Girl Meets the Mind of a Genius

Genius Meets Harming

There's suggestions of self-harm in this part. I'll indicate where to skip because I don't want to offend or hurt anyone. Thank you for understanding. If you have an issue, please reach out. 

I'm also doing a double upload so more happens

Farkle (con)

The moment I say 'bully', Riley's face goes white.

I don't want to be mean to her, but this isn't something you brush off. This is something you face. I won't let her treat herself like her pain doesn't matter.

"Farkle...I don't know what to do."

Riley bursts into tears and collapses over herself.

I shift closer to her and hold her against my chest and she sobs into it.

"You need to talk about it," I say softly, "Riley, if anyone is going to understand how you feel, it's me."

She shakes her head against my chest, "But this is different."

"You wouldn't let me get bullied, and I won't let you. You made me tell you everything and I'm going to treat you the same way. You made such a difference in my life in that closet. I wouldn't be who I am without you. And you wouldn't be you if I didn't figure out you were getting bullied last time."

She takes a deep breath and sits up, "I would have pushed away Maya. I would have left all of you. You're right, I know you are, but it's different this time."

I wipe a tear off of her cheek, "What do you mean?"

"I can't tell you."

"Riley please."

"No, Farkle, I can't. If I do, he could hurt you."

I squeeze her a bit, "Who's he?"

"It doesn't matter. I just know if I say something, you won't be safe."

Who could she be talking about? "But what about your safety?"

"It's too late." She whispers.

I feel myself go cold. I know where she's going with this. I want to be wrong. Please tell me I'm wrong.

"What do you mean?" I ask hesitantly.

"This isn't like last time. It isn't like when she was just making fun of me. She threatened me and she made me upset. But he got to me this time."

Riley holds me tighter. Like she's scared to lose me.

"Riley you need to tell or show me exactly what's going on."

I don't want to know. I really don't.

But I need to know. I need to help her.

Skip

"Every time I hear my phone go off," she chokes on a sob, "it pushes me down more and more. And sometimes I can't take it. I need to distract myself."

"Distract yourself?" 

She did. I'm right.

"Riley, don't tell me-"

She cuts me off, "And then I'll forget for a while."

"Riley, what have you done to yourself?"

I need to see it. I need to see what they made her do. I need to see how bad it is. I'm so scared to see how bad it is.

I let her go and make her sit up, "Let me see it."

"See what?" She plays dumb.

I cup her face and make her look at me. She needs to know how serious I am and how serious this is, "Riley, let me see it."

I can see the fear in her eyes as she takes my hands off of her cheeks, "No."

She looks down at her arms and back up at me. We both know what's under her sleeves. We both know what happened.

"It's okay. I'm always here for you."

She takes my right hand with her left and squeezes my hand tightly.

Riley uses her right hand to pull up her left sleeve and turns her arm so I can see them.

"Oh my god."

All down her arm. Some scabbed. Some almost healed. Some look like they happened 20 minutes ago.

Too many look like they happened 20 minutes ago.

I touch one very lightly and she winces.

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Since January."

January

That's over three months.

I let go of her hand, "Riley, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Three months.

"How could you not tell us sooner?"

Three months and I had no idea.

"This isn't okay Riley!"

Three months I spent trying to get over her, I should have been paying attention to her.

How did Lucas not notice?

She puts her head in her hands and starts crying, "I'm sorry."

My heart breaks. I was too harsh.

"No, no, I'm sorry I don't want to get mad at you. I just don't understand why anyone would do this."

She shakes her head, "He said he's tired of seeing me happy. He said that I can't have so much in my life and be happy."

I put my arm around her back, "He's wrong."

She moves herself so close to me that there's no way to get closer, "Farkle, I'm scared."

I kiss the top of her head to comfort her, "But you can't hurt yourself. It's not okay. It's dangerous. What if this all got worse? How far would you have gone?"

"I don't know."

Start

"Well you have me now, okay? I'm not letting you go through this alone."

She looks up at me, "What are you going to do?"

What am I going to do?

"I'm going to make him stop." I state.

She shakes her head, "You can't."

"Riley, who is it?"

"Farkle, I'm fine."

"Riley, look at yourself. You aren't fine. Who is it?"

"It's..."