Friendship, Love And Hate

Chapter 18 <Remember me>

So few more months passed the graduation was only three months away now. I was learning as much as I could. I was never hard learner. I wasn't one of those who would sit by the book at night and tried to memorize things. I only studied at classes and when there was homework. I never had the urge to get to know something more. I always worked with what I've got. I think when time will come I will learn what I need. If not, then it's not that important.

I was hanging out at Riley's place again. We were watching some movie. Past these few months I have noticed that Riley had changed a lot. She was really thin now. I didn't want to ask her about it tough because it's rude to ask about weight. I was starting to worry maybe she has some kind of eating disorder. She slowly got... less happy. I knew that she tried to hide it.

"Hey girls" Riley's dad came in the living room and greeted us. Her parents also got different, almost sadder.

Riley's smile got even bigger. "Hey dad." She got up from the couch and ran to him hugging. I noticed that they were hugging quit a lot recently. Like what's up with all that hugging...

Riley's dad whispered something in her ear and she shook her head. Her dad eyed me and looked back at Riley "I hope you are doing the right thing"

Her dad left and she returned to me. "Let's go to my room I have something to show you" I fallowed her to her room and there were all kind of crafty things around, ribbons, pearls(fake of course), glitter she always liked to handcraft something, she even had hand painted wall in her room, with daisy's on black surface, but it looked very real, alive.

Riley went to her closet and got something out. It was a small glittery shoebox, of course she made it glittery.

I sat on her bed next to her. "What's in there?" I asked her.

She smiled at me. And opened it and there were a bunch of drawn pictures in there. She had shown me some of her drawings, she was very talented, great artist. She looked through and pulled out a big one who was folded in half because it was that big.

She unfolded it and there was a colorful drawn picture of our friend group, all six of us. It was very neatly done. And from a far I couldn't tell it's drawn. Riley was truly amazing artist. She definitely needed to go to some art college, but whenever I brought that up she didn't seem too fond of it.

"Riley this is amazing" I exclaimed. It was a drawing of all six of us sitting under the maple tree bench, our meet up place. It was easy to recognize each and every one of us she had drawn each of us in our usual clothing not missing a single detail, some details I never noticed before, like the small hole in Harry's jean jacket.

"I know it's not much but... I want you to have it. So you'll always remember me" she said with glassy eyes.

"Are you okay Riley?" I asked concerned.

"Yea don't mind me. Just soon high school ends. And you know. Nothing lasts forever. And when I lived in my old town everyone hated me and here I actually have friends and I don't want to leave all this." She full on cried and I pulled her into hug.

"I could never forget you Riles. And high school ending isn't the end of the world" I reasoned.

"It is to me" she said in now  calm steady voice. She whipped her tears away. Forcing a laugh out.

"Riley...what's going on with you?" I asked worried about what I might hear.

She shot me confused look "What do you mean?"

"Riley you are thin, your acting all weird, you tear up a lot lately, something is wrong. Just tell me. Please." I pleaded.

Riley got up and put her shoe box back away. "I am fine. Please I don't want you worrying about me."