*Dreaming of Riley*

{7} Dreaming of Riley {Rain}

Hey guys, here it is :) 

Enjoy...

Chapter 7: Rain

Dashing through the rooms, acquiring irritated looks from some of Todd's rugby mates and their girlfriends, a lot of whom, I did not know.  

Todd's parents were pretty well off and there house was, to put it simply, huge. I eventually struggled through the main doorway, squeezing past a kissing couple.  

And I ran. There was nothing more I could do.  

I could neither stop nor slow down. My legs just moved at their own accord. 

Anger fuelled my energy. Running was my stress reliever. Feeling the cool air whistle past me always made me feel better when I was angry.  

The dark sky seemed to be running along with me. It was very menacing. It was as if the clouds were chasing after me.  

I've always had a bad sense of direction so I had no idea where I was heading, but I didn't care.  

I then reached a dark road, lit by six street lights.  

By now, I was out of breath. I inhaled and exhaled deeply and stopped running. Kneeling down on the cold, tarred road, out of breath, completely exhausted, I started to cry.  

He really shouldn't have said that. I didn't need the reminder... 

I felt like a little kid again.  

I remembered that day from four years ago well. We'd been at home. Dad and I were busy bonding with baby Lillie, Mum had gone out to a spa which my dad had treated her to. That was back when it was Mum he spoiled... Nowadays, it was practically anyone he could get into bed with.  

It had been dark then too... I stayed up waiting for Mum to return, dying to show her a picture I'd just drawn, with Dad starring nervously at the clock.  

The later and later it had gotten the more I had realized something was wrong, I was twelve, old enough not to be ignorant.  

It was nearly nine when we finally received that knock on the door.  

I had watched my father rush over to the door in false hope, watched him see who it was and watched him collapse to the floor.  

I'd figured it out by then, pushed my way passed the policeman standing in the doorway and, up the road, I ran. They found me somewhere near midnight, curled in a ball on the grass of a nearby park... 

And I still remember the last thing my mother had said to me. I'd been lying on my floor, continuing my drawing. She'd been standing in the doorway of my lilac painted room. "Hey, Kid. What you up to?" 

"I'm drawing," I'd answered in mild interest.  

"Okay, well, I'm going to the spa for a couple of hours. You'll be good, right?" 

"Yes, Mum," I'd answered half-heartedly.  

She'd then come over to look at what I'd been drawing, she knelt down beside me.  

"Beautiful," she said, smiling, her eyes creasing.  

"Thanks, Mum." 

She'd gotten up to leave, but I turned and stopped her.  

"Mum, are you ever going back to singing? Wasn't your career 'taking off'?" 

She smiled, "Tour was fun and the company says that I have potential, but I missed you on tour. It also wouldn't be fair to Lillie. I'll wait till she at least starts school." 

"Oh, good," I smiled. "I like having you home." 

She smiled, "I like being home too." 

That night my father and I played a board game, then hid and go seek.  

After that we had dinner, fed Lillie and put her to bed.  

And we waited. And waited... 'Til it was clear, my mom wasn't coming back. 

After that dad just cracked. And eventually, the dad I had grown up knowing disappeared. 

He lost his job and spent the rest of his time indulging in beer and women.  

I soon learned to stay out of his way...

What a way to spend your Thursday evening... Kneeling in the middle of the street, crying. I'm not sure the situation could get much worse, I thought to myself. 

So, of course, it started raining... 

I lifted my head from my hands and looked up towards the circling grey clouds. I slowly adjusted myself upright, the rain pouring harder now. My clothes were already soaked; they clung to my body, causing me to shiver. I realised I'd forgotten my jacket at Todd's. 

I dragged my feet along the ground, trying to push myself forward and get out of the rain. But all I felt was numb. Everything was cold and wet and nothing really mattered.  

It reminded me of a quote I had stuck up on my bedroom wall... I loved quotes; my whole wall was covered in them, except for were the wall came through, which I'd recently painted in blood red. I'd even admit that I have problems... 

The quote was: "I like walking in the rain because that way, no one knows I'm crying." 

It fits...

When I eventually got home, I was unfortunate enough to find that the door was locked and that I'd left my keys in my jacket at Todd's. Checking the floor mat I was relieved to find the spare key there.  

I opened and closed the door as quietly possible. I turned, placing the key on the table near the entrance. I made my way upstairs, walking straight past my father's closed (and probably locked) door, towards Lillie's lilac painted room. I opened the door, but shut it a few minutes later, remembering that she was at her friend's house.  

I made my way to the last room, my room.  

Dripping wet, I entered my on suite bathroom and climbed into the shower. I slowly stripped off the wet items of clothing as I let the warm water of the shower comfort me.  

I got changed quickly and hurried to get into bed.  

I fell asleep almost immediately as my head hit the pillow.  

My last thought: Well, there's nothing wrong with starting the weekend one day before...

Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought... Please =) 

ttfn 

XoX