Jacob's older sister, Riya Desiree Portman, has been diagnosed with Very Early Onset Schizophrenia at the age of 10. At 17, her grandfather died. Less than a month from her 18th birthday, they went to Cairnholm. What's her adventure?
Movieverse as...
Franklin was birded-watching so Riya slipped away. Jake was still asleep.
*
Bronwyn opened the door. "Riya, you're back!" She picked her up, turning them around. "Come and play!"
When she was set down, Riya squatted to her height. "What games do you have?"
Bronwyn lit up. She led Riya upstairs.
*
Emma walked downstairs to make some drinks for the children.
"Do I hear an additional voice?" Miss Peregrine asked, making lunch.
"Riya showed up and Bronwyn recruited her before she could announce her presence."
"Oh." Oddly, Miss Peregrine was surprised. She could never guess when it came to Riya.
*
"Jake! You're back! Come and play!" The brunette, determined to gain some friends, picked him up too.
"One minute," Riya overheard him respond. She walked into the kitchen, waiting for Jake.
"Riya, I heard you had returned. But you didn't come visit me," Alma teased. She turned to the counter she was making lunch at.
"I got distracted by the cuteness of Bronwyn," Riya explained. She stole a carrot when Alma wasn't looking.
Alma turned around. "Will you be staying for super again?" She put the sandwiches in a basket.
Riya shrugged.
Jake entered the dining room. "You ran off!"
Riya shrugged again. "You were asleep!" she defended herself softly.
Feet were suddenly pounding on the floor. "Miss Peregrine, Miss Peregrine!"
"Yes, what is it?" Miss Peregrine asked. She turned to face her children.
"We were wondering if we could go to the beach today!" Bronwyn exclaimed.
"Of course, you would be there to watch over us!" Olive enticed.
Alma smirked and put the basket over her arm. That was when Riya noticed the blue dress she was wearing, perfect for going to the beach. It was dark blue like her usual one, but much more loose and flowy.
The children smiled up at her before running to their respective rooms. Emma led Jake to the attic.
Alma touched the back of Riya's arm. "I believe I have a suit which will fit you."
Riya ducked her head. "Oh, I doubt I'll be doing much swimming..."
"Then I definitely have a dress that will fit."
Alma led the teen up the stairs back to her bedroom and held out the sundress.
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Riya smiled at the dress. She took it from the Headmistress and popped inside the bathroom. She came back out and blushed. She was pale and had dark hair. This dress didn't belong on her. She looked down, smoothing out the dress and glanced up at the woman.
Alma walked over to her and put her hands on either side of Riya's face. She pulled her hair back and smiled. "May I put it up?"
Riya had to resist the urge to tuck her hair behind her ear. "I-if you like," she whispered. She was lead to a vanity and was urged to sit.
Alma was reaching down to pull her hair up. As she came up, she twisted, her thin fingers maneuvering the strands with minimal effort.
"What pills was Jake talking about?" she whispered softly, almost as if she were afraid of Riya would retreat if she asked any louder. Perhaps she was afraid of that, but she clearly hoped they had grown close enough in their short time together to be able to trust her with this secret. She pinned the hair together to keep it off her neck.
Riya pulled on her fingers nervously. She hadn't wanted any of the peculiars to know this fact about her. Anyone who had been friends with her when she was a child had left her when they discovered it. She had been so lonely for so long. Could she trust this woman with her darkest secret?
"I see things," Riya stated, her voice cracking under the weight of the admission. "And hear things. That aren't there. I have a mental disease known as Schizophrenia. It's rare for someone as young as I was when I was diagnosed, but it was real and I..." She trailed off. Turning around, she faced Alma. "I can't live on my own without trying to kill myself and... my pills..." she shook her head, "...they," her voice cracked once again, this time with tears, "they don't work very much. When we first met, yes, I saw things. I-" she shook her head. "I just wish it would stop!" She didn't notice she was crying until Alma had her arms around the young woman, lifting her so she could slide onto the vanity. She cradled the much too thin woman in her arms, one hand on the back of her head. With one hand gripping her knees to keep her in her lap, Alma pulled the woman's head onto her shoulder, murmuring gently in her ear. This girl, with a background less severe but no less intense, had been an outcast just like all of Alma's children. Only, Alma couldn't free her with a new home. She would have to peel the illusion of her mind betraying her piece-by-piece. She would have to show her that her Schizophrenia wasn't real and they would all have to work to discover the layers of her Peculiarity.
Alma moved her arm to grip around the girl's back. She moved the back of her fingers to caress around the girl's ribcage
The cruelty of Normals never ceased to astound Alma. They didn't physically abuse her, that could be healed, no, they mentally and emotionally abused this poor girl until she couldn't trust anyone. Not even herself. Not even her mind.
Riya wasn't even really sobbing. Tears just ran down her face and she was gasping. She was obviously used to crying silently as it was instinctually now.
Soon enough, Riya's breathing normalized and she pulled her head from the crook of Alma's neck. She looked up at Alma. "That was embarrassing," she commented softly.
