Shadow

Chapter 7

It was four o'clock now.

We hadn't talked in almost an hour. I didn't even know what part of the library he was in.

When Riley snapped on me, I was genuinely started. However brave I tried to be, I hadn't expected such an outbreak. Behind his anger hid someone who was wounded, as though he was applying rage to hide his unprotected side.

I wanted to dig, I truly did, and if he tried to hurt me again I would easily be able to defend myself, but something held me back. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

Then another thought struck me. Mr Conduit would be here in an hour. I knew that we were trying to act all awkward and all, but I would rather break the silence than have Mr Conduit make me spend another two hours with Riley after school, I just wanted to go home. I got out of my chair and went to explore the rest of the library in order to find him. I didn't have to look much, he was sitting in a secluded area, working. I walked up to him and took a seat across his place.

"So," I cleared my throat, "Do you need help?"

"No," He grunted.

"So you've finished?" I asked.

"No," He grunted again.

"So can I see it?" I smiled.

"No," He, you know it, grunted. Again.

"Well," I said, "If you haven't finished it and you don't want me to look at it either, the only conclusion I can come to is that you want to spend another two hours with me."

"Ew," Riley said, making the most disgusted expression that anyone could ever make, "I just don't want you to look at my work. Did I look at yours?"

"You can look at if you want," I shrugged, "No one's stopping you."

I knew that there was nothing else that I would be able to get out of him today. Considering that, I didn't see any point in spending more time than necessary with him. I grabbed his laptop from in front of him and opened his page of notes.

Two sentences.

Two.

Fucking.

Sentences.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" is what I should've been screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Riley..." is what I actually said, "Again?"

I looked at Riley, whose head was hanging low, "Riley?"

He was silent, I could hear him breathing very, very slowly.

"Are you okay-"

"I have dyslexia," he quickly said.

What?

"Dyslexia?" I repeated.

"It's when you have trouble with words," he explained quietly.

"I know what dyslexia is," I said, "But... how? Does anyone know that you have it?"

"No," he snapped, looking up at me angrily, "And you better not tell anyone."

"I won't," I said, "I swear."

He stopped talking, his breathing heavy, staring intently at his palms.

"You can talk to me," I assured.

Riley looked into my eyes as if assessing whether or not to tell me, "My mum doesn't believe in dyslexia."

Huh?