him at the party, but I kinda don't care. I'm too busy trying to figure out what exactly this glowing thing is. Ned honestly seems just as baffled as I am. Riley doesn't  seem to really care. She seems really out of it. Maybe it's just her shoulder that is bugging her.

     "Hey are you okay?" I ask her, "you just seem so out of it today." "Yeah I'm fine, my shoulder just really hurts." "How long does it normally take to heal?" "Not this long and never usually hurts." I don't know what else to say about the situation so I just simply nod and focus on the glowing thing again. Ned points out something that I hadn't noticed. "That's am inductive charging plate. That's what I use to charge my toothbrush." "Well whoever is making these weapons is obviously combining alien tech with ours."

      "That's literally the coolest sentence anyone has ever said. I just want to thank you for letting me be apart of your journey into this amazing..." I cut him off by hitting the thing with a hammer. "Keep your fingers clear of the blades."says the teacher. I shrug my shoulders and tune back to Riley who is wearing a shocked expression. "You good?"I ask with a chuckle. She just gives me a thumbs up.

      We decide to head to the lab after class to run more test. The three of us walk down the hall talking about the glowing thing, debating different names for it. Well Ned and I talk about it, Riley has her headphones in. Something is definitely up with her. Out of nowhere some guys turn the corner. One of which was the same guy that shot at us. "Crap!" I grab Riley's hand and pull her to a near by corner. Ned just stands there like a deer in the headlights. I motion for him to come over and he finally gets the hint.

    "Those were the guys who were trying to kill me." "We got to get out of here." Ned says worriedly. I look to Riley and see the uneasy look she has plastered on her face.

     I squeeze her hand trying to comfort her. "I got to follow them, maybe they can lead to the guy who dropped me in the river." "Someone dropped you in a river?"questions Ned. "What?! No Peter, I'm not letting you do that. No way." "Then come with me." She gives a reluctant sigh but agrees.

       The men end up walking into the lap, Riley and I creep around the corner. She suddenly stops. "Riley come on, you have got to move."I whisper. "I can't Peter, I can't. Please please don't make me." Tears are welling in her eyes, I can't make her go but I can't let them get away. "Hey it's okay." I gently grab both of her hands. "Go hide with Ned. I'll come back for you." I say looking deep into her eyes. She nods and runs back.

      Once she is safely hidden away I sneak into the room. "It's saying there was an energy pulse right here."says one of the men. "There is no sign of it, even if it was here it's gone."says the other. They both look around but one of them suddenly stops and looks my direction. Thank god for tables and spider abilities. When the one guy gets close enough I shoot one of my trackers at him. It clings to his shoe and he walks off.

      When it's clear I leave from my hiding place and head back to the hall. I'm worried about Riley, I really am. She has never broke down like that before. There was this pure great in her eyes. "Riley?"I say when I reach the corner. She stands and wipes her tears. I don't say a word, I just pull her into my chest. "I tried to help but..." "Its okay Ned, I got it. Thanks." He gives a simple nod and walks away.

     She and I don't speak for a while. I just slowly rub her back and place my chin on her head. "Riley what's going on?" She Just remains silent. "How am I supposed to help you if you don't tell me?" More silence. "Well whenever you want to talk about it I'll be ready." She nods and let's out a small sniffle.

She barely speaks the whole day even on the walk home. "Ned is coming over later to help with tracking the guys. Are you going to still come over?" "Yeah I'm just going to drop my stuff off at home first." "Okay see you in a few."I say with a smile. I walk inside and get my room together before she gets here. Then there is the sudden sound of tapping on my window. I already know it's her so I just open it and let her in.

~hours later~

Ned and I continue to work while Riley curls up in my bed. She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. After awhile Ned fell asleep and it was just me or so I thought. "Are you ready to listen?" I turn around and then she was, sitting up straight and everything. "Yeah of course." Riley nods, climbs out of bed and then climbs out the window.

"I don't know how to even say this Peter." She doesn't look at me, she just looks out at the city's lights. "Peter there is something I need to tell you...not so long ago something very bad happened to me." From that point on she tells me everything. She tells me about the kidnapping, the experimenting, the torture, everything. "When I saw those men almost shoot you I panicked. It reminded me of that terrible place, that's why I stopped in the hall. I just couldn't do it." I'm feeling tears fall down my face by the time she finishes.

I can't believe it, everything she went through it's just.... there are no words to describe it. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you."she says through the tears. "Don't ever be sorry." She just puts her head in her hands and sobs. "Shhh it's okay."I say softly wrapping my arms around her. Once she starts fm relax she lays her head on my shoulder and we gaze out at the city. Suddenly this beeping sound catches our attention. "Guys."says Ned. We climb back through the window and look at him. "They stopped in Maryland.

"Peter what does that mean?"asks Riley. Out of nowhere there is a lump in my throat and my hands are covered with sweat. I wince a little at it because of the stinging it's giving the giant gash in my hand. "Well the academic decathlon is in D.C. which isn't that far from there. I could feel her disappointed gaze burn a hole through my soul. When I look at her my heart sinks. She looks broken. "Have fun in there Peter." With that she climbs back out of the window and is gone.