Don't Make Me Go (The Next Step, Riley & Emily Fanfiction)

Does She Really Exist?

Riley slipped her hands under the pillow. The freezing air was enveloping every other bare inch of her. She peered through the small gap between the bed and the wall. Below her, at the bottom bunk, James was rolled up like a burrito in the blanket. Yes, a boy. They couldn't afford to separate rooms by gender in a foster home. Riley smiled. It was supposedly her turn to use the blanket tonight, but James been through a long day. He needed a good night's sleep.

Not that she didn't need one though. Her audition was in the morning. She was used to practicing while sleep-deprived, but she doesn't catch choreo as well she could've, with sleep and food. She shrugged to herself, closing her eyes.

The lady again. Another reason, besides the winter, why she couldn't sleep. The skinny to the bone, small-figured lady with blonde curls, who lived in her head. Riley liked to think the name was Lesley, because was a beautiful name and it suited her. And the other person was Patrick. Because he was a jerk.

Lesley knew all of Riley's deepest secrets. At least this version of her knew. She never judged. Probably because she doesn't hear either, but that didn't matter.

What mattered, was whether or not Lesley existed in real life, somewhere. Hopefully not. Hopefully no one had to go through that.

Riley closed her eyes.

Lesley was dancing, in all black clothing. Her hair was withering onto her face. Her collar bones sharp yet fragile, unhidden by the thin layer of fabric. She pushed the air, moving backwards. Whatever it was, she was terrified of it, because she tucked her head in, hiding. Then she fell, backwards, onto her knees, facing the grey, moldy wall behind. Minutes passed, she kneeled on the floor, quiet.

Here comes the scary part, the part when she wasn't dancing. Lesley lifted her head, trembling. Riley could only see Lesley, not Patrick, but it was visible what he did.

Lesley shook her head, saying something repeatedly, scrambling to her feet.

If only her words were loud enough to hear. It went black. Lesley disappeared. Riley opened her eyes, finding that her face inches from the wall.

She never got to know what Patrick did to Lesley, because she was way too chicken. She never forgot long enough about herself, or her own dance, or her bed, to look further to their world.

The bed creaked, shaking. Riley's hand flew to the railing, in case the bed collapses like it did a few months ago. It didn't. James mumbled in his sleep. Riley sat up, turning to the clock. 4am. No point in sleeping now.

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